UCF was ranked No. 21 in the Associated Press preseason Top 25 poll released Monday. It's the first time in school history that the Knights have received a preseason spot in the rankings.
The Knights were ranked No. 23 in the preseason coaches' poll released earlier this month. It marked the first time the program had been ranked in a preseason poll.
UCF cracked last season's top 25 on Oct. 1 following the team's 38-10 win over Maryland. The Knights remained in the top 25 poll for 11 consecutive weeks, finishing with a program-best No. 6 ranking at the end of the season.
UCF has appeared in the AP Top 25 poll 22 previous times.
Miami was the highest-ranked team from the state of Florida with the Hurricanes coming in at No. 8. It was the highest preseason rank since the team opened at No. 6 in 2004.
Florida State wound up at No. 19. It was the tenth consecutive year in which the Seminoles have opened the season ranked in the AP poll. It was also the lowest preseason ranking FSU has opened with since the team was ranked No. 20 to open up the 2010 season _ Jimbo Fisher's first year as head coach.
Florida opened the season unranked for the first time since 2015.
Alabama earned 48 of the 61 possible first-place votes to earn the top spot. It was the 52 time the Crimson Tide has appeared in the AP preseason poll and the third consecutive season in which the program has opened up as the No. 1 team in the country.
