Click here to see Part 1 to the Friday Faceoff

The 2009 college football preseason polls recently came out, on the list it has the Sooners ranked as the number three team in the country. In this case, being an unbiased fan, that is a solid and realistic ranking.

However, looking at the list of the top 25 teams in the country it is clear to see that some teams on this list are very overrated.

Teams such as USC, OSU and Notre Dame have many fans questioning their rank.

Still there is one team on the list that really stands out and that is the University of Alabama.

Alabama is ranked number five in the preseason polls. If this were 2008 I might agree with that ranking, but not this year.

They have lost too much on offense, which leaves too many questions on how well they will be able to score points.

Plus, last year the SEC did not have the elite teams like they normally do.

The Crimson Tide had a solid season last year. It went 12-2 with wins over Arkansas, Auburn, LSU and Ole Miss.

However, the team finished the year losing to the Florida Gators in the SEC Championship and then the Utah Utes in the Sugar Bowl.

Now you would think that they would be back and ready for this season to make a run at a National Championship, right?

The answer to that is no-they lost quarterbacks John Parker Wilson and the team has a new offensive line which is a huge factor.. If a team does not have an above average quarterback or an offensive line that can protect him the team is not going to be successful no matter how good their defense may be.

In addition, the SEC is not going to be as weak as they were last year. Florida was the only other team in the SEC to win more than ten games last year. That is not going to be the case in 2009. Many people, including me, feel that Ole Miss is going to be very strong this year. Also, LSU is always a big player in the SEC and never should be counted out even after a tough year in 2008.

This year the Crimson Tides start the season off by playing number seven Virginia Tech which will be a tough task for a brand new offensive unit. Then in week five it will play at Ole Miss, followed by South Carolina, Tennessee and LSU in consecutive weeks.

This team is a top 25 team; however, they are not a top 10 team and certainly not a top five team to begin the season.

There are too many questions on offense and the schedule is going to be very tough. I predict Bama losing three, maybe four, games this year.

I see them being the Georgia of last year: being ranked very high at the beginning of the season and come November having been forgotten and nowhere in anybody’s championship picture.

James Roth is a journalism senior.