MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Alabama is No. 1 at being No. 1.

The Crimson Tide (13-1) was voted national champion by The Associated Press for the ninth time, more than any other program in college football, after routing Notre Dame 42-14 on Monday night.

Notre Dame, No. 1 coming into the BCS championship, dropped to No. 4.

The Tide entered the title game with as many AP titles as the Fighting Irish, and emphatically broke the tie for first. It's Alabama's second straight title and third in four years. The only other team to win three AP titles in four seasons was Notre Dame from 1946-49.

"It won't sink in until everything settles down," Alabama senior linebacker Nico Johnson said. "To play for three national championship in my career ... that's special."

Alabama finished No. 1 five times under Paul "Bear" Bryant during his 25 years as coach, and Gene Stalling coached to the Crimson Tide to another championship in 1992.

Oregon (12-1) finished second, and undefeated Ohio State (12-0), banned from the postseason because of NCAA sanctions was third. Georgia and Texas A&M tied for fifth to cap another banner season for the Southeastern Conference.

Alabama is the seventh straight SEC team to finish No. 1 and the toughest conference in college football also became the first league to have five of top 10 teams in the final rankings.

South Carolina was No. 8 and Florida was ninth.