Preseason College Football Rankings 2017: Predicting AP Top 25 After Amway Poll

After losing in the National Championship game a year ago, Alabama is clearly motivated to get back to the top spot.

The Crimson Tide are at the summit of the first Amway coaches' poll, and Nick Saban's team will almost certainly take its place as No. 1 in the AP Top 25 as well.

Here's a look at the latest Amway rankings, followed by our projections of the AP Top 25.

Amway Coaches Poll

1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Florida State
4. Southern California
5. Clemson
6. Penn State
7. Washington
8. Oklahoma
9. Michigan
10. Wisconsin
11. Oklahoma State
12. Louisiana State
13. Auburn
14. Stanford
15. Georgia
16. Florida
17. Louisville
18. Miami
19. Kansas State
20. West Virginia
21. South Florida
22. Virginia Tech
23. Texas
24. Tennessee
25. Utah

Just like the coach-quarterback combination of Bill Belichick-Tom Brady is tough to beat in the NFL, the combination of Saban-Jalen Hurts should be formidable at the college level throughout the 2017 season.

Hurts is coming off an excellent freshman season in which he completed 62.8 percent of his passes for 2,780 yards with a 23-9 TD-interception ratio. While he had some difficulties passing the ball when facing the best defenses, including Louisiana State, Washington and Clemson, he was able to run the ball and keep the offense moving.

Hurts, running back Bo Scarborough and wide receiver Calvin Ridley should be able to keep the offense functioning at a high level. Alabama's offense has averaged at least 32.1 points per game for the last eight years.

The defense returns six starters, and while they have lost Jonathan Allen and Reuben Foster, defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt still has defensive linemen Da'Ron Payne and Da'Shawn Hand to set the tone. Payne is especially effective as an interior-run destroying nose tackle.

Linebacker Rashaan Evans has the skills to make plays all over the field, while safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is likely to be one of the top pro prospects at his position next year. He had 66 tackles, six interceptions and seven passes defensed last year.

The Clemson Tigers have said goodbye to Deshaun Watson, who has made a great impression on the Houston Texans in the early days of his first professional training camp.

Dabo Swinney is not surprised by that, because he went out of his way to explain to all who would listen that Watson will excel at the pro level.

Pumping up his former quarterback is no longer Swinney's priority. He has to get Kelly Bryant playing at a high level as he takes over for Watson. Bryant has the skills and the knowledge of the Swinney offense to be productive and consistent, and Hunter Johnson is waiting in the wings if Bryant turns out to be ordinary.

Deon Cain and Hunter Renfrow will move into the role of the team's top receivers, and both have the skills needed to make big plays for the Tigers. The 6'1", 210-pound Cain caught 38 passes for 724 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

The defense will be the key to Clemson's success this year. Watson was able to bail that unit out during his run with the Tigers, but the defense has plenty of power and strength up front with defensive tackles Dexter Lawrence and Christian Wilkins. This is a tag-team combination that can punish opposing interior linemen and get into the backfield on a regular basis.

Safety Van Smith had 114 tackles last year and is almost always in the right place at the right time. He should be just as productive, if not more so, this year.

Projected AP Top 25 Poll

1. Alabama
2. Florida State
3. Oklahoma
4. Ohio State
5. Clemson
6. Southern California
7. Washington
8. Louisiana State
9. Michigan
10. Wisconsin
11. Oklahoma State
12. Auburn
13. Georgia
14. Stanford
15. Penn State
16. Florida
17. Louisville
18. Miami
19. Notre Dame
20. West Virginia
21. Kansas State
22. Virginia Tech
23. North Carolina State
24. South Florida
25. Tennessee