The media agrees with the coaches and Alabama will begin the 2016 season ranked No. 1 in The Associated Press poll.
Alabama opens defense of its national championship against USC; the Trojans, coincidentally, are the last team to start and finish a season atop the AP poll, going wire-to-wire as the top-ranked team in 2004.
Clemson, the team Alabama defeated 45-40 to take last season’s championship, begins 2016 ranked second. Clemson opens this season by visiting Auburn.
Oklahoma is third, Florida State fourth and LSU, which received one first-place vote, is fifth.