Final preseason ranking for Alabama Football and the 15 other SEC teams

SEC Football Playoff Contenders

The five remaining SEC teams to be ranked include two teams that may not be close to the top three, but their easy schedules (along with LSU) give them real Playoff shots. Those two teams are Missouri and Ole Miss. Above the pair are the trio of SEC's heavyweights. By November, I think the top three will be close to equal in their potential to win late-season big games and for those that advance, the SEC Championship Game.

• No. 5 - Missouri Tigers - Missouri is a major question mark defensively. The offense should be no problem and the schedule is the SEC's easiest. But I don't see Missouri winning in Tuscaloosa.

• No. 4 - Ole Miss Rebels - The Portal King, Lane Kiffin will have another potent offense. Maybe this season, transfer for the defense will deliver. But Lane and Pete Golding have no history of consistently winning against top teams. They don't get Alabama or Texas, but Ole Miss must go to Baton Rouge and host Oklahoma and Georgia.

• No. 3 - Alabama Crimson Tide - By late season, I expect Alabama to have improved enough to challenge any team in college football. Will the Crimson Tide have two or possibly three losses before reaching that peak, is a question I cannot answer. My best guess is 10-2 in the regular season.

• No. 2 - Texas Longhorns - Texas is about middle of the SEC pack in schedule difficulty. There are depth issues at running back and some questions about enough game-changers at receiver. But the Horns will be very good.

• No. 1 - Georgia Bulldogs - The Dawgs will be predictably good again. Though I expect Georgia to escape Tuscaloosa with a win, I don't see the Dawgs as a 12-0 team, and maybe only 10-2. A rematch with the Tide in Atlanta could have a different outcome.

Note: Strength of Schedule observations were made using the ESPN FPI as a guide.