Editorial

Alabama Ranked Number 1 In ESPN’s SP+ Rankings For The 2020 College Football Season

(Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports - via Reuters)

David Hookstead Sports And Entertainment Editor
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Alabama is at the top of ESPN’s SP+ rankings for the 2020 college football season.

ESPN released the rankings Thursday, which are based off of recent recruiting, returning talent and recent history, and the Crimson Tide came ahead of everybody else, despite the fact they didn’t even make the playoff last season? (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)

 

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Why? Well, ESPN wrote the following in the explanation:

Because the Tide return Jones’ 1,503 passing yards (plus 100 more from Taulia Tagovailoa) — not to mention the contributions of receivers DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle, running back Najee Harris, most of the offensive line, and most of the defensive front seven — they boast a better returning production ranking (88th) than Ohio State (93rd), Clemson (96th), LSU (127th), etc.

That, combined with consistently elite recruiting and performance (the Tide haven’t finished lower than third in SP+ since 2008), pushed Bama to the top.

Well, this will certainly give Alabama fans something to smile about. Given the formula used for the rankings, it’s not impossible to see why Alabama came out on top.

They have great recruiting, there’s a ton of talent returning and they’ve dominated in their recent history. All things considered, it’s not hard to see how Nick Saban and company came in at number one.

 

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At the same time, Alabama missed the playoff last season. Clemson is returning a ton of talent and Ohio State has Justin Fields back under center.

You’d have to be an idiot to count out either program, and both could make a very strong push for the top spot in any rankings.

 

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Finally, Wisconsin checked in at number nine. It might only be February, but I’ll take it. Go, Badgers, go!