1. Alabama Crimson Tide
Week 1 Opponent: Utah State
The preseason No. 1 team nationally, as well as the defending SEC Football champion, Alabama begins the 2022 season as the top team in our conference power rankings.
Finishing with a 13-2 overall record a year ago, Alabama is coming off a national championship game appearance last season, as well as only their third loss in nine title games since Nick Saban took over in Tuscaloosa. As for why the Crimson Tide hold the top spot entering the year over the team that beat them back in January in Georgia, well, look no further than the returning production for Alabama.
The Crimson Tide return numerous starters on both sides of the ball from a year ago, with names such as the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young and Will Anderson Jr leading the way. The notable returning names for Alabama do not stop their either as others such as Jordan Battle, Henry To’oTo’o, Dallas Turner, and Cameron Latu all return, combined with the Crimson Tide also having added elite transfers in Eli Ricks, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Jermaine Burton.
Simply put, there are not many glaring weaknesses for this Alabama team entering the season. Led by one of SEC Football’s most experienced secondaries, this could be one of the Crimson Tide’s top defenses in recent years, while the offense should once again be elite.
As for week one, expect the Crimson Tide to roll to a big home win over Utah State in what is the Crimson Tide’s first season opening contest inside Bryant-Denny Stadium since 2011, as well as their first against a non-Power 5 opponent since that game against Kent State.