Ah, the first game week ... you glorious miracle.

It's like Christmas morning if Christmas lasted for four months.

Alabama is ranked No.1 in the AP Poll after winning the College Football Playoff, and Auburn begins the season at No.9. It's a rare thing for both teams to be ranked in the Top 10 in the preseason. It's only happened five times since the end of World War II.

It's even rarer for both teams to begin the season in the Top 10, and then make it to the Iron Bowl still ranked in the Top 10. In fact, it hasn't happened. Ever.

Will this year be the first?

Will this season be the one that red lines blood pressures across this great state from beginning to end?

History says otherwise.

In 1964, Alabama and Joe Namath began the season ranked No.6, and finished as national champions. Auburn started the season ranked No.8, but finished with a record of 6-4. The Tigers lost to Kentucky 20-0 in the third week and fell completely out of the rankings.

In 1975, Alabama began the season ranked No.2, and finished as SEC champs. After finishing 10-2 and ranked No.8 in 1974, Auburn began 1975 ranked No.7 in the preseason poll. Once again, the Tigers underperformed, finishing 4-6-1 overall and 2-4 in the SEC.

That preseason, 1975, resembled this one in many ways. I wrote about the significance of the year in my cover story for this preseason, but it's worth mentioning again.

Before this season, 1975 was the only time in the history of Alabama and Auburn football that both teams began the season with a returning starter at quarterback following a pair of 10-win seasons. For Auburn, the pressure proved too great in 1975. It was also Shug Jordan's final season.

After 1975, it took nine years for Auburn and Alabama to both be ranked in the preseason Top 10. In 1984, Alabama was ranked No.9, and Auburn was ranked No.1.

Once again, 1984 proved to be another bitter pill for Auburn's high expectations. The team went 9-4-1, and finished No.14 in the AP Poll. The Iron Bowl was a soul crusher.

After beginning the season ranked No.9, Alabama and coach Ray Perkins lost to Georgia Tech and then Vanderbilt to fall out of the rankings. Alabama was 4-6 entering the Iron Bowl, but beat No.11-ranked Auburn 17-15 at Legion Field. The game was dubbed "Wrong Way Bo" after Bo Jackson went the wrong way on a crucial goal-line play.

After Wrong Way Bo, the state waited 30 loooong years until both Auburn and Alabama were both ranked in the AP Poll Top 10 to begin the season.

In 2014, the drought finally ended when Alabama began the season ranked No.2, and Auburn, coming off its loss to Florida State in the BCS national championship, started at No.5. Unfortunately for Auburn, history repeated itself.

Alabama won the SEC, and finished 12-2 with a loss to Ohio State in the inaugural College Football Playoff. Meanwhile, Auburn started the season 5-0 before losing at Mississippi State 38-23. For Mississippi State, it was one of the greatest games in cowbell history. Auburn was ranked No.2 entering the game, and State was ranked No.3. After the upset, the Bulldogs were ranked No.1 in the AP Poll after starting the season unranked.

Auburn is at Mississippi State this season, just say'n.

Auburn finished No.22 in the country that season, but shot back up the preseason rankings in 2015 and started the season at No.6 thanks in part to the hype surrounding its starting quarterback.

Ah, yes, the Jeremy Johnson year.

Auburn finished 7-6. Rival Alabama began the season at No.3, and, after a loss to Ole Miss, finished as national champions. Alabama was ranked No.2 in the country entering the Iron Bowl, and Auburn was 6-6.

Can Auburn manage expectations this season? Is Alabama overrated? Will both teams make it to the Iron Bowl ranked in the Top 10?

Join the conversation in the comments section to find out my bold predictions for both teams.

Joseph Goodman is a columnist for Alabama Media Group. He's on Twitter @JoeGoodmanJr. He hosts AL.com All-Access every Monday morning from 10-11 a.m.