Alabama’s AP Top 10 Streak Nearing Historic Highs

The first AP poll of the 2015 season was released on Sunday, and the Alabama football team found itself in a position that's become commonplace under Nick Saban: ranked inside the top 10. 

With that latest poll, the Crimson Tide is continuing a streak you might not have been too aware of. Thanks to ESPN Stats and Info, which is a must-follow on Twitter if you're into the numbers side of sports, for sharing this info.

As they point out, Alabama has a chance to add 15 more weeks to that streak in 2015. That would put the Crimson Tide ahead of Steve Spurrier's powerhouse in the early 90s and pass some other pretty dominant college football programs. Additionally, Alabama would have a chance to surpass those mid-90s Nebraska teams that many consider the best dynasty of the past 30 years.

To reach the top spot held by Miami with an absurd 137 straight weeks, Nick Saban will have to double what he's already done. So we'll table that discussion until 2020.

But that's all speculation.

What can't be debated is the incredible success that Alabama has enjoyed during the Saban era. A run of 67 straight weeks is a rare sight in today's college football, and even more so in the Southeastern Conference.

So let's take a minute to look a little deeper at this run of consistency because it's even better than you might remember.

The last time Saban's team took the field with a ranking worst than No. 10 was a New Year's Day meeting with Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl. You don't need to be reminded what happened that day. Following that blowout, Alabama ended the season ranked 10th and this streak began.

Prior to that, the Tide fell out of the top 10 two months earlier after losing 24-21 to LSU in Baton Rouge. Those were the only two weeks during the 2010 season that Alabama didn't have a top 10 ranking in the AP poll.

Here's where it gets even more remarkable. That LSU loss and drop to No. 11 ended a streak of 31 straight weeks inside the top 10, meaning Alabama has held a ranking of 10 or better for 111 of the past 113 weeks of the AP poll.

That consistency is exceptional. And you have to consider that Saban took over a program that had been ranked in the top 10 just 11 times in the previous 10 seasons. Once he arrived in Tuscaloosa, Saban had the team ranked No. 9 in just 19 weeks of the poll and has only relinquished that spot twice since.

The streak won't last forever - it might not make it out of October this year based on Alabama's schedule strength - but it's been one of the more incredible runs in the history of college football. Make sure you enjoying it.