AP preseason poll: Nos. 1 vs. 3 in Atlanta; UGA ranks No. 15
The first college football game in Mercedes-Benz Stadium will feature two of the nation's top three teams, according to the Associated Press preseason poll released today.
The poll ranks Alabama No. 1 and Florida State No. 3, setting up the teams’ Sept. 2 showdown in a Chick-fil-A Kickoff game in Atlanta’s new $1.5 billion stadium.
The only team separating the Crimson Tide and the Seminoles in the poll is Ohio State, ranked No. 2.
Rounding out the top 10: USC at No. 4, defending national champion Clemson No. 5, Penn State No. 6, Oklahoma No. 7, Washington No. 8, Wisconsin No. 9 and Oklahoma State No. 10.
The Georgia Bulldogs are ranked No. 15.
Alabama, ranked preseason No. 1 for the second consecutive year, received 52 of 61 first-place votes and a total of 1,513 points from the media panel. Ohio State had three first-place votes and 1,414 points.
Florida State drew four first-place votes and USC two.
About the Author
Tim Tucker, a long-time AJC sports reporter, often writes about the business side of the games. He also had stints as the AJC's Braves beat writer, UGA beat writer, sports notes columnist and executive sports editor. He was deputy managing editor of America's first all-sports newspaper, The National Sports Daily.
