Alabama Football: An early look at ’21 SEC power shifts

Alabama Football: Will SEC power shift in the 2021 season or should fans expect little change at the top of the divisions

The 2021 season is expected to be a return to normal. Alabama football coach, Nick Saban favors less than a complete return to normal. Certainly, Saban wants everyone from coaches and players to fans, to not be threatened by COVID. A return to full SEC stadiums will be celebrated by all.

For Nick Saban, not returning to the eight-game conference schedule would have been the best 2021 plan. He has long lobbied for the league to play nine, or even ten conference games every season. He also favors FBS teams playing only FBS teams. Neither idea has garnered much support from other college football coaches.

The Alabama Crimson Tide will travel to Texas A&M, Florida, Auburn and Mississippi State, with home games against Ole Miss, Arkansas, LSU and Tennessee in Bryant-Denny. The Crimson Tide has a season-opener against the Miami Hurricanes in Atlanta. The improving Canes’ program returns an abundance of experienced players. If Miami QB, D’Eriq King is fully recovered in time for the opener, the Canes could offer the Tide a challenge.

King, who tore an ACL in December is returning for a sixth season. He is already on Heisman lists and has vowed he will play against the Crimson Tide.

As discussed recently, the SEC in 2021 is really a four-team league with the Crimson Tide clearly in a tier by itself. A second tier would include the Georgia Bulldogs, the Texas A&M Aggies and a ‘take your pick’. Our pick was Florida, but others will argue LSU should be above the Gators. One media source has predicted Kentucky will be the No. 2 team in the SEC East.

Now that Kirby Smart has stumbled his way to a winning quarterback, the Bulldogs should be formidable. Florida loses so many key pieces to its 2020 offense, the Gators seem destined to be less explosive. Dan Mullen will need more help from his defense. Nothing from last season suggests the porous Gator’s defense will be much improved in 2021. Gator fans would have celebrated the firing of Todd Grantham. Mullen chose to make other changes that have generated little fan enthusiasm. Power is likely to shift in the SEC East, with the Gators, Kentucky Wildcats and Missouri Tigers vying to play second fiddle to the Bulldogs.

Followers of the Aggies will claim Jimbo Fisher’s team can take down the Tide. Perhaps they can, but outside that fanbase, few voices will question Alabama Football being the best team in the SEC West. After a 2020 meltdown, LSU is in disarray. The Bengal Tigers could improve somewhat in 2021 or they could struggle to stay above Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Auburn and Arkansas.

Upsets happen, major injuries occur, but in December, it should the Alabama Crimson Tide vs. the Georgia Bulldogs in Atlanta.

As always, Alabama football fans are thinking about another National Championship run. And also as always, a CFB National Championship repeat is the tallest mountain in college football.

The Crimson Tide’s other three, out-of-conference games are all in Tuscaloosa versus Mercer, Southern Miss and New Mexico State. Check out our opinion on the toughest and easiest SEC schedules in each division.