Breaking down the AP Top 25

The preseason AP Top 25 is out and for the moment, the SEC is taking a back seat. The poll debuted with USC sitting at No. 1, while Alabama and LSU are No. 2 and 3, respectively. The Trojans received 25 of a possible 60 first-place and collected 1,445 points in The Associated Press’ poll. The defending national champion Crimson Tide received 17 first-place votes and 1,411 points while LSU, which lost to Alabama in the BCS title game, grabbed 16 first-place votes and 1,402 points.