Nick Saban top 25 voting: How Alabama football coach ranked top 25 college football teams
Nick Saban put together a ballot that mirrored the College Football Playoff four-team field in his final US LBM coaches poll of the season.
He put Alabama football at No. 4 behind Michigan, Washington and Texas. But Florida State was not the first team out of the top four. Saban had the Seminoles at No. 8. Georgia rounded out the top five.
In the final coaches poll, Alabama was actually ranked No. 5. Georgia, who the Crimson Tide beat in the SEC Championship Game, finished No. 3 in the poll. Florida State was No. 6.
As for other SEC coaches, Georgia's Kirby Smart put the Crimson Tide at No. 4, ahead of his team at No. 5 and then Florida State at No. 6. Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz had Alabama at No. 5 with Georgia at No. 3 and Florida State at No. 6. Auburn's Hugh Freeze put the Crimson Tide at No. 4, followed by Georgia and Florida State. Florida's Billy Napier had Alabama at No. 4 with Georgia at No. 2 and Florida State at No. 9. Kentucky's Mark Stoops listed Alabama at No. 5 with Georgia at No. 3 and Florida State as low as No. 10.
The highest a coach ranked Alabama was No. 2 (Arkansas State's Butch Jones) and the lowest was No. 8 (Central Florida's Gus Malzahn).
Alabama football finished the season 12-2, making it back to the College Football Playoff semifinals and losing to Michigan in the Rose Bowl. The Crimson Tide received the No. 4 seed in the CFP and made the four-team field for the eighth time in the 10 seasons of the playoff's existence.
Here is Saban's complete final top 25.
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Nick Saban's final top 25 college football rankings in coaches poll
Michigan
Washington
Texas
Alabama
Georgia
Oregon
Missouri
Florida State
Ole Miss
Ohio State
LSU
Arizona
Penn State
Notre Dame
Oklahoma State
Oklahoma
Tennessee
Clemson
Louisville
NC State
Kansas State
Oregon State
SMU
Iowa
Liberty
Alabama football rankings: Where is Crimson Tide in top 25?
Alabama was ranked No. 5 in the final US LBM coaches poll and the AP Top 25.
US LBM Coaches Poll
Michigan
Washington
Georgia
Texas
Alabama
Florida State
Oregon
Missouri
Ole Miss
Ohio State
Arizona
LSU
Penn State
Notre Dame
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Tennessee
Louisville
Kansas State
Clemson
NC State
Iowa
Kansas
SMU
West Virginia
AP Top 25
Michigan
Washington
Texas
Georgia
Alabama
Oregon and Florida State
(None)
Missouri
Ole Miss
Ohio State
Arizona
LSU
Penn State
Notre Dame
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Tennessee
Kansas State
Louisville
Clemson
NC State
SMU
Kansas
Iowa
Liberty
Nick Kelly is the Alabama beat writer for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network, and he covers Alabama football and men's basketball. Reach him at nkelly@gannett.com or follow him @_NickKelly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Where Nick Saban ranked Alabama football in his final top 25 ballot