Granite State Times

The top-ranked University of Alabama football team will be out to re-create their own brand of history this season, according to AP News.

“Only three teams ranked No. 1 in the preseason AP poll have won the national championship over the last 25 years,” Fox College Football Tweeted Aug. 20.  "Will Alabama Football do it again this season?"

The 2017 Tide team was the last to accomplish the feat, and not many are betting against Coach Nick Saban and Co. this time around.

The Tide is led by fast-rising sophomore quarterback Bryce Young, who recently shined in a team scrimmage to the tune of completing 22 of 34 passes for two scores that included an 80-yarder.

After leading the Southeastern Conference in scoring defense last season, the Tide will be looking to crack down on big plays and get stops on third downs this season.

With Clemson, Oklahoma, Ohio State and Georgia rounding out the Athlon Sports Top 5, nothing figures to come easy for Alabama. At No. 2 Clemson, quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei is being counted on for a season so impactful, fans may finally be able to put the days of star quarterback and top NFL draft pick Trevor Lawrence behind them

At No. 3 Oklahoma, quarterback Spencer Rattler is poised to lead an offense that has averaged upwards of 40 points a game for each of the last six seasons. Running back Kennedy Brooks also returns to team with transfers Eric Gray (RB) and Mike Woods (WR) to again assure the Sooners of having one of the most explosive offenses in the country.

Ohio State and Georgia round out the preseason Top 5, at No. 4 and No.5, respectively.

Locally, while the year figures to be a time of rebuilding for the Wildcats of New Hampshire, fans will be treated to more of senior safety Evan Horn, who was recently named to the STATS Perform Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Preseason All-America Third Team for the second straight season, according to the UNH Wildcats website.

The 6-2, 230-pound star was also recently named to the 2021 Collegiate Athletic Association (CAA) Football Preseason All-Conference team. Horn begins his senior season already raking as UNH's active leader in career tackles (174), interceptions (11) and sacks (7.0).

Tabbed to finish fifth in the 12 team CAA conference in a recent preseason poll, the Wildcats open the season at Stony Brook on Thursday, Sept. 2.

Now the longest running poll of its kind, the AP poll has been around since 1936. The preseason poll was started in 1950. A panel of 62 sports writers and broadcasters from around the country vote on the poll weekly.