COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The Associated Press has released its preseason top-25 for the 2023 college football season and Ohio State is once again near the top.

Ohio State has been ranked No. 3 in the AP Poll to begin 2023, giving them seven straight years as a top-five team in the AP Poll to begin a college football season. The Buckeyes rank ahead of No. 4 Alabama, who they were placed behind in the preseason USA Today coaches poll. This is the first time since 2009 that Alabama rank outside the top-three in the preseason AP Poll.

Two-time defending national champions Georgia enter at No. 1 with 60 first-place votes. Two-time defending Big Ten champions Michigan come in at No. 2 with LSU rounding out the top-five. The Buckeyes and Wolverines garnered the other three first-place votes with OSU receiving one.

The No. 3 Buckeyes begin its season on Sept. 2 against Indiana in Bloomington followed by its home opener at Ohio Stadium on Sept. 10 versus Youngstown State. Ohio State has four games against preseason ranked opponents: Sept. 23 at No. 13 Notre Dame, Oct. 21 vs. No. 7 Penn State, Oct. 28 at. No. 19 Wisconsin, and Nov. 25 at. No. 2 Michigan.

Two of OSU’s games will be broadcast on NBC4 in primetime: Sept. 23 at No. 13 Notre Dame and Nov. 11 vs. Michigan State. NBC4’s coverage of primetime Big Ten football gets underway on Sept. 2 at 7:30 p.m. with Penn State hosting West Virginia. To see the full Big Ten on NBC4 schedule, click here.

Aug. 26 will be the return of college football, dubbed “Week 0” featuring the No. 13 Notre Dame Fighting Irish playing Navy in Dublin, Ireland. Kick-off is set for 2:30 p.m. on NBC4.