College Football Rankings 2011: With Few Strengths, Is Alabama Worthy of No. 2?

The Alabama Crimson Tide were voted as the preseason No. 2 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll, but are they worthy of that ranking? 

Whether or not preseason polls should be around is a big debate in the sport of college football. You can say you despise them all you want, but in reality they're here to get the fans pumped for the upcoming season, and give motivation to those on the list as well as off. 

You may say there is all kinds of pressure placed on the teams ranked at the top, but if they view themselves as winners, then the pressure shouldn't get to them. Besides, it's up to the coaches to handle how their teams deal with preseason polls. 

The Crimson Tide are expected to be among the top teams in country at season's end, and they are currently favored to win the Southeastern Conference.

Nothing will be easy for Alabama in 2011, especially considering everything they must overcome. Head coach Nick Saban must replace his quarterback as well as his top receiver and top running back. 

Alabama does bring back nine starters on defense, but the loss of Marcel Dareus up front is a huge blow. 

With so much talent gone, is it justifiable to vote them as the No. 2 team in the country? 

Fortunately for Alabama, most of the other top teams in the country have to fill voids left by the departures of key players as well.

Yes, the Crimson Tide deserve to be No. 2 because of their two greatest strengths. These are really their only strengths, but it is enough to place them near the top of the preseason rankings.

With an impressive defense, especially one that has been tested through the SEC, the Crimson Tide will be tough to score on.

Plus, they have Trent Richardson in the backfield, and he is expected to be one of—if not the best—running back in the nation. He is already on everyone's early Heisman Trophy watch list, and he'll stay there during the course of the season. 

Having only two strengths could come back to haunt the Crimson Tide in 2011 though.

If Richardson fails to live up to the hype, or if the defense falters in big games against LSU and Arkansas, then say goodbye to the BCS National Championship hopes.

Richardson and the defense can carry the team in the early going, but throughout the season the Crimson Tide must build new strengths.

Saban must decide if A.J. McCarron or Phillip Sims will be the starting quarterback, and whoever does start has to a do a great job of managing the game.

The quarterback will be thankful Richardson is behind him, but he will be called on to make clutch plays in crucial situations. In that time, a wide receiver must also step up.

There is no Julio Jones to rely on any more, which could lead to trouble. Alabama will need either Marquis Maze or Darius Hanks to come through. 

Preseason polls deal a lot with how teams look on paper heading into the season. Alabama has the players that pop out on paper, but they must deliver on game day.

-Eric Bowman

2011 Preseason Top 25
1. Oklahoma Sooners
2. Alabama Crimson Tide
3. Oregon Ducks
4. LSU Tigers
5. Florida State Seminoles
6. Stanford Cardinal
7.  Boise State Broncos
8. Oklahoma State Cowboys
9. Arkansas Razorbacks
10. Wisconsin Badgers
11. Texas A&M Aggies
12. South Carolina Gamecocks
13. Nebraska Cornhuskers
14.  Virginia Tech Hokies
15. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
16. Michigan State Spartans
17. Ohio State Buckeyes
18. TCU Horned Frogs
19. West Virginia Mountaineers
20. Georgia Bulldogs
21. Florida Gators
22. Texas Longhorns
23. Auburn Tigers
24. USC Trojans
25. Arizona State Sun Devils