Do preseason polls matter?
Georgia is expected No. 1 in the Preseason AP Top 25 to start the 2023 season, but it's the end result that matters.
Since 2000, the team that opened as the Preseason No. 1 has won the national championship two times. Alabama is the last team to do it, in 2017. USC also started and finished No. 1 in 2017.
Alabama was ranked No. 3 in last season's preseason poll before winning the national championship. This marks the sixth time the Crimson Tide have opened at No. 1 under Nick Saban.
MORE: SN Preseason Top 25
In 2019, LSU became the sixth national champion in the past 20 years that was ranked outside the top five in the Preseason AP Top 25.
Here's a look at the AP preseason No. 1 teams since 2000 and where they finished, along with the national champion since 2000 and where it started the season.
2000
Preseason No. 1: Nebraska (finished No. 8)
National Champion: Oklahoma (preseason No. 19)
2001
Preseason No. 1: Florida (finished No. 3)
National Champion: Miami, Fla. (preseason No. 2)
2002
Preseason No. 1: Miami, Fla. (finished No. 2)
National Champion: Ohio State (preseason No. 13)
2003
Preseason No. 1: Oklahoma (finished No. 3)
National Champion: USC (preseason No. 8)
2004
Preseason No. 1: USC
National Champion: USC
2005
Preseason No. 1: USC (finished No. 2)
National Champion: Texas (preseason No. 2)
2006
Preseason No. 1: Ohio State (finished No. 2)
National Champion: Florida (preseason No. 7)
2007
Preseason No. 1: USC (finished No. 3)
National Champion: LSU (preseason No. 2)
2008
Preseason No. 1: Georgia (finished No. 13)
National Champion: Florida (preseason No. 5)
2009
Preseason No. 1: Florida (finished No. 3)
National Champion: Alabama (preseason No. 5)
2010
Preseason No. 1: Alabama (finished No. 10)
National Champion: Auburn (preseason No. 22)
2011
Preseason No. 1: Oklahoma (finished No. 16)
National Champion: Alabama (preseason No. 2)
2012
Preseason No. 1: USC (finished unranked)
National Champion: Alabama (preseason No. 2)
2013
Preseason No. 1: Alabama (finished No. 7)
National Champion: Florida State (preseason No. 11)
2014
Preseason No. 1: Florida State (finished No. 5)
National champion: Ohio State (preseason No. 5)
2015
Preseason No. 1: Ohio State (finished No. 4)
National champion: Alabama (preseason No. 3)
2016
Preseason No. 1: Alabama (finished No. 2)
National champion: Clemson (preseason No. 2)
2017
Preseason No. 1: Alabama
National champion: Alabama
2018
Preseason No. 1: Alabama (finished No. 2)
National champion: Clemson (preseason No. 2)
2019
Preseason No. 1: Clemson (finished No. 2)
National champion: LSU (preseason No. 6)
2020
Preseason No. 1: Clemson
National champion: Alabama (preseason No. 3)
2021
Preseason No 1: Alabama (finished No. 2)
National champion: Georgia (preseason No. 5)
2022
Preseason No. 1: Alabama (finished No. 5)
National champion: Georgia (preseason No. 3)
