BAMANEWSBOT
Staff
College football expert Phil Steele expects Alabama to finish where it starts in 2014.
Two months ago, Steele projected the Crimson Tide to be No. 2 when the preseason Associated Press poll is unveiled in August. His "top five at season's end" rankings, which were released Monday on ESPN.com, don't have Alabama going anywhere, as the Crimson Tide sits at No. 2 behind defending national champion Florida State.
Alabama is the only SEC team in Steele's top five, as Ohio State, Oklahoma and UCLA fall right behind the Crimson Tide.
Here's why Steele likes Alabama:
Steele has high expectations for Alabama's offense, which will have a new look at quarterback and a few holes to fill on the offensive line. He ranks Alabama's running back trio of T.J. Yeldon, Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake as the best in the country, the Amari Cooper-led receiving corps at No. 2 and the offensive line at No. 8.
The rankings are similar on defense, with the defensive line at No. 8 and the linebackers and secondary at No. 4, respectively.
The No. 2 ranking has been a common one for Alabama throughout the offseason. It should also make Crimson Tide fans feel pretty good, as Alabama entered its previous two national championship seasons ranked second in the country in the AP poll.
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Two months ago, Steele projected the Crimson Tide to be No. 2 when the preseason Associated Press poll is unveiled in August. His "top five at season's end" rankings, which were released Monday on ESPN.com, don't have Alabama going anywhere, as the Crimson Tide sits at No. 2 behind defending national champion Florida State.
Alabama is the only SEC team in Steele's top five, as Ohio State, Oklahoma and UCLA fall right behind the Crimson Tide.
Here's why Steele likes Alabama:
As far as the schedule goes, the path is not as clear-cut as the Seminoles', with road games at LSU and Ole Miss (both of which rank in my preseason top 20). The Crimson Tide do get Auburn at home on Nov. 29 and will be playing with revenge, but then would have the SEC Championship game the following week. Still, there is no better coach in the country than Saban and he is in his preferred spot this year with the talent to win it all.
Two of the five teams in Steele's projected preseason top five were not included in his end-of-season version, as Auburn and Oregon did not make the cut.Steele has high expectations for Alabama's offense, which will have a new look at quarterback and a few holes to fill on the offensive line. He ranks Alabama's running back trio of T.J. Yeldon, Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake as the best in the country, the Amari Cooper-led receiving corps at No. 2 and the offensive line at No. 8.
The rankings are similar on defense, with the defensive line at No. 8 and the linebackers and secondary at No. 4, respectively.
The No. 2 ranking has been a common one for Alabama throughout the offseason. It should also make Crimson Tide fans feel pretty good, as Alabama entered its previous two national championship seasons ranked second in the country in the AP poll.
Continue reading...
