SEC Football: Bama Hammer Week Zero SEC Power Rankings
By Ronald Evans
After each weekend’s slate of games, the Bama Hammer staff will present our SEC Football Power Rankings. Check out our first for 2019.
This is a new exercise for the Bama Hammer staff but one we take seriously. Yes, we are Alabama football fans first, before we are SEC football fans. But we pride ourselves on honest opinions formed by views not always tinted Crimson.
Our rankings will reflect those honest opinions and as hard as it would be to admit, if Alabama football ever ceases to be the class of SEC football, it will be evident in our weekly Power Rankings.
This 150-season anniversary of college football makes for an odd calendar. SEC football kind of started this past weekend in what most are calling Week Zero on the 2019 season. The schedule was limited and only three Power Five teams were in opening games.
We start our SEC Power Rankings almost as a preseason edition, given the only SEC football team in action was the Florida Gators. There is reason for debate over whether the Gators’ win over Miami helped or hurt their national prestige. First games are rarely works of art, but clumsiness was in abundance in Orlando.
Digital platform gurus say to count down all rankings to build interest but we will start with the head of the SEC football class.
Week Zero SEC Power Rankings
No. 1 – Alabama Crimson Tide – AP Preseason Ranking No. 2
It’s one of those “until further notice” things, but if it can stay healthy, this Alabama football team could be the most talented and experienced team Nick Saban’s ever coached. Not only do the Tide return a recently-humbled Tua Tagovailoa at QB and a slew of wideouts who are the envy of almost every Power 5 team, they field a defense that has nine different players who were gashed during the national title game against Clemson.
Depth at running back, the defensive line, tight end and the “Will” linebacker position will be paramount in shoring up, but barring an absolute team culture shutdown, 2019 Alabama football should be in contention for the conference title by season’s end. Tricky road games against Texas A&M, South Carolina, Mississippi State and Auburn will determine this coming to fruition.
No. 2 – Georgia Bulldogs – AP Preseason Ranking No. 3
If you remove the uncertainty at the wide receiver position for a moment, you’ll glean that the Bulldogs should have one very good offense in 2019. The offensive line, as per usual, is expected to be the class of the conference and with running backs like D’Andre Swift and Brian Herrien returning, junior QB Jake Fromm may not have to do much in the passing game while the young receivers get their footing.
While losing 2018 Thorpe Award winner Deandre Baker at cornerback and Jonathan Ledbetter and D’Andre Walker along the line, Kirby Smart’s defense will have enough five-star talent to fly to the football on a near constant basis. The albatross of Alabama hangs over Smart and this program, but if the youngsters grow as the season progresses, they may have the talent to finally get over the hump.