Image by: Steve Burns
By Thomas Stone
It is not to early to talk college football for next season, is it? No, never.
The Alabama Crimson Tide beat the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame in the BCS National Championship game earlier this month to claim their third BCS title in just four seasons. That is a pretty good haul, wouldn’t you say?
Heading into 2013, Alabama is once again expected to be one of the best teams in the country. Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban has attracted the second best set of recruits in the nation, according to ESPN’s Recruiting Nation.
Saban’s band of winners will compete against the tough SEC for a shot at another title. But with games against Virginia Tech, Texas A&M, and LSU; the road to Saban’s fifth ring will be filled with road bumps.
There will be other teams joining Alabama to try and win the crown in 2013, from the likes of Michigan, Florida, USC, and Notre Dame, but which team will make the list of top five teams of 2013?
Check out the way-too-early edition of the list of top five college football teams expected to fight for a title in 2013.
Ohio State Buckeyes
O-H-I… Ahhhh, you know the rest. The Buckeyes of Ohio finished a smooth 12-0 in 2012, but were ineligible for postseason play due to a pesky NCAA probation.
OSU played in a pretty weak conference, the Big Ten, motoring through the season with relative ease. They won’t have that same effortlessness in 2013, but expect for them to be in the mix for a title.
Alabama Crimson Tide
As mentioned in the open, the Tide will find themselves at the top of most college football polls. Three titles in four years have turned the tide into a tsunami of college football perfection. Books will be written. Children will be named Saban.
The question for 2013 is simple: Who can stop Alabama besides, well, Alabama?
Oregon Ducks
Not sure what type of offense will be installed at Oregon or who the new head coach will be with Chip Kelly leaving, but Oregon has too much talent not to compete next season.
They have at least 15 starters coming back, which is nothing but bad news for the rest of the Pac-12. Quack.
Louisville Cardinals
Louisville is expected to be good next season, but how good? They upset the Florida Gators in the Sugar Bowl this season, which shocked enough people to make them take notice of the Cardinals.
Star quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and his 27 touchdowns are coming back to Louisville in 2013 as well. Look for another surprise outing from the Cardinals next season.
Texas A&M Aggies
Kind of hard to go against a guy named “Johnny Football,” right? Well, his real name is Johnny Manziel and he won the Heisman trophy in 2012 as a freshman.
He led the Aggies to a record of 11-2 and a Cotton Bowl appearance. They’ll be better in 2013 and Johnny Football will be one year older.