If being preseason #1 is such a curse, which preseason ranking slot in the AP poll has won the most national titles? Let’s also keep it to the years since 1990, since that’s all I looked up.

Turns out, it’s the #2-ranked team with 4 national titles, followed by the #1-ranked team and #4-ranked team with 3 national titles. Whoops… looks like being #1 isn’t so bad after all.

In order by frequency of AP National Championships:

 Preseason #1 – Won 10 AP National Championships
 #2 – 7 NCs
 Not Ranked Preseason – 6 NCs
 #4 – 4 NCs
 #6 – 4 NCs
 #8 – 4 NCs
 #9 – 4 NCs
 #3 – 3 NCs
 #5 – 3 NCs
 #7 – 2 NCs
 #10 – 2 NCs
 #13 – 2 NCs
 #20 – 2 NCs
 #11 – 1 NC
 #14 – 1 NC
 #15 – 1 NC
 #16 – 1 NC
 #19 – 1 NC

You’ll notice that teams ranked 12, 17, 18, and 21-25 in the AP Preseason Poll have never won it all, so Texas Tech, Virginia Tech, Phat Phil, Oregon, Penn St, Wake Forest, Pitt, and our beloved Tide will have to hold off yet another year if historical statistical trends hold true. Actually Temple and New Mexico State, among others, have a better statistical shot at the title than we do strictly based on our preseason ranking. I knew we would’ve been better off not ranked…

Not to sound like a hater but isn’t there a ton of evidence about Alabama not really having 12 Championships? More like 8-9?

Not to sound like a homer, but isn’t there a ton of evidence about Alabama not only getting jobbed in 66, but also in other years, like 45 and 77? Maybe the Auboogs could make up some rings and t-shirts….