College Football 2017: With gap between Alabama and rest, SEC is no longer top conference

The SEC was the best conference in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Now it’s not. The league has come to embody the insult it once heaped in the direction of its Power Five foes: The SEC has one great team. One, and only one.

No team other than Alabama has finished a season with fewer than three losses since 2013. No team other than Alabama won more than nine games in 2016. Over the past three years, the Crimson Tide have five fewer losses in league play, at 22-2, than the next-closest competitor, Florida. During the past half-decade, Alabama's 36-4 conference record is miles beyond the next-best on the list — Georgia and Florida at 27-13.

CONFERENCE PREVIEWS

POWER FIVE: ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC | Independents

GROUP OF FIVE: AAC | Conference USA | MAC | Mountain West | Sun Belt

Those are simple numbers to sum up the league’s plummet from its stratospheric heights. But you should also trust your eyes. The Crimson Tide are the Roman army on the march. The rest of the SEC are the anonymous soldiers from Commando. The gap is as wide as you’ve imagined.

I don’t say this to demean the non-Tide section of the SEC but in praise of Alabama. The machine hasn’t just beat teams; it has defeated an entire conference. And it shows no signs of letting up.

So don’t begrudge the has-beens and also-rans of the SEC for living in the past. What, they should live in the present? Don’t remind Auburn and LSU that they are a combined 25-23 in SEC action since the start of the 2014 season. Don’t tell Tennessee that it’s been unable to win even the participation trophy that is the SEC East Division despite the relative swoons suffered by Florida and Georgia.

There’s one great team in the SEC. That team is pretty good. Historically good. Tell-your-grandkids good. Alabama has earned every ounce of praise heaped in its direction. It’s mediocrity everywhere else.

PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE

OFFENSE

QB: Jalen Hurts, Alabama

RB: Nick Chubb, Georgia

RB: Derrius Guice, LSU

WR: Christian Kirk, Texas A&M

WR: Calvin Ridley, Alabama

TE: Hayden Hurst, South Carolina

OL: Jonah Williams, Alabama

OL: Will Clapp, LSU

OL: Frank Ragnow, Arkansas

OL: Braden Smith, Auburn

OL: Martez Ivey, Florida

DEFENSE

DL: Marquis Haynes, Ole Miss

DL: Da’Ron Payne, Alabama

DL: Trenton Thompson, Georgia

DL: Marcell Frazier, Missouri

LB: Arden Key, LSU

LB: Rashaan Evans, Alabama

LB: Skai Moore, South Carolina

CB: Duke Dawson, Florida

CB: Kevin Toliver, LSU

S: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama

S: Armani Watts, Texas A&M

SPECIALISTS

K: Daniel Carlson, Auburn

P: JK Scott, Alabama

RET: Evan Berry, Tennessee

BEST UNITS

Quarterback: Alabama. There’s reason to pay close attention to Auburn’s Jarrett Stidham, but Jalen Hurts’ experience and strong start to his college career help give the Tide the edge.

Running back: Alabama. Waves upon waves upon waves of depth, starting with Bo Scarbrough — though Georgia’s duo of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel also is solid.

Wide receivers and tight ends: Alabama. Less proven than a year ago but still better than the rest of the SEC.

Offensive line: Alabama. The Tide have located their next star in sophomore Jonah Williams. Next they need to find an answer at right tackle.

Defensive line: Alabama. Continuing a recent tradition.

Linebacker: Alabama. There’s no doubt that Alabama’s going to take a step back on the second level without Rueben Foster, Ryan Anderson and Tim Williams — but this is still the SEC’s best linebacker crew.

Secondary: Alabama. This is getting repetitive. Maybe I can put Florida instead? But that wouldn’t be true.

Special teams: Florida. Finally, someone other than the Tide. The Gators’ kicking game is very strong.

RANKING THE STARTING QUARTERBACKS

1. Jalen Hurts, Alabama. I think Hurts’ game will really benefit from the Tide’s move from Lane Kiffin to former NFL assistant Brian Daboll at offensive coordinator.

2. Jarrett Stidham, Auburn. He’s a perfect fit for what Gus Malzahn wants from the position, but let’s remember that Stidham made just three starts during his brief stint at Baylor.

3. Nick Fitzgerald, Mississippi State. If impossible to truly gauge, I think Fitzgerald might be the most underrated quarterback in the FBS.

4. Austin Allen, Arkansas. The offensive front should do a better job protecting Allen, who has obvious all-conference ability, but the Razorbacks’ lack of options at receiver could mean trouble for the offense.

5. Jacob Eason, Georgia. Eason will take a nice step forward in 2017 but won’t have his coming-out party until his junior year.

6. Jake Bentley, South Carolina. The Gamecocks have wisely opted to build an offense – if not the entire program – around the talented sophomore.

7. Drew Lock, Missouri. Based on his growth between his freshman and sophomore seasons, Lock should reach his potential at Missouri.

8. Shea Patterson, Ole Miss. The former five-star recruit has the tools to be a star in the SEC.

9. Danny Etling, LSU. You can love Ed Orgeron’s hire of Matt Canada but still wonder about the health of LSU’s passing game.

10. Malik Zaire, Florida. This is guesswork, since the Gators do have three options for the starting spot, but it’s logical to think that Jim McElwain wouldn’t bring on the Notre Dame graduate transfer to hold a clipboard.

11. Stephen Johnson, Kentucky. Johnson should be getting more credit for leading the Wildcats to a bowl game last year. But can he deliver with more consistency as a passer?

12. Kyle Shurmur, Vanderbilt. The light may have turned on for Shurmur during the final four games of the 2016 regular season.

13. Quinten Dormady, Tennessee. Or Jarrett Guarantano. Both will play in 2017.

14. Nick Starkel, Texas A&M. Even if Starkel gets the nod for the opener against UCLA – A&M still hasn’t made the call – he’ll have to perform to keep freshman Kellen Mond off the field.

TOP NEWCOMERS

LSU S Grant Delpit. The quick study has already secured a starting role on the back end as a true freshman.

Tennessee OL Trey Smith. Smith is headed for a starting job up front and a standout college career for the Volunteers.

Texas A&M WR Jhamon Ausbon. A dearth of proven options out wide has Ausbon destined for a crucial role in a make-or-break season for Kevin Sumlin at A&M.

Missouri DE Chris Turner. Clearly underrated as a recruit, Turner has impressed in camp and should see the field in certain situations as a rookie.

Alabama RB Najee Harris. Harris was a five-star recruit and the best player at his position in the class of 2017. Translated, that means he’s fourth-string on the Tide’s depth chart.

PHOTOS: TOP 25 TEAMS IN THE AMWAY COACHES POLL

GAMES OF THE YEAR

Alabama vs. Florida State (in Atlanta), Sept. 2. One of the most anticipated openers in recent history, if not beyond that.

Texas A&M at UCLA, Sept. 3. A loss at UCLA in the opener would not be good for Kevin Sumlin’s job security.

LSU vs. Brigham Young (in Houston), Sept. 2. LSU shouldn’t lose this one, but it will be interesting to see how the offense responds in its first game under Matt Canada.

TCU at Arkansas, Sept. 9. This is an intriguing matchup. If TCU is one of the three best teams in the Big 12, the Horned Frogs should win at Arkansas.

Auburn at Clemson, Sept. 9. I think a win here for Auburn would put the Tigers on a clear trajectory for a New Year’s Six bowl.

LSU at Florida, Oct. 7. If not meaningful for the Playoff, this would have an impact on the SEC’s postseason lineup.

Tennessee at Alabama, Oct. 21. The Volunteers’ game plan for victory is …?

LSU at Alabama, Nov. 4. The Tide look to push its winning streak in the series to seven games.

Georgia at Auburn, Nov. 11. Auburn has dropped three in a row and nine of 11 to the Bulldogs, with perhaps none more painful than last year’s 13-7 setback.

Alabama at Auburn, Nov. 25. If Stidham is as good as advertised, this Auburn offense could put a scare into the Tide.

Ole Miss at Mississippi State, Nov. 23. This one is going to be so much fun no matter what the records are.

BEST CHANCE AT THE PLAYOFF

Alabama’s path to the Playoff is obvious. The Tide will just roll through the SEC – probably losing once, since these things happen – and take the conference crown in Atlanta before being named the first or second seed heading into the postseason. You’ve seen this show before.

It’s hard to envision any other SEC team making a similar run into January. But let’s try.

Sorry to the following: Vanderbilt, Missouri, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Arkansas and Texas A&M. No Playoff for you guys. Bowl games for most of you, though.

The only way Florida or Georgia makes the field is by exceeding expectations during the regular season – no more than two losses – and then defeating the SEC West Division champion in the conference title game. That’s an easy one to map out, if not likely whatsoever to occur. Let’s cross them off the list.

That leaves LSU, Auburn and the Tide. LSU is the flimsiest of the bunch, with again no answer at quarterback, a rough receiver corps and too much reliance on youth to be taken seriously as a title contender. Then again, Ed Orgeron has two fantastic coordinators in Dave Aranda and Matt Canada. Anything is possible. But this is unlikely.

I like Auburn more and more. Like LSU, the Tigers need to find answers at wide receiver. And Auburn’s defense seems headed for a step back in overall effectiveness as it slides in some new faces along the front seven. But Jarrett Stidham is a fantastic prospect – and this thing works when Gus Malzahn has a capable quarterback. I give Auburn a good shot at returning to a major bowl and a puncher’s chance at taking the entire SEC.

But that punch better be a knockout blow. Auburn gets its shot at Alabama on the final Saturday of the regular season, in its own house, with maybe the entire ball of wax on the line. Alabama will probably win by 17 points.