1. Alabama goes undefeated, wins national championship
Well, maybe this isn’t particularly bold given that Alabama is one of the two favorites to win the national championship next season, but consider this: Alabama has only gone undefeated and won the title once during Saban’s tenure in Tuscaloosa. Saban’s first national title team went 14-0 in 2009; the rest have all lifted the trophy with one loss on the resume.
Twice now Alabama has entered the national championship game against Clemson without a blemish on the resume and fallen short. Last season, both Clemson and Alabama were undefeated when the two met in Santa Clara, and the Tigers emerged as the first 15-0 team in modern college football history.
I think Alabama is going to make it back-to-back 15-0 national champions, and it might just do it in a rematch against Clemson, the potential fifth straight meeting between the two in the College Football Playoff, and fourth time in the national championship game.
The Crimson Tide playing with a chip on its shoulder is a scary proposition for the rest of college football. Complacency can often doom great teams, and some of that undoubtedly crept into the locker room during the last season. Clemson was the more motivated side in the title game after losing to Alabama in the 2017 Sugar Bowl, and it showed on the field.
If the two meet again, Alabama will have the added motivation to avenge last season’s humiliating defeat. The schedule sets up well for the Crimson Tide to run the table in the regular season if they can get past tricky road tilts at Texas A&M and Auburn as well as surviving at home against an experienced LSU team. That would likely lead to an SEC Championship Game rematch with Georgia, where the Bulldogs will be looking for vengeance after two consecutive devastating defeats at the hands of Saban’s team.
If the Tide can navigate that, then all roads lead to the playoff where Jalen Hurts and Oklahoma could be awaiting before a rematch with Clemson. That would be one hell of a storyline, eh?
Based on what I’ve seen during the spring, I think Alabama has college football’s best team heading into 2019. The offense is loaded with talent, and the defense has the potential to be as good as any Saban has fielded as long as some young players can contribute up front.
The season is still a ways away and things could change, but for now I’ll take Saban and Alabama to capture a sixth national title in the last 11 years.