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Coming off a loss in the national championship, Alabama earned the No. 1 spot in the 2017 preseason AP Top 25 released Monday, while the Florida Gators enter the season ranked No. 16. It is the second straight season that Florida will begin as a ranked team at No. 17.
This year, Florida begins with 624 points and falls in as the fifth SEC team behind Alabama, Auburn (12), LSU (13) and Georgia (15). Tennessee (25) is also ranked.
The Gators opened the 2016 poll ranked No. 25. It was the first time they were in the preseason AP Top 25 since 2013, and they were listed last among five Southeastern Conference teams.
Alabama received 52 of 61 possible first-place votes. The top five is rounded out by Ohio State (3), Florida State (4), USC (2) and Clemson.
The Gators will face five teams ranked in the preseason top 25 and open the season against preseason No. 11 Michigan.
AP Top 25
1. Alabama (52)
2. Ohio State (3)
3. Florida State (4)
4. USC (2)
5. Clemson
6. Penn State
7. Oklahoma
8. Washington
9. Wisconsin
10. Oklahoma State
11. Michigan
12. Auburn
13. LSU
14. Stanford
15. Georgia
16. Louisville
17. Florida
18. Miami
19. South Florida
20. Kansas State
21. Virginia Tech
22. West Virginia
23. Texas
24. Washington State
25. Tennessee
Coaches Poll
1. Alabama (49)
2. Ohio State (5)
3. Florida State (4)
4. USC
5. Clemson (7)
6. Penn State
7. Washington
8. Oklahoma
9. Michigan
10. Wisconsin
11. Oklahoma State
12. LSU
13. Auburn
14. Stanford
15. Georgia
16. Florida
17. Louisville
18. Miami
19. Kansas State
20. West Virginia
21. South Florida
22. Virginia Tech
23. Texas
24. Tennessee
25. Utah
Six SEC coaches will be voting in the poll this season: Bret Bielema (Arkansas), Gus Malzahn (Auburn), Derek Mason (Vanderbilt), Dan Mullen (Mississippi State), Nick Saban (Alabama) and Mark Stoops (Kentucky). Bielema, Malzahn, Mason, Mullen and Saban all voted in 2016. Saban has been a voter since 2013.
UF will see coaches from three of its 12 opponents voting in the poll: Mason, Stoops and Jimbo Fisher (Florida State). Urban Meyer (Ohio State) is also a voter, as are former Florida assistants in DJ Durkin (Maryland) and Doc Holliday (Marshall).