Tide finish No. 1 in poll for 12th time
Extend own mark after completing their first perfect season since ’09
Alabama finished the season No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the 12th time, extending its record by completing the program’s first perfect season since 2009.
The Crimson Tide were a unanimous No. 1 in the final poll, getting 61 first-place votes, after beating Ohio State 52-24 in the College Football Playoff championship game Monday night.
Alabama was the preseason No. 3, but when it started playing this strange season amid a pandemic in late September, it moved up to No. 2. The Tide jumped to No. 1 in early November and finished as major college football’s only undefeated team.
“We set this as a goal, to potentially be the greatest team to ever play,” Tide quarterback Mac Jones said. “I think we made a valid statement in winning the national championship tonight.”
The Buckeyes were second, followed by Clemson at No. 3. Texas A&M was fourth, finally passing Notre Dame for the Aggies’ best finish in the AP poll since they won the national title in 1939. The Fighting Irish made the playoff but slipped to No. 5 after losing to Alabama in the semifinals.
Big 12 champion Oklahoma finished No. 6, Georgia seventh and Cincinnati was eighth.
The Tide, Aggies and Bulldogs give the Southeastern Conference three teams in the top seven. The SEC finished 7-2 in the bowls, counting Alabama’s national championship victory.
Iowa State was No. 9, its best final ranking and only the third time the Cyclones have finished the season ranked. Northwestern finished 10th, the Wildcats’ best final showing since they went to the Rose Bowl in 1995 and were eighth in the last poll. Colorado: Tyson Summers is out as defensive coordinator at Colorado after two seasons.
Indiana: The Hoosiers have beefed up their offensive and defensive lines with the addition of transfers Ryder Anderson and Zach Carpenter, who will both be eligible this fall. Anderson, a 6-foot-6, 275-pound defensive lineman, recorded 99 career tackles and 6 1⁄2 career sacks at Mississippi. The
6-foot-5, 329-pound Carpenter was a highly recruited offensive lineman from Cincinnati Moeller. After redshirting in 2019, Carpenter made five appearances, including two starts at center, for Michigan last season.
Nebraska: Running back Markese Stepp has transferred from Southern California.
Tennessee: Running back Ty Chandler is transferring to North Carolina for his final season of eligibility after graduating from Tennessee. ... Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt has hired Kevin Steele as a defensive assistant coach, bringing him back to the program where the former Auburn defensive coordinator started his coaching career.