Often debated during the season but rarely questioned when the dust settles, the long-standing Associated Press Top 25 has provided an accurate representation of college football’s best teams for more than half a century.

The BCS era, known around these parts as the ‘SEC Era’, was the league’s ultimate calling card, an incredible 16-year run that featured nine national championships including seven straight at one point. Multiple SEC teams have been ranked No. 1 at some point during the same season eight different times since the poll first released with four of those occasions coming at the end of the BCS era.

We all remember 2008’s epic clash of league titans in the SEC Championship game as second-ranked Florida (then No. 4 in the computer rankings) toppled No. 1 Alabama to claim the top spot in the AP Poll prior to the BCS title game.

It happened again the following season, this time pitting matching 12-0 opponents. The Crimson Tide would get their revenge and spoil Tim Tebow’s shot at a third national title during his tenure.

During the 2011 season, LSU won an epic overtime clash over Alabama in Tuscaloosa during an unbeaten regular season before Nick Saban’s squad returned the favor in the BCS Championship Game to finish the season No. 1 despite finishing second in their own division.

Multiple SEC teams ranked No. 1 in AP Poll

1958

  • Auburn (Oct. 7)
  • LSU (Oct. 28-National championship)

1961

  • Ole Miss (Oct. 10)
  • Alabama (Nov. 21-National championship)

1980

  • Alabama (Sept. 16-Oct. 28)
  • Georgia (Nov. 10-National championship)

1985

  • Auburn (Sept. 10-Sept. 24)
  • Florida (Nov. 5)

2008

  • Alabama (Nov. 2-Nov. 30)
  • Florida (Dec. 7-National championship)

2009

  • Florida (Preseason-Oct. 11; Oct. 25-Nov. 29)
  • Alabama (Oct. 18; Dec. 6-National championship)

2010

  • Alabama (Preseason-Oct. 3)
  • Auburn (Dec. 5-National championship)

2011

  • LSU (Sept. 25-Dec. 4)
  • Alabama (National championship)