Top 3 Challengers to an Alabama Threepeat

As evidenced by the 2012-2013 NBA Finals this past week, building a dynasty in any sport is not easy. With each subsequent championship comes increased expectations and an increased level of competition. After winning three titles in four years, the Alabama Crimson Tide certainly have all eyes looking in their direction this season as the target on their back continues to grow.

Although the Tide have wowed national audiences in their past two championship game wins, no one can say getting to those stages was easy, especially members of the Tide. However, with a stacked roster returning for the 2013 campaign, Alabama is once again the odds-on favorite – at 3/1 according to Bovada – to turn in the rare threepeat. So the question now is: Who has the potential to stop the Tide from rolling on to another title?

There are plenty of teams that fit the bill, but having the talent and actually pulling it off are two different things. Bama has laid numerous “worthy” competitors to waste in recent years, but we think we’ve got three teams that could realistically end Nick Saban and Bama’s reign atop the college football world. Here are our top 3 challengers and their odds to win the 2014 National Championship:

Texas A&M Aggies – 13/2

Of course, you knew that the only team to beat Alabama last season would be included in this list. Considering the Aggies are returning much of their roster from last year, there’s no reason they can’t knock of the Tide again this season, but was last year a simple case of catching lightning in a bottle for A&M?

The Aggies certainly came out of nowhere last year, but that’s because they introduced the world to Heisman winner Johnny “Football” Manziel. The freshman burst onto the scene and presented an immediate challenge to the reigning champs, but after seeing the fleet-footed Manziel, will Bama be ready for him this year?

What makes Manziel and his team so dangerous is that he’s an improviser and a playmaker. He’s a tough player to prepare for because even when a play breaks down, he can make big things happen for his team. His naturally ability will always give the Aggies a chance to win, but the biggest challenge for the Aggies themselves will be consistency. As we saw last season, it may not be enough to beat Bama once, unless you run the table and I’m not sure if the Aggies are capable of going undefeated in the mighty SEC, at least not this year.

Ohio State Buckeyes – 13/2

There’s no telling if the Buckeyes would have snatched the title away from Alabama last season, because they didn’t get a chance to play for it due to NCAA sanctions. That won’t be the case this year though, as Ohio State enters the season with full eligibility.

Ohio State’s unbeaten mark last season showed that they are indeed one of the best teams in the country and with former SEC powerhouse coach Urban Meyer at the helm, the Bucks should have the experience and the in-depth knowledge of Bama’s game to have a good chance to defeat the Tide if they were to meet in the title game.

LSU Tigers – 18/1

LSU may not be getting as much love from odds makers coming into the season, but there’s no question that the Tigers know have to give the Tide a hard time. As one of Alabama’s biggest rivals, the Tigers always have a chance to pull off the upset.

Though Alabama has gotten the better of LSU recently, the Tigers have had a fairly successful history (all things considered) against the mighty Tide. LSU isn’t expected to win the SEC this season, but it is a team that has defied expectations plenty of times before. The Tigers could present a major roadblock to the Crimson Tide in their quest for another title.