Alabama Crimson Tide

5 Teams who could beat Alabama in 2017

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 5:34 p.m. ET

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Fansided, Hunter Kinniburgh/FanSided via Saturday Blitz

Alabama’s first loss of the 2016 season came at the worst time for the Tide, as they lost in the National Championship Game against Clemson. Who has the best chance of defeating Alabama in 2017? Saturday Blitz takes a look at five teams who have a shot.

Alabama’s loss to Clemson is but a hiccup in what has been an impressive Crimson Tide dynasty. The Crimson Tide will continue to be great and loaded with talent in 2017, even if they do lose many key players (and Lane Kiffin) from their 2016 team. Alabama has lost big games before, but they always seem to bounce back with great resolve, and certainly having a returning starter at quarterback next season will help.

But just who has the best shot at beating the Crimson Tide next season? It’s not exactly an easy question. There are certain games that Alabama has a shot at losing but their 2017 schedule  is fairly easy on non-conference opponents, the exception being Florida State, and they draw a rebuilding Tennessee team and Vanderbilt from the SEC East slate of games.

When looking at the teams at which Alabama could be beaten by in 2017, this article will stick to teams that the Crimson Tide will play in the regular season, and then one team that they just might face in the SEC Championship Game. This is easier to gauge as of right now, versus how unpredictable picking the teams Alabama could face in the College Football Playoff, should the Tide make it there once again in 2017.

5. Georgia Bulldogs

We start the list with the Georgia Bulldogs, the only hypothetical matchup on this list, as Georgia and the Crimson Tide do not play each other during the regular season in 2017. Despite that, there is a likely chance that these two teams could end up facing off against each other in the SEC Championship Game. Should Georgia and Alabama meet, it could be a very well-played game, one in which Alabama could find itself on the wrong side of the win/loss column.

Georgia returns a bevy of experience from the 2016 team, most notably Jacob Eason at the quarterback position. Eason was good in 2016, and showed flashes of the talent that made him the starter as a true freshman. With a season’s worth of experience behind him, his 2017 should be even better. If a team wants to beat the Crimson Tide, they need a top tier quarterback that can exploit the secondary, much like Deshaun Watson did; Eason should provide that. Georgia also returns Nick Chubb and Sony Michel at running back in 2017 which is monumental for the Bulldogs. Both are very good backs and ones that could easily be the catalysts towards beating Alabama. Georgia should also have a strong defense next season, which never hurts to have against the Crimson Tide.

Nov 12, 2016; College Station, TX, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Shea Patterson (20) attempts a pass during the first quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

4. Ole Miss Rebels

The only team to beat Alabama twice in the last three years, Ole Miss will remain a dangerous opponent for the Tide, despite the Rebels rebuilding defense. The Rebels almost beat Alabama for a third straight season in 2016, but the Alabama defense made plays where the crumbling Ole Miss defense did not. Rebel quarterback Chad Kelly was a major reason for the win in 2015 and the competitive loss in 2016. The Rebels won’t have Kelly in 2017, but do return Shea Patterson who started the final three games of the season after Kelly went down with an ACL injury. Patterson has the arm and mobility to do to the Tide what Kelly did to them, and he should have a better offensive line and running game to go along with it. Not to mention the plethora of talent in the Rebels wide receiver corps.

The biggest thing going against Ole Miss is their defense. Head coach Hugh Freeze hired new defensive coordinator Wesley McGriff to lead the defense, along with linebackers coach Bradley Dale Peveto in the offseason. These new coaches will be tasked with turning around the nations 111th ranked defense. There is a lot of young talent in the secondary and veteran talent on the defensive line to be excited about but linebackers have to be developed. Without that, Ole Miss won’t stand a chance against the Tide ground game or Jalen Hurts. Should Ole Miss develop a better defense, they might be able to pull off the unthinkable once again.

Nov 28, 2015; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers running back Jovon Robinson follows the block of lineman Braden Smith (71) as he blocks Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Adonis Thomas (17) during the second quarter at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

3. Auburn Tigers

Auburn looked like they might be the only team that could have beaten Alabama in the regular season at one point. Injuries to key starters running back Kamryn Pettway and quarterback Sean White, derailed the Tigers in the Iron Bowl. Auburn has plenty of returning starters in 2017, despite losing some key players on defense and offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, the Tigers will still be competitive, if not outright sneaky, much the same as they were in 2016.

Alabama and Auburn is almost always a competitive matchup and with Auburn hosting the Iron Bowl, they get a home field advantage boost. If Sean White and the Tigers offense can get more consistent and more dangerous then they should be able to move the ball on Alabama. Auburn’s defense should be good again, but defense wasn’t the problem in 2016 against the Crimson Tide, the offense was. While White will need to play well, the run game has to be explosive. Alabama will be rebuilding their defensive line in 2017, even at the end of the season a strong run game can trump inexperience along the line. While having White at quarterback should help, running the ball might be what Auburn does better.

Nov 24, 2016; College Station, TX, USA; LSU Tigers running back Derrius Guice (5) celebrates with guard K.J. Malone (63) and tight end Foster Moreau (84) after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

2. LSU Tigers

If you’re going to look at teams that can beat Alabama then you have to look at the one team that has consistently competed against them at a high level since the arrival of Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa. LSU will be a completely different team under Ed Orgeron next season. Expect to see a more wide open offense featuring the weapons that the team has in wide receiver Malachi Dupre and running back Derris Guice. While the Tigers will miss Fournette, he was never a factor in the games he played against Alabama. Should the Tigers beat the Tide, Guice will have to produce where Fournette did not and the passing game will have to be improved.

While LSU’s offense is perhaps the key to the game, the play of the defense cannot be understated from its importance. LSU always has a strong defense and it will have to put Jalen Hurts in uncomfortable situations to be able to get a win at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Out of all of the SEC opponents that Alabama will face in 2017, the LSU Tigers have the best shot of beating them. Which leaves one team left with a better shot than the Tigers.

Dec 30, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Deondre Francois (12) celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Michigan Wolverines at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports

1. Florida State Seminoles

The first team that Alabama will face in 2017, is also the team that they are most likely to lose to. As Florida State proved in their Orange Bowl win over Michigan, they are talented and will continue to be a top team to look out for headed into next season. Deondre Francois gives the Seminoles a top tier quarterback at which to attack the Bama defense with and the Seminoles will still be loaded at running back despite the departure of Dalvin Cook. Francois will give the Seminoles an edge over the retooled Alabama defense that will have many new faces when this game kicks off.

The Seminoles will also be bringing a top tier defense into this matchup as well, and early season games tend to favor experienced defenses. FSU started the 2016 season with a win over Ole Miss, so facing SEC teams will not be a new thing for the Seminoles.

Unlike USC in 2016, Florida State has a more experienced team headed into the opening day matchup and the Seminoles should give us a better game against the Tide than the Trojans. If Alabama makes it past the Seminoles, they will have a pretty good chance at going undefeated once again in 2017.

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