18 for 18: Will Alabama win its 18th national championship this season?
Alabama will mark the unofficial start to its 2018 season today during SEC Media Days in Atlanta. Before Nick Saban takes the podium, let's wrap up the final segment in our 18 for 18 series examining 18 important questions as the Crimson Tide looks to repeat as champions and claim an 18th national title this season.
Will Alabama win its 18th national championship this season?
Seventeen questions have come down to this, essentially the only one that matters to Alabama. After making the national championship the past two years and bringing home a 17th title last season, Alabama is the overwhelming favorite to repeat as champions. The Las Vegas Superbook’s latest update has the Crimson Tide at 9-5 odds to repeat as champions, ahead of Clemson and Ohio State at 5-1. Although, you don’t really need to be an expert to see how good this Alabama team can be.
On offense, Alabama will either be led by a Heisman candidate in Tua Tagovailoa or a former SEC Offensive Player of the year in Jalen Hurts. Whoever wins that battle will have an embarrassment of riches to work with as Alabama returns a talented young receiving corps and a backfield that rivals any in the nation.
Defensively, the Crimson Tide has a lot to replace, including do-it-all man Minkah Fitzpatrick and the rest of its top six defensive backs. Fortunately for Alabama, years of recruiting dominance should allow the Crimson Tide to restock without much drop-off.
Alabama also faces what appears to be an easy schedule with its toughest games coming toward the end of the year. The Crimson Tide’s biggest challenge won't come until the final game of the season as Auburn comes to Tuscaloosa, Ala., for the Iron Bowl. That should give Nick Saban and the rest of Alabama’s staff more than ample time to work through any growing pains it might encounter.
Here are three factors that should determine whether or not Alabama is able to repeat this season.
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