Georgia begins its drive for an unprecedented college football championship three-peat as the No. 1 team in The Associated Press preseason Top 25. The Bulldogs received 60 of 63 first-place votes to easily outpoint No. 2 Michigan. The Wolverines received two first-place votes. Michigan's Big Ten rival, Ohio State is No. 3, with one first-place vote. Two more Southeastern Conference teams join Georgia in the top five. Alabama is No. 4, the Crimson Tide’s lowest preseason rankings since 2009, and LSU starts at No. 5. This is the second time in program history 2008 Georgia has been preseason No. 1.
The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Aug. 13, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:
Record Pts Prv
1. Georgia (60) 0-0 1572 1
2. Michigan (2) 0-0 1490 3
3. Ohio St. (1) 0-0 1400 4
4. Alabama 0-0 1398 5
5. LSU 0-0 1276 16
6. Southern Cal 0-0 1245 12
7. Penn St. 0-0 1177 7
8. Florida St. 0-0 1147 11
9. Clemson 0-0 1032 13
10. Washington 0-0 977 8
11. Texas 0-0 882 25
12. Tennessee 0-0 868 6
13. Notre Dame 0-0 863 18
14. Utah 0-0 811 10
15. Oregon 0-0 732 15
16. Kansas St. 0-0 501 14
17. TCU 0-0 416 2
18. Oregon St. 0-0 406 17
19. Wisconsin 0-0 386 -
20. Oklahoma 0-0 296 -
21. North Carolina 0-0 292 -
22. Mississippi 0-0 281 -
23. Texas A&M 0-0 227 -
24. Tulane 0-0 224 9
25. Iowa 0-0 131 -
Others receiving votes: Texas Tech 101, South Carolina 73, UCLA 66, UTSA 64, Arkansas 22, Boise St. 17, Pittsburgh 16, Kentucky 14, Louisville 10, Troy 10, Kansas 10, Auburn 7, Minnesota 6, Toledo 4, Duke 4, Mississippi St. 4, Florida 4, Illinois 3, Baylor 3, Coastal Carolina 3, South Alabama 1, NC State 1, James Madison 1, Liberty 1.