The Crimson Tide, coming off a last-second loss in the national championship game that left it No. 2 to Clemson in the final Top 25 of 2016, received 52 from a panel of 61 media members.

  

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 top three.

  

Southern California starts the season at No. 4. Defending national champion Clemson begins the post-Deshaun Watson era at No. 5.

Rank, Team (First-Place Votes), Points, 2016 Record, Previous
1, Alabama (52), 1,513, 14-1, 2
2, Ohio State (3), 1,414, 11-2, 6
3, Florida State (4), 1,396, 10-3, 8
4, USC (2), 1,325, 10-3, 3
5, Clemson, 1,201, 14-1, 1
6, Penn State, 1,196, 11-3, 7
7, Oklahoma, 1,170, 11-2, 5
8, Washington, 1,150, 12-2, 4
9, Wisconsin, 926, 11-3, 9
10, Oklahoma State, 889, 10-3, 11
11, Michigan, 881, 10-3, 10
12, Auburn, 880, 8-5, 24
13, LSU, 784, 8-4, 13
14, Stanford, 695, 10-3, 12
15, Georgia, 690, 8-5, NR
16, Louisville, 629, 9-4, 21
17, Florida, 624, 9-4, 14
18, Miami (Fla.), 492, 9-4, 20
19, South Florida, 327, 11-2, 19
20, Kansas State, 317, 9-4, NR
21, Virginia Tech, 240, 10-4, 16
22, West Virginia, 207, 10-3, 18
23, Texas, 173, 5-7, NR
24, Washington State, 133, 8-5, NR
25, Tennessee, 114, 9-4, 22