Alabama and Auburn already sizing each other up in way-too-early 2015 preseason polls

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January 13, 2015

The college football season ended less than 24 hours ago, but that doesn’t mean it’s too early to rank the top 25 teams for next season.

Crushing both of their bowl opponents, TCU and national champion Ohio State are the top two teams in rankings by ESPN’s Mark Schlabach. Baylor, USC and Oregon round out the top five.

In this way-too-early poll, Alabama comes in at No. 10.

With the Crimson Tide losing as much talent as it is, this ranking isn’t much of a surprise. Losing nine offensive starters, including three offensive linemen, the quarterback, running back and the best wide receiver in the country, is never a good thing. It will be a rebuilding year, with even lower expectations than this season. But “rebuilding” at Alabama doesn’t mean what it does pretty much everywhere else.

Auburn comes in at No. 14 in this poll and will have a quarterback battle of their own in 2015. Losing one of their best wide receivers, along with their starting passer and SEC-leading rusher, the Tigers could have a drastically different look on offense against an always unforgiving SEC West schedule.

Florida State, this year’s fourth playoff team, comes in at 19th in this poll, with the loss of quarterback Jameis Winston. They also have to replace four of their five starting offensive linemen.

In a completely different direction, USA Today’s Paul Myerberg ranks Auburn at No. 2 and Alabama at No. 5, with Ohio State at the top. He lists Auburn’s hiring of Will Muschamp as a driving factor for the Tigers’ success next season, and says if Alabama quickly sorts out its new faces in the passing game, the for the race between the two Alabama juggernauts for the SEC Championship will once again be neck-and-neck.

Regardless of which way-too-early poll you find more credible, Ohio State now looks like the team to beat.

The Buckeyes are a young team with muscle and grit, excellent coaching, and a drive to win more titles. The Big Ten has been a downtrodden conference for much of the decade, but Ohio State is now the standard-bearer for which it has been waiting.