Oklahoma, Clemson, Ohio State and Georgia round out the top five.
The defending national champion Alabama Crimson Tide is back atop the rankings, sitting at No.1 in college football’s preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll, released Monday, with the Oklahoma Sooners and Clemson Tigers ranking second and third, respectively. Alabama demolished Ohio State 52-24 in last season’s national championship game. DeVonta Smith, the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner, racked up 12 catches for 215 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone. The win capped off an undefeated season for Alabama, which went a perfect 13-0. Smith and his quarterback Mac Jones, as well as Bama’s starting running back Najee Harris, were all selected within the first 25 picks of the 2021 NFL draft. Yet head coach Nick Saban has a bevy of top-tier recruits to replace his outgoing stars.
