Alabama is No. 1 in the AP Preseason Poll for the seventh time under Nick Saban.
The Crimson Tide received 54 of 63 first-place votes and will start the season at No. 1 for the fourth time in the last six seasons. Alabama has won a national title in only one of those seven seasons when it started as the Preseason No. 1, and that was in 2017.
Ohio State, which received six first-place votes, opened at No. 2. The Buckeyes finished 11-2 in 2021 but are the heavy favorites to win the Big Ten because of a loaded offense under fourth-year coach Ryan Day.
Georgia, which won the national championship in 2020, is ranked No. 3. The Bulldogs received three first-place votes.
A look at the 2022 AP Preseason Top 25
2022 AP Preseason Top 25
| Rank | Team | Points (No. 1 votes) |
| 1 | Alabama | 1,556 (54) |
| 2 | Ohio State | 1,506 (6) |
| 3 | Georgia | 1,455 (3) |
| 4 | Clemson | 1,292 |
| 5 | Notre Dame | 1,242 |
| 6 | Texas A&M | 1,212 |
| 7 | Utah | 1,209 |
| 8 | Michigan | 1,203 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | 956 |
| 10 | Baylor | 884 |
| 11 | Oregon | 831 |
| 12 | Oklahoma State | 814 |
| 13 | N.C. State | 752 |
| 14 | USC | 711 |
| 15 | Michigan State | 631 |
| 16 | Miami, Fla. | 476 |
| 17 | Pitt | 383 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | 365 |
| 19 | Arkansas | 348 |
| 20 | Kentucky | 332 |
| 21 | Ole Miss | 324 |
| 22 | Wake Forest | 303 |
| 23 | Cincinnati | 265 |
| 24 | Houston | 263 |
| 25 | BYU | 234 |
Others receiving votes: Tennessee 180, Texas 164, Iowa 163, Penn State 160, LSU 55, Fresno State 32, Minnesota 31, UCF 27, Purdue 17, Mississippi State 15, Auburn 15, Florida 14, Kansas State 14, North Carolina 9, Boise State 5, Air Force 4, Appalachian State 4, South Carolina 2, UCLA 2, San Diego State 2, Utah State 2, Nebraska 1