Nick Saban will be the first person to tell you that preseason polls don't matter.

Alabama, the defending national champion, opened at at No. 1 in the AP Preseason Poll. The Crimson Tide opened at No. 1 last year and became the first Preseason No. 1 to win the national championship since 2004.

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Alabama opened at No. 1 in 2016. This marks the fifth the time the Crimson Tide started at No. 1 under Saban.

Here's a look at the AP preseason No. 1 teams since 2000 and where they finished, along with the national champion since 2000 and where it started the season.

2000

Preseason No. 1: Nebraska (finished No. 8)

National Champion: Oklahoma (preseason No. 19)

2001

Preseason No. 1: Florida (finished No. 3)

National Champion: Miami, Fla. (preseason No. 2)

2002

Preseason No. 1: Miami, Fla. (finished No. 2)

National Champion: Ohio State (preseason No. 13)

2003

Preseason No. 1: Oklahoma (finished No. 3)

National Champion: USC (preseason No. 8)

2004

Preseason No. 1: USC

National Champion: USC

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2005

Preseason No. 1: USC (finished No. 2)

National Champion: Texas (preseason No. 2)

2006

Preseason No. 1: Ohio State (finished No. 2)

National Champion: Florida (preseason No. 7)

2007

Preseason No. 1: USC (finished No. 3)

National Champion: LSU (preseason No. 2)

2008

Preseason No. 1: Georgia (finished No. 13)

National Champion: Florida (preseason No. 5)

2009

Preseason No. 1: Florida (finished No. 3)

National Champion: Alabama (preseason No. 5)

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2010

Preseason No. 1: Alabama (finished No. 10)

National Champion: Auburn (preseason No. 22)

2011

Preseason No. 1: Oklahoma (finished No. 16)

National Champion: Alabama (preseason No. 2)

2012

Preseason No. 1: USC (finished unranked)

National Champion: Alabama (preseason No. 2)

2013

Preseason No. 1: Alabama (finished No. 7)

National Champion: Florida State (preseason No. 11)

2014

Preseason No. 1: Florida State (finished No. 5)

National champion: Ohio State (preseason No. 5)

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2015

Preseason No. 1: Ohio State (finished No. 4)

National champion: Alabama (preseason No. 3)

2016

Preseason No. 1: Alabama (finished No. 2)

National champion: Clemson (preseason No. 2)

2017

Preseason No. 1: Alabama

National Champion: Alabama