A tide still rolling

Nick Saban has Alabama sitting atop the AP preseason poll for a second consecutive year

No need to overthink it: Alabama is No. 1 in the AP preseason Top 25. The Crimson Tide became the first program in 12 years to take the top spot in The Associated Press preseason media poll two straight years and will start the season ranked in the top five for the ninth consecutive time. Coach Nick Saban's Tide has become the surest thing in sports these days. They don't always win the national championship — just half the time over the last eight years — but they are always in contention. Since 2008, only once has the Tide lost more than one game before bowl season.

The Crimson Tide received 52 of 61 first-place votes. 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 preseason top three.

Southern California, which finished last season on a nine-game winning streak and No. 3 in the country, starts this season at No. 4. Defending national champion Clemson begins the post-Deshaun Watson era at No. 5. Florida State received four first-place votes, Ohio State got three and USC has two.

The one bit of bad news for Alabama? The Tide has failed to win the national championship the three previous times it was preseason No. 1 under Saban and the last team to start and finish

No. 1 was USC in 2004.