ATHENS, Ga. — With the 2018 season kicking off in two weeks, Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs are ready to return to the top of the college football world.
Georgia is ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press preseason top 25 poll released Monday. It is the first time Georgia has landed in the top 5 since 2013 and its highest preseason ranking since the Bulldogs were picked No. 1 in 2008.
The Bulldogs finished No. 2 in the final AP poll of the season last year.
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For the third consecutive year, AP voters have selected the Alabama Crimson Tide as their preseason favorite. Alabama defeated Georgia 26-23 in overtime to win the College Football Playoff Championship in Atlanta back in January.
Alabama is No. 1 in the preseason AP college football poll, the 3rd straight year the Tide are the top-ranked team in the 1st poll of the year.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 20, 2018
It's the 2nd time in the history of the preseason AP Poll (since 1950) that a team has been ranked No. 1 3 straight years (1985-87 OU). pic.twitter.com/5FVSsMe3SZ
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The teams are not scheduled to meet during the regular season but could potentially meet in Atlanta again for the SEC Championship in December.
The Bulldogs open the 2018 season on Sept. 1 against Austin Peay State University.
Here is the complete AP Top 25 preseason poll.
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Georgia
4. Wisconsin
5. Ohio State
6. Washington
7. Oklahoma
8. Miami (Fla.)
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
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