AP College Football Poll: Alabama No. 1, Washington No. 8

RALPH D. RUSSO, AP College Football Writer

Alabama is No. 1 in The Associated Press preseason college football poll for the second straight season and third time in five years.

The Crimson Tide, coming off a last-second loss in the national championship game that left it No. 2 to Clemson in the final Top 25 of 2016, received 52 from a panel of 61 media members.

Ohio State was No. 2, edging out No. 3 Florida State and preventing the first 1 vs 2 opening game since the AP preseason poll began in 1950. Alabama opens the season against the Seminoles in Atlanta on Sept. 2, just the fourth opener involving top-five teams and the first pitting teams ranked in the top three.

Southern California starts the season at No. 4. Defending national champion Clemson begins the post-Deshaun Watson era at No. 5.

KPUG EDIT: The Washington Huskies, who lost to Alabama in the CFP semifinals last year, are ranked 8th. The Washington State Cougars open the season at No. 24.

MORE: Huskies get 2019 commitment from Rainier Beach star tackle

The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press preseason college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, 2016 records, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and 2016 final ranking:

Record Pts Prv
1. Alabama (52) 14-1 1513 2
2. Ohio St. (3) 11-2 1414 6
3. Florida St. (4) 10-3 1396 8
4. Southern Cal (2) 10-3 1325 3
5. Clemson 14-1 1201 1
6. Penn St. 11-3 1196 7
7. Oklahoma 11-2 1170 5
8. Washington 12-2 1150 4
9. Wisconsin 11-3 926 9
10. Oklahoma St. 10-3 889 11
11. Michigan 10-3 881 10
12. Auburn 8-5 880 24
13. LSU 8-4 784 13
14. Stanford 10-3 695 12
15. Georgia 8-5 690 –
16. Louisville 9-4 629 21
17. Florida 9-4 624 14
18. Miami 9-4 492 20
19. South Florida 11-2 327 19
20. Kansas St. 9-4 317 –
21. Virginia Tech 10-4 240 16
22. West Virginia 10-3 207 18
23. Texas 5-7 173 –
24. Washington St. 8-5 133 –
25. Tennessee 9-4 114 22
Others receiving votes: TCU 98, Utah 85, Notre Dame 65, Boise St. 37, NC State 26, Northwestern 25, Pittsburgh 23, Oregon 21, Houston 19, Colorado 18, UCLA 9, San Diego St. 9, BYU 5, Appalachian St. 4, Nebraska 4, Tulsa 4, Kentucky 3, Texas A&M 3, Michigan St. 1.