After today's breaking news, AP decides to let voters recast ballots

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The Associated Press is scheduled to release its preseason Top 25 on Aug. 18, although at least a few voters already have turned in their ballots — before today’s news that LSU has dismissed All-America cornerback Tyrann Mathieu.

That’s OK. The AP is allowing voters to re-do their ballots. Their deadline is Monday.

While we’re talking about the AP preseason poll, think about this: How many times do you think Alabama has opened at No. 1?

It’s three — 1966, 1978 and 2010.

In 1966, Alabama went 11-0-0 but finished third. It’s the only time an unbeaten and untied team began the year No. 1 in the AP poll but didn’t finish the year first. The only other unbeaten team to match that was 1979 Southern California, which opened at No. 1, went 12-0-1 and finished No. 2 behind Alabama. USC tied Stanford that year for the only blemish on its record.

In 1978, Alabama won the AP poll, despite losing the No. 1 spot during the year after an early season loss to USC, which wound up winning the coaches’ poll. In 2010, Alabama was 10-3 and No. 10 in the final AP poll.

This year, USC and even a Mathieu-less LSU squad are expected to compete with Alabama for the No. 1 spot.

Southern California has opened in the AP top spot six times: 1963, 1973, 1979, 2004, 2005 and 2007. The only year the Trojans won the title in those seasons was 2004.

LSU was preseason No. 1 in 1959 after having won the 1958 national crown. The Bengal Tigers finished third.

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