Despite losing the National Championship Game, Alabama enters the 2022 season in familiar territory as the top-ranked team in the preseason Associated Press poll.
The Crimson Tide enter the season as a +181 favorite to win it all, according to VegasInsider.com, despite losing offensive weapons at wide receiver and running back. Returning, however, are the Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Bryce Young and defensive player of the year Will Anderson, Jr.
Alabama received 54 first-place votes while Ohio State, who comes in second, received six.
Defending national champions, Georgia, enter the season ranked third with just three first-place votes. The Bulldogs lost 15 players in the NFL draft, leading to a very young Georgia team looking to repeat as champions.
Kirby Smart said at SEC Media Days that he isn’t concerned as much about complacency as he is lack of experience.
“Complacency is not the concern,” he said. “Experience is our concern. Our kids will buy into that, and we’ll get them ready in fall camp.”
The SEC enters the season with six teams ranked in the top 25, including Texas A&M (6), Arkansas (19), Kentucky (20) and Ole Miss (21).
Ranking Team Record #1 Alabama 0-0 #2 Ohio State 0-0 #3 Georgia 0-0 #4 Clemson 0-0 #5 Notre Dame 0-0 #6 Texas A&M 0-0 #7 Utah 0-0 #8 Michigan 0-0 #9 Oklahoma 0-0 #10 Baylor 0-0 #11 Oregon 0-0 #12 Oklahoma St. 0-0 #13 North Carolina St. 0-0 #14 USC 0-0 #15 Micigan St. 0-0 #16 Miami (FL) 0-0 #17 Pittsburgh 0-0 #18 Wisconsin 0-0 #19 Arkansas 0-0 #20 Kentucky 0-0 #21 Ole Miss 0-0 #22 Wake Forest 0-0 #23 Cincinnati 0-0 #24 Houston 0-0 #25 BYU 0-0
