Alabama Stays Solid at No. 1 while Florida Slides in Polls Prior to SEC Championship

Crimson Tide remains No. 1 in the polls following 52-3 victory at Arkansas, while Florida falls out of top 10

The question wasn't whether Alabama would still be No. 1 when the polls came out Sunday. After destroying Arkansas 52-3 to be the first team in SEC history to finish a regular season undefeated, there was no doubt as to where the Crimson Tide stood. 

The same can't be said for Alabama's opponent in the SEC Championship Game, which will be played in Atlanta on Saturday (7 p.m. CT, ESPN). 

No. 6 Florida was shocked by LSU in the fog at the Swamp, 37-34. How far would the Gators fall? 

The answer was out of the top 10. 

AP Top 25

1 Alabama (62) 1,550 1 10-0

2 Notre Dame 1,482 2 10-0

3 Ohio State 1,405 3 5-0

4 Clemson 1,388 4 9-1

5 Texas A&M 1,286 5 7-1

6 Cincinnati 1,248 7 8-0

7 Indiana 1,140 8 6-1

8 Iowa State 1,059 10 8-2

9 Coastal Carolina 994 11 11-0

10 Georgia 968 12 7-2

11 Florida 940 6 8-2

12 Oklahoma 902 13 7-2

13 Southern California 674 13 5-0

14 BYU 724 14 10-1

15 Northwestern 691 15 6-1

16 North Carolina 631 20 8-3

17 Louisiana 566 17 9-1

18 Iowa 502 19 6-2

19 Miami (Fla.) 454 19 8-2

20 Tulsa 408 18 6-1

21 Texas 227 23 6-3

22 Liberty 184 22 9-1

23 Buffalo 183 24 5-0

24 North Carolina State 137 NR 8-3

25 San Jose State 124 NR 6-0

Dropped out: No. 21 Colorado, No. 25 Wisconsin

Others receiving votes: Oklahoma State 83, Marshall 47, Boise State 12, UCF 11, Washington 9, Army 9, Auburn 8, TCU 3, Appalachian State 1

Coaches Poll 

1 Alabama (60) 1,548 1 10-0

2 Notre Dame (2) 1,481 2 10-0

3 Clemson 1,403 3 9-1

3 Ohio State 1,381 4 5-0

5 Texas A&M 1,292 5 7-1

6 Cincinnati 1,212 7 8-0

7 Indiana 1,088 10 6-1

8 Iowa State 1,065 11 8-2

9 Georgia 1,038 10 7-2

10 Oklahoma 933 12 7-2

11 Florida 912 6 8-2

12 Coastal Carolina 884 12 11-0

13 Southern California 798 15 5-0

14 Northwestern 779 14 6-1

15 North Carolina 626 20 8-3

16 BYU 616 16 10-1

17 Iowa 526 18 6-2

18 Louisiana 510 17 9-1

19 Miami (Fla.) 488 8 8-2

20 Tulsa 365 19 6-1

21 Liberty 194 21 9-1

22 Oklahoma State 189 NR 7-3

23 North Carolina St. 185 24 8-3

24 Texas 176 N3 6-3

25 San Jose State 127 NR 6-0

Dropped out: No. 22 Colorado; No. 25 Wisconsin.

Others receiving votes: Buffalo 102; Auburn 45; Army 35; Boise State 30; Marshall 29; Washington 22; Missouri 17; Colorado 17; Nevada 10; Wisconsin 8; Southern Methodist 7; Oregon 6; Utah 4; Texas Christian 1.

Alabama will be making its 13th appearance in the SEC Championship with the Crimson Tide holding a record of 8-4 in 12 previous trips. It's the eight appearance under Nick Saban, with the Crimson Tide having won sixth straight since the 2008 loss to Florida.

Alabama’s 55-17 win at LSU on Dec. 5 clinched the program’s 15th SEC Western Division title, and 13th outright. 

Alabama’s is ranked in the AP Top 25 for the 211th consecutive week, the longest active streak in college football. The Crimson Tide’s previous program-long streak of 71 straight weeks under head coach Gene Stallings in the mid-1990s.

Among active head coaches, Saban has coached the most games as the Associated Press Poll’s No. 1 team, 84.

Alabama has won a record 26 SEC titles.