College football 2018 preview: Predicting the first loss for every Top 25 team

No surprise. Alabama is ranked preseason No. 1 for what feels like the 10th consecutive season. They open the year with a neutral site game against Louisville and even if Lamar Jackson was at Louisville rather than suiting up for the Baltimore Ravens this year, the Tide would probably have no problem sending the Cardinals back home 0-1.

Their SEC schedule isn’t particularly daunting but a late-season trip to play LSU in Death Valley could be tricky if the Tiger offense is clicking by that time. As has been the case for the last several seasons, the Ion Bowl season finale will be a particularly consequential game again this year between the SEC and the College Football Playoff.

As much as Auburn is bringing back in 2018, I don’t think it’s enough to upset Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Auburn hasn’t won an Iron Bowl on the road since 2010 when Cam Newton led the Tigers to a 14-0 season when Gus Malzahn was still the team’s offensive coordinator. Nick Saban also hasn’t lost to Auburn two years in a row since he landed at Alabama in 2007.

Even without historical trends favoring Alabama, I think the addition of Tua Tagovailoa will be too much for Auburn, or anyone else to handle.