ATLANTA–Could Alabama and Clemson possibly meet in the College Football Playoff for a fourth consecutive year?
In the eyes of the media, the answer would be a resounding 'yes.'
On Monday, The Associated Press' inaugural 2018 poll had a familiar ring to it, with defending national champion Alabama and 2016 national champion Clemson occupying the top two slots.
In terms of total votes, the Crimson Tide (1,505 votes) didn't possess a sizable lead over the Tigers (1,476 votes); but Alabama was notably dominant in another category, commandeering 42 of the 61 votes for No. 1 overall.
UGA starts off the new season firmly entrenched at the No. 3 spot, outperforming Wisconsin (No. 4), Ohio State (No. 5), Washington (No. 6), Oklahoma (No. 7), Miami (No. 8), Auburn (No. 9) and Penn State (No. 10) among the other elite programs.
These results run similar to the SEC Media Days and Amway Coaches Poll voting, where Alabama and Georgia were the prohibitive favorites to carry the SEC West and SEC East divisions, respectively.
For what it's worth, the SEC boasts five teams (Alabama, UGA, Auburn, Mississippi State, LSU) in the AP poll–tops among the Power 5 programs.
If the media's seasonal prognostications hold up, Clemson and Alabama could plausibly meet in this season's CFP championship game (Santa Clara, Calif.).
Covering the last three seasons (2015-17), the Tigers and Crimson Tide have claimed all three national titles during that span.
Associated Press Top 25
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Georgia
4. Wisconsin
5. Ohio State
6. Washington
7. Oklahoma
8. Miami
9. Auburn
10. Penn State
11. Michigan State
12. Notre Dame
13. Stanford
14. Michigan
15. USC
16. TCU
17. West Virginia
18. Mississippi State
19. Florida State
20. Virginia Tech
21. UCF
22. Boise State
23. Texas
24. Oregon
25. LSU
