No. 2 Clemson | Top 25
No. 1: Alabama
Last Season: 14-1 (7-1 SEC West)
Just Bama being Bama
Oh, the drama in Tuscaloosa! "Who's going to be Alabama's quarterback?!" Yawn. The Tide won three of their past four national championships-including last year's-despite QB questions in August. "But they lost defensive coordinator Kirby Smart!" Whatev. The Nick Saban coaching tree is perennially pruned, from Jimbo Fisher to Will Muschamp to Jim McElwain. The protégés who have gone elsewhere have had varying degrees of success; their old boss hasn't suffered. "But Derrick Henry is gone! And have you seen the schedule?!" Shrug and shrug. Have you seen Bo Scarbrough and Damien Harris? OK, you probably haven't, but you will. And yeah, the Tide open with a biggie (USC in Arlington, Texas) and have to travel to Oxford, Fayetteville, Knoxville and Baton Rouge-but it's the SEC West, y'all. They see this kind of schedule every year. And as the story goes, Bama rolls over its schedule way more than its schedule rolls over Bama. -- Ryan McGee
Don't expect a championship hangover in Tuscaloosa. With DE Jonathan Allen (12 sacks), LB Reuben Foster (73 tackles) and SS Eddie Jackson (6 INTs) all returning for their senior seasons before potentially entering the NFL draft, the Tide roll out my top-ranked defense once again. Offensively, they replace QB Jake Coker with first-year starter Cooper Bateman (71.2 completion percentage on 57 attempts), but he'll have a great supporting cast: Alabama has my No. 4 offensive line, No. 1 wide receivers (led by 1,000-yard wideout Calvin Ridley) and, despite the loss of Henry, my No. 12 group of running backs.
IN IF...
The offense doesn't leave it all on the shoulders of the new QB, no matter who gets the nod. Losing Henry (SEC-record 2,219 yards in his Heisman-winning season last year) is big, but replacing center Ryan Kelly, a first-round pick, might prove bigger.
OUT IF...
It can't win at least two of its three big road games-Ole Miss, Tennessee and LSU. And in the ultracompetitive SEC West, even one loss to the wrong team could keep the Tide from winning the division.
Alabama's chances to win each game
09.03 vs. USC (Arlington, Texas): 64.3%
09.10 vs. Western Kentucky: 94.1%
09.17 @ Ole Miss: 51.2%
09.24 vs. Kent State: 98.8%
10.01 vs. Kentucky: 93.8%
10.08 @ Arkansas: 71.2%
10.15 @ Tennessee: 41.1%
10.22 vs. Texas A&M: 72.5%
11.05 @ LSU: 34.3%
11.12 vs. Mississippi State: 84.7%
11.19 vs. Chattanooga: 99.0%
11.26 vs. Auburn: 77.7%
The defending national champs might have some star power to replace on defense, but the reloading Crimson Tide are still the cream of the SEC, and they'll claim their third straight SEC Western title with an 11-1 season. -- Edward Aschoff
As long as Nick Saban is in Tuscaloosa, Alabama is the favorite to win the SEC. The Crimson Tide is loaded on defense and even if questions exist at running back and quarterback, this is the arguably the nation's most talented team -- one that will go 11-1. -- David Ching
Still the standard-bearer, but with a whole new backfield. But, in Lane Kiffin I trust. The Crimson Tide will still be pretty damn good at 11-1. -- Sam Khan Jr.
With road trips to Ole Miss, Arkansas, Tennessee and LSU, Alabama probably won't run the table this year. But 11-1 will still put them in the driver's seat for the playoff. -- Greg Ostendorf
Here we go again. Alabama will make sense of the QB situation, another star will emerge at running back (hello, Bo Scarbrough) and the defense will be the best in the SEC. One loss (11-1) won't stop the Tide from winning the West. -- Alex Scarborough
No. 2 Clemson | Top 25
