NCAA Football Rankings: Alabama Heads AP Preseason Top 25 Poll

College football’s pack will chase Alabama from the start.

The Crimson Tide sit atop The Associated Press’ preseason Top 25 Poll, which it released Monday afternoon. Alabama opens the season as the nation’s top team for the second consecutive season, and Nick Saban’s group is hoping to end the campaign as national champion for the fifth time since 2009.

No 2. Ohio State, No. 3 Florida State, No. 4 USC and defending champion No. 5 Clemson round out the top five. They’ll be among the favorites to challenge Alabama for the national championship.

Here’s the entire poll.

1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Florida State
4. USC
5. Clemson
6. Penn State
7. Oklahoma
8. Washington
9. Wisconsin
10. Oklahoma State
11. Michigan
12. Auburn
13. LSU
14. Stanford
15. Georgia
16. Louisville
17. Florida
18. Miami
19. South Florida
20. Kansas State
21. Virginia Tech
22. West Virginia
23. Texas
24. Washington State
25. Tennessee

Alabama also earned the top ranking in the top 25 coaches poll released earlier this month.

Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images