Alabama was ranked No. 1 in the first AP Poll released Monday. The SEC also led all conferences with ranked teams with six inside the Top 25.

It is interesting that Alabama was the only SEC team ranked in the top 10. The second highest SEC team in the poll was Auburn at No. 12.

Former Alabama QB and SEC Network analyst Greg McElroy stated his belief that the poll reflects the perceived gap that exists between Alabama and the rest of the teams in the SEC during a recent SEC Network segment.

“The perception of the league is unchanged from where the league was at the end of the postseason last year,” said McElroy. “Everybody looked at this conference as a one-team league – Alabama.”

“Alabama, of course, reigns supreme, sitting at the top of the AP rankings,” McElroy explained. “But then, there’s a hodge podge of teams right between 12 and 25 that are from the SEC…but really there’s still a very wide gap between Alabama and everybody else.”

The big question McElroy sees for 2017 is who, if anyone, can close the gap on Alabama.

“The big story line, I think, surrounding the SEC is who’s gonna close that gap,” said McElroy. “But still, a massive gap between No. 1 and whoever’s No. 2.”