AP Poll College Football 2011: How the Last 10 Preseason No. 1's Fared

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GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 01: Landry Jones #12 of the Oklahoma Sooners throws the ball against the Connecticut Huskies during the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl at the Universtity of Phoenix Stadium on January 1, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Peters

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

The 2011 preseason AP poll, which comes out this Saturday, is sure to have either the Oklahoma Sooners or the Alabama Crimson Tide at the top.

This leaves one to wonder how the pollsters have done in the past. How many duds have they picked? How many times have they gotten it right?

Is it a curse beginning the season at No. 1?

After all, the teams that begin the season at the top of the polls are always of a select group of blue blood programs. In fact, every team that began the season at No. 1 over the last 10 years has been amongst the top 20 winningest programs of all time in terms of winning percentage.

And when the teams in question start the year at No. 1, it means that nothing less than a bid to the national championship game will suffice.

The following slideshow will look at the past 10 years of preseason AP polls, and who opened up at No. 1 on each of them. It will further look at how that team did during the season, as well as which team wound up on top.

2010: Alabama Crimson Tide

COLUMBIA, SC - OCTOBER 9: Quarterback Greg McElroy of the Alabama Crimson Tide runs upfield against the South Carolina Gamecocks October 9, 2010 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Others Receiving Votes: Ohio State Buckeyes, Boise State Broncos, Texas Longhorns, Oklahoma Sooners.

Final Record: 10-3.

Final AP Ranking: 10.

Bowl Berth: Capitol One Bowl.

National Championship Game Winner (Preseason Ranking): Auburn Tigers (22).

2009: Florida Gators

NEW ORLEANS - JANUARY 01: Quarterback Tim Tebow #15 of the Florida Gators throws a pass against the Cincinnati Bearcats during the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Louisana Superdome on January 1, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Get

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Others Receiving Votes: Texas Longhorns.

Final Record: 13-1.

Final AP Ranking: Three.

Bowl Berth: Sugar Bowl.

National Championship Game Winner (Preseason Ranking): Alabama Crimson Tide (5).

2008: Georgia Bulldogs

ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 1: Running back Knowshon Moreno #24 of the University of Georgia rushes upfield against the Michigan State Spartans at the 2009 Capital One Bowl at the Citrus Bowl on January 1, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/G

Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Others Receiving Votes: Ohio State Buckeyes, Southern Cal Trojans, Oklahoma Sooners, Florida Gators.

Final Record: 10-3.

Final AP Ranking: 13.

Bowl Berth: Capitol One Bowl.

National Championship Game Winner (Preseason Ranking): Florida Gators (5), though, the Utah Utes (N/A) received 16 first-place votes in the AP poll, while the Southern Cal Trojans (3) received one.

2007: Southern California Trojans

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Rey Maualuga #58 of the USC Trojans yells during the second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the 95th Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi on January 1, 2009 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Step

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Others Receiving Votes: LSU Tigers, West Virginia Mountaineers.

Final Record: 11-2.

Final AP Ranking: Three.

Bowl Berth: Rose Bowl.

National Championship Game Winner (Preseason Ranking): LSU Tigers (2), though, the Georgia Bulldogs (13), USC Trojans and Kansas Jayhawks (N/A) all received first place votes in the AP poll.

2006: Ohio State Buckeyes

GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 08: Quarterback Troy Smith #10 of the Ohio State Buckeyes calls a play against the Florida Gators during the 2007 Tostitos BCS National Championship Game at the University of Phoenix Stadium on January 8, 2007 in Glendale, Arizona.

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Others Receiving Votes: Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Texas Longhorns, Auburn Tigers, West Virginia Mountaineers, Southern Cal Trojans.

Final Record: 12-1.

Final AP Ranking: Two.

Bowl Berth: National championship game.

National Championship Game Winner (Preseason Ranking): Florida Gators (7).

2005: Southern California Trojans

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 03: (FILE PHOTO) Reggie Bush #5 of the USC Trojans rushes the ball against the UCLA Bruins December 3, 2005 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. Bush was picked second overall by the New Orleans Saint

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Others Receiving Votes: Texas Longhorns, Tennessee Volunteers, Louisville Cardinals.

Final Record: 12-1.

Final AP Ranking: Two.

Bowl Berth: National championship game.

National Championship Game Winner (Preseason Ranking): Texas Longhorns (2).

2004: Southern California Trojans

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 04: Quaterback Matt Leinart #11 of the USC Trojans walks across the field during the BCS National Championship Rose Bowl Game against the Texas Longhorns at the Rose Bowl on January 4, 2006 in Pasadena, California. Texas defeated

Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images

Others Receiving Votes: Oklahoma Sooners, Georgia Bulldogs, LSU Tigers.

Final Record: 13-0. However, USC had to vacate the title and the wins due to NCAA sanctions.

Final AP Ranking: One.

Bowl Berth: National championship game.

National Championship Game Winner (Preseason Ranking): USC Trojans (1). The Auburn Tigers (17) also went 13-0 and received three votes in the AP poll.

***This was the final season that the AP poll allowed itself to be included in the BCS formula.***

2003: Oklahoma Sooners

NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 18: Quarterback Jason White #18 of the Oklahoma Sooners practices passing before facing the University of Oregon Ducks during the game on September 18, 2004 at Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Ducks

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Others Receiving Votes: Ohio State Buckeyes, Miami (FL) Hurricanes, Auburn Tigers, Michigan Wolverines, Kansas State Wildcats.

Final Record: 12-2.

Final AP Ranking: Three.

Bowl Berth: National championship game.

National Championship Game Winner (Preseason Ranking): LSU Tigers (14). However, the AP poll voted the USC Trojans (8) the national champions 48 votes to 17 for LSU.