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Chop Chat’s 2016 Preseason College Football Top 10: No. 3

By Jason Parker

Jan 11, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide tight end O.J. Howard (88) celebrates a touchdown with wide receiver Calvin Ridley (3) against the Clemson Tigers in the 2016 CFP National Championship at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 11, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide tight end O.J. Howard (88) celebrates a touchdown with wide receiver Calvin Ridley (3) against the Clemson Tigers in the 2016 CFP National Championship at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Here’s a look at the next team in Chop Chat’s 2016 Preseason College Football Top 10 Rankings.

As we are in the final month without college football (thank God that nightmare is almost over), teams from across the country will be hitting the practice fields getting ready for the 2016 season. For 25 of those teams, the season will start being ranked in the first polls for the 2016 campaign.

From Tallahassee to Tuscaloosa and Norman to South Bend, everyone from the traditional powers to the upstart programs will look to find their name with a number beside it for (at least) the opening weekend of the 2016 season.

Here at Chop Chat, we aren’t different from anyone else…we have the teams we think will start off the year ranked way too high and those who aren’t getting enough respect. So, here is our list of the top ten teams entering the 2016 season.

Before we get hate mail from fans of schools who are mad we didn’t rank their team high enough (or didn’t rank them at all), know that this is just a preseason list entering week one. In no way are we saying that this list is the way things will end up on January 10, 2017 after the national championship team. After all, with (spoiler alert) a lot of our top 10 teams playing each other this season, there will be plenty of changes before the month of September is even done.

No. 3 – Alabama Crimson Tide

For the fourth time in the past seven seasons, the national championship of FBS college football resides in Tuscaloosa following maybe the best title game featuring Nick Saban’s team in that span. While the Tide will admittingly be losing plenty of talent from last year’s squad, one thing fans seem to know is that Alabama just reloads and never rebuilds.

On offense, the Crimson Tide lose Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry, as the running back takes his large workload onto the NFL and the Tennessee Titans. Bo Scarborough will likely be the man to replace him, to go along with whoever the new starting quarterback will be. One advantage for the offense is that they get Calvin Ridley back at wide receiver and have O.J. Howard returning at tight end, giving them instant targets.

On defense, just five players come back from a title team that was challenged at points, but had NFL talent all over the place. While the front seven will have plenty of fresh faces in the starting lineup, the secondary returns three players led by All-American Eddie Jackson at safety. With sophomores Minkah Fitzpatrick and Marlon Humphrey back there as well, teams would be advised to not throw at ‘Bama this year.

Game of the Year

September 17th at Ole Miss – After two seasons losing to the Rebels and being able to get past it for the conference title, Alabama finds itself in a spot where they may very well be the underdog in this game, especially if the Rebels beat FSU in the opener.

Biggest Chance for an Upset

October 15th at Tennessee – It’s a rivalry that the new school college football fans might not give a lot of credit to, but this year could see the Vols being victorious for the first time in the last 10 meetings between the schools.

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