Fansided

College football rankings 2018: FanSided preseason Top 25

By Connor Muldowney

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Alabama Crimson Tide running back Damien Harris (34) runs with the football during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers on January 1, 2018, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Alabama Crimson Tide running back Damien Harris (34) runs with the football during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers on January 1, 2018, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 08: Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban is presented the CFP Championship trophy during the trophy presentation at the conclusion of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs on January 8, 2018 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. The Alabama Crimson Tide won the game in overtime 26-23. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 08: Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban is presented the CFP Championship trophy during the trophy presentation at the conclusion of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs on January 8, 2018 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. The Alabama Crimson Tide won the game in overtime 26-23. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

No surprise here. It’s all business for Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide yet again. Alabama will be the No. 1 ranked team in the land, almost unanimously heading into the new campaign.

The reigning national champs will be reloading on each side of the ball, which is what they do best. Saban and his staff have been recruiting at an elite level and they finished with yet another top class to add to an already-loaded roster.

The defensive backfield may be the biggest concern with all first-year starters as sophomores or juniors, but the depth is there and the young backups have future All-American written all over them. The linebackers, too, will be all first-year starters with the exception of junior Anfernee Jennings who isn’t guaranteed the No. 1 job. Keep an eye on Dylan Moses, a former five-star inside linebacker.

Up front, Isaiah Buggs and Raekwon Davis will wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines and there, too, is plenty of depth.

Tua Tagovailoa was the hero of the national title game a year ago, but the sophomore is in a battle for the starting job with Jalen Hurts, who started for Alabama in 2016 and 2017. The former has the higher ceiling but the latter has all the experience in the world.

Receivers will be strong, the offensive line is solidified and Damien Harris and Najee Harris form an incredibly tough running back duo.

This team is scary — again.

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