Here's the 2022 College Football Preseason AP Poll

Here's the 2022 college football preseason AP poll originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

The Associated Press' 2022 college football preseason poll has been released, and there's a familiar program at the top of it.

Alabama is ranked No. 1 in the preseason AP poll for a second straight year after receiving 54 of 63 first-place votes.

The Crimson Tide finished with 1,566 points to beat out Heisman Trophy favorite C.J. Stroud and the Ohio State Buckeyes (1,506 points) for the top spot. Led by reigning Heisman winner Bryce Young, Nick Saban's squad will be looking to recapture the national championship after falling to Georgia in last season's title game.

Speaking of the Bulldogs, the defending champs (1,455 points) are ranked third behind the Buckeyes. Kirby Smart and Co. are hoping to become just the second team of this century to successfully defend a national title. Alabama, which won back-to-back national championships in 2011 and 2012, is the only repeat champion over the past 20-plus years. (USC earned a share of the 2003 national title with LSU before winning it in 2004).

Clemson (1,292 points), Notre Dame (1,242), Texas A&M (1,212), Utah (1,209), Michigan (1,203), Oklahoma (956) and Baylor (884) round out the top 10.

What is the preseason top 25 in college football?

The AP poll, which started in 1936, is a weekly ranking of the top teams in college football that's voted on by 63 sports writers and broadcasters from across the country. The preseason edition of the poll began in 1950.

Here's a full look at this year's preseason AP poll:

1. Alabama (1,566 points)
2. Ohio State (1,506)
3. Georgia (1,455)
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. NC State (752)
14. USC (711)
15. Michigan State (631)
16. Miami (476)
17. Pittsburgh (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)

The first four teams outside the rankings are Tennessee (180 points), Texas (164), Iowa (163) and Penn State (160).

When is the first college football game?

The 2022 college football season begins with Week Zero games on Saturday, Aug. 27. Here are the matchups scheduled for that day (all times Eastern):

• Nevada at New Mexico State, time TBD
• Austin Peay at Western Kentucky, 12 p.m.
• Nebraska vs. Northwestern (Aer Lingus College Football Classic), 12:30 p.m.
• Jacksonville State vs. Stephen F. Austin (FCS Kickoff), 3:30 p.m.
• Wyoming at Illinois, 4 p.m.
• UConn at Utah State, 4 p.m.
• Duquesne at Florida State, 5 p.m.
• Alabama State vs. Howard (Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge), 7 p.m.
• Charlotte at FAU, 7 p.m.
• Florida A&M at North Carolina, 8:15 p.m.
• North Texas at UTEP, 9 p.m.
• Vanderbilt at Hawaii, 10:30 p.m.

The Week 1 action gets underway on Labor Day Weekend. Here are some of the top Week 1 showdowns (all times Eastern):

• Sept. 3: No. 11 Oregon vs. No. 3 Georgia (Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game), 3:30 p.m.
• Sept. 3: No. 23 Cincinnati at No. 19 Arkansas, 3:30 p.m.
• Sept. 3: West Virginia at No. 17 Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
• Sept. 3: No. 7 Utah at Florida, 7 p.m.
• Sept. 3: No. 5 Notre Dame at No. 2 Ohio State, 7:30 p.m.
• Sept. 5: No. 4 Clemson vs. Georgia Tech (Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game), 8 p.m.