2017 College Football Playoff preseason predictions

1-Seed – Alabama Crimson Tide

Last, and most obvious, the Alabama Crimson Tide were the overwhelming favorite pick to reach the College Football Playoff. In fact, only one member of the Saturday Blitz panel left the Tide off his or her ballot. Instead of Alabama, Auburn was his pick to take the SEC’s spot in the playoff in 2017.

Auburn looks to have a lot of the pieces necessary to make a playoff run. The defense is stalwart. They can run the football. And if new transfer quarterback Jarrett Stidham is everything he’s supposed to be, they’ll be able to move the ball down the field through the air efficiently for the first time since Cam Newton was in town.

More: Game by game predictions for Alabama in 2017

But let’s be realistic. What’ most likely to happen? The Alabama Crimson Tide will make it through the SEC gauntlet somehow unscathed once again. At the very worst they’ll drop a game along the way, but every other team in the SEC finished with at least for losses last season. That gives Alabama plenty of cushion when it comes to retaining the division crown once more.

If total chaos reigns and Alabama manages to claim the conference title with two losses there could still be a compelling case for the Tide to be deserving of a College Football Playoff spot. That’s especially true if Nick Saban’s squad is upset in his season opener against Florida State. If that game is close, it’s all the more reason for the committee to work to set up a rematch of what could be the two best teams in college football this season.

Regardless of how it happens, it’s hard to imagine Alabama sitting at home when the College Football Playoff kicks off this season. Now that we have our four teams, here’s the official championship pick of the Saturday Blitz staff.