Texas A&M Aggies

Alabama might have fallen to No. 2 in ESPN colleague Mark Schlabach's Way-Too-Early Preseason Top 25, but I'd like to think that most of the college football world still considers the Crimson Tide to be the favorites to win the national championship again.

Alabama lost nine draft picks, including three first-rounders, but Nick Saban has a host of talent returning on both sides of the ball, and the Tide's schedule isn't too daunting after the first two games.

But there are teams that will test the Tide's road to a national championship trifecta in 2013. Colleague Travis Haney picked five teams from around the country that could challenge Alabama's title hopes this fall. Ohio State topped his list, while Texas A&M made it from the SEC.

No surprise there with the Aggies. Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel returns with a bundle of riches to accompany him in the Aggies' backfield.

Johnny Football might not have Luke Joeckel protecting him, but Jake Matthews provides quite the safety net with his move to left tackle, and there is still talent and experience up front. Mike Evans leads a young but talented group of pass-catchers.

The defense is a concern, with five members of last season's front seven gone, but the Aggies will still be equipped to win most shootouts.

A&M benefits from getting Alabama at home early in the season, but has to play Arkansas, Ole Miss, LSU and Missouri on the road. Even beating Alabama early doesn't guarantee the Aggies will make it to Atlanta over the Tide.

Here are four other SEC teams that could wreck Alabama's title train this fall:

Florida

The Gators will yet again be elite on defense. First-round draft picks Sharrif Floyd and Matt Elam might be gone, but Dominique Easley moves back to his more natural position at defensive tackle and could one of the best at his position this fall. Marcus Roberson and Loucheiz Purifoy could be the top cornerback duo in the SEC, while inside linebacker Antonio Morrison has the makings of being a budding star.

The offense is still a concern, especially with the lack of proven receiving talent, but quarterback Jeff Driskel has found a lot more confidence in his second year under offensive coordinator Brent Pease, and he'll have a much tougher offensive line and another loaded backfield to work with.

Georgia

Sure, the defense is younger and less experienced, but people in Athens are excited about the younger guys taking over. They were very receptive to coaching and showed continued improvement this spring. Linebacker Jordan Jenkins has playmaker written all over him, while freshman Tray Matthews could be the next big thing at safety. Having Damian Swann back at cornerback is huge.

Offensively, Georgia will be able to score on just about everyone. Aaron Murray is looking to be the first SEC quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards in four seasons, and should leave with a handful of SEC/Georgia records. He has five offensive linemen returning, the best one-two running back punch (Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall) and plenty of receivers to throw to, including Malcolm Mitchell, who has moved back to offense full-time.

LSU

Yes, the Tigers lost a ton of talent on the defensive side of the ball, but Les Miles seemed pretty happy with where his defense was -- especially his defensive line -- at the end of spring. Jermauria Rasco could be a big-time player at defensive end for LSU, while linebacker Lamin Barrow has the talent to be an All-SEC performer. The return of cornerbacks Jalen Collins and Jalen Mills should continue the Tigers' trend of having an elite secondary.

The offense should be better, too. Zach Mettenberger is way more comfortable in the offense and has developed better chemistry with his receiving targets, which all return from last season. He'll have a solid offensive line in front of him and a loaded backfield. Although, it will be important to see what happens to the suspended Jeremy Hill, who could be the Tigers' top offensive weapon.

South Carolina

Jadeveon Clowney hasn't left, and the Gamecocks should once again be stacked along their defensive line. South Carolina does have to replace its two-deep at linebacker and has a couple of holes in its secondary, but we all know that a good defensive line can mask weaknesses behind it.

And the offense should be pretty balanced this fall. South Carolina possesses two solid quarterbacks and a talented running back stable led by rising sophomore Mike Davis. Bruce Ellington is back at receiver, and it sounds like the very talented Shaq Roland is finally starting to come around and should be a valuable receiving target this fall. This team has the personnel to make it back to Atlanta.

There's a new member of the $3 million club in the SEC.

Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin will earn $3.1 million in 2013 after signing a new deal that will run through the 2017 season. He received a $1.1 million raise after making $2 million last year, which placed him among the three lowest-paid coaches in the SEC.

The Aggies are coming off an 11-2 season, including a win against Oklahoma in the AT&T Cotton Bowl.

Sumlin is now just ahead of Tennessee's Butch Jones as the fifth-highest paid coach in the SEC. Jones' deal will pay him $3 million per year.

In fact, eight of the 14 head coaches in the SEC are to earn $3 million or more per year.

• Nick Saban, Alabama -- $5.6 million
• Les Miles, LSU -- $4.3 million
• Steve Spurrier, South Carolina -- $3.3 million
• Bret Bielema, Arkansas -- $3.2 million
• Mark Richt, Georgia -- $3.2 million
• Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M -- $3.1 million
• Butch Jones, Tennessee -- $3 million
• James Franklin, Vanderbilt -- $3 million-plus*

* Vanderbilt is a private institution and not required to release salary figures, but sources have told ESPN.com that the new deal Franklin signed following his first season at Vanderbilt pays him in excess of $3 million per year.

We've reached the end to another college football season, and yet again Alabama is on top. Nick Saban is the king of college football, and his Crimson Tide are looking down at the rest of the sport.

So how does the rest of the SEC stack up? Well, we have our final power rankings of the year right here:

1. Alabama (13-1, 7-1 SEC): Total domination in the championship game and three titles in four years? A load of NFL talent on both sides of the ball? Alabama had it all (again), and even with a team that didn't exactly have the same sort of defensive talent as it did a year ago, the Crimson Tide still made it to the BCS title game and came away with a commanding 42-14 victory over Notre Dame in a game that was over when the Tide arrived on South Beach. With the talent Alabama has coming back, the Tide could once again be in the national championship picture.

2. Texas A&M (11-2, 6-2 SEC): Thanks to Johnny Football, the Aggies ended the season as one of the nation's hottest teams. There are some out there who think A&M might be the best team in the country, despite its two losses. Johnny Manziel was the nation's best player and even without Kliff Kingsbury helping him on the sideline against Oklahoma, he ran all over the Sooners for a bowl-record 516 total yards in a total rout. Imagine if both of those Aggies tackles return in 2013.

3. Georgia (12-2, 7-1 SEC): The Bulldogs capped off the 2012 season with a 45-31 win over Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl. It wasn't exactly the bowl the Bulldogs wanted to be in, after coming up just yards short of making it to the BCS title game in Alabama's place, but you have to admire how this team came out and won like it did. Back-to-back SEC title game appearances is nothing for this team to be ashamed of.

4. South Carolina (11-2, 6-2 SEC): The Gamecocks had a legitimate shot at our No. 3 spot, but at the end of the day, Georgia's appearance in Atlanta, coupled with its 14-point bowl win, kept South Carolina behind the Bulldogs. Still, what a year for the Gamecocks. Behind the coaching of Steve Spurrier, South Carolina won 11 games in consecutive seasons for the first time in school history. The Gamecocks also beat back-to-back ranked opponents to close out the season.

5. Florida (11-2, 7-1 SEC): After entering the postseason with arguably the country's best résumé, the Gators fell flat on their faces against Louisville in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Their 10-point loss didn't show just how bad the game was for Florida. The Gators might not have wanted to be there and Florida clearly didn't show up for its first BCS bowl since 2009. But you can't discount what Florida did during the regular season. It didn't have a pretty offense, but it defeated four top-10 teams, including ACC champ Florida State in Tallahassee in a year in which the Gators weren't expected to win nine games.

6. LSU (10-3, 6-2 SEC): The Tigers had a very up-and-down year, and it ended on a very down note with that last-second loss to Clemson in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. LSU was totally off its offensive game in the second half, turning to the pass more than the run. With that offense struggling in the fourth quarter, LSU's defense was left huffing and puffing as Tajh Boyd & Co. gutted it for three straight scoring drives. But LSU did win double-digit games for the third straight year, and it took Alabama down to the wire and beat Johnny Football.

7. Vanderbilt (9-4, 5-3 SEC): The Commodores ended the season in historic fashion, with a seven-game winning streak (the longest since 1948), and won five conference games for the first time since 1935 and nine total games for the first time since 1915. That ninth win came in dominating fashion with a 38-24 win over NC State in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. The Commodores turned into the team that no one wanted to play at the end of the season, and they carry a ton of momentum into 2013.

8. Ole Miss (7-6, 3-5 SEC): The Rebels had quite the first year under new coach Hugh Freeze. For a program that won just six games in the two previous seasons, Ole Miss grabbed seven, including its first bowl win since 2009, this year. The depth was lacking all year, but the heart wasn't, as the Rebels were much more competitive and won three SEC games after entering the season on a 14-game conference losing streak. Freeze did a tremendous job of changing the culture in Oxford, but the players did a great job of responding to adversity all season.

9. Mississippi State (8-5, 4-4 SEC): A year that started with such promise after a 7-0 start imploded and led to a lot of criticism about the talent on both sides of the ball. The second half of the season proved the first seven games were a farce. A lot of the defensive deficiencies were masked until the month of November, as the Bulldogs went 1-5 to end the year, including a blowout loss to Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl and a 34-20 loss to Northwestern in the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl.

10. Missouri (5-7, 2-6 SEC): The Tigers would love to forget their first season in the SEC. This was supposed to be the Big 12 team that succeeded in its first year out of its comfort zone. This team returned too much not to win a few games in the SEC East. But injuries, most notably to quarterback James Franklin and that offensive line, and an offense that was constantly going in reverse made for a rough start in Missouri's new home. Offensive coordinator David Yost resigned at the end of the year, and this team has to find some sort of rhythm/chemistry on offense in 2013.

11. Tennessee (5-7, 1-7 SEC): The Derek Dooley era ended with quite a whimper. For the second straight season, Tennessee missed out on the postseason because of a loss to one of its rivals. Last year, Kentucky ended the Vols' bowl hopes. This time around, Vandy's blowout win on Nov. 17 bounced Tennessee from a postseason appearance. For as much fun as the offense was to watch, the defense was awful for the majority of the season, finishing dead last in the SEC in total defense. New coach Butch Jones has some solid talent to work with, but a ton of questions surround this program.

12. Arkansas (4-8, 2-6 SEC): Many thought the Razorbacks' dreams of a championship season probably ended when Bobby Petrino took that infamous motorcycle ride in April. Boy, were they right. John L. Smith tried to bring some energy to the program, but he and his players fell flat in a 4-8 season that saw the Hogs give up 30 or more points in seven games. The offense lacked its usual explosion and the Hogs began the year 1-4, with a shocking loss to Louisiana-Monroe in Little Rock, Ark.

13. Auburn (3-9, 0-8 SEC): On paper, the Tigers had a host of young talent, but on the field, they were outmanned just about every single weekend. Auburn roamed around the bottom of most offensive and defensive categories in the SEC all season long. Coach Gene Chizik was fired only two years removed from winning a national title after going winless in conference play and being outscored 129-21 in his final three SEC games, including a 38-0 loss to Georgia and a 49-0 loss to Alabama in the season finale.

14. Kentucky (2-10, 0-8 SEC): Outside of blowing out a Kent State team that was a win away from making a BCS bowl, nothing went right for the Wildcats this year. Injuries ravaged this team, as it had to turn to two true freshman quarterbacks and never found a consistent playmaker to help out on offense. The offense hovered around the bottom of the SEC all year and the defense surrendered 31 points per game, and coach Joker Phillips was fired before the season even ended.

Now that we’ve seen Edward’s Christmas wish list for the Eastern Division teams, let’s see what might be under the tree for the Western Division teams:

Alabama: Another crystal trophy. Is there anything else that could possibly be on Alabama’s wish list? The Crimson Tide already have two crystal footballs in their trophy case courtesy of Nick Saban. Winning a third national championship in the past four years would make this one of the greatest runs in college football history.

Arkansas: Case of amnesia. Really, one of the best things for the Hogs and their fans would be to have their memories zapped going all the way back to April 1 when Bobby Petrino crashed his motorcycle. It’s been a long nine months in the Ozarks, starting with Petrino’s ouster and ending with a 4-8 season that was a huge disappointment. But with Bret Bielema now running the show, the focus is squarely on the future.

Auburn: Gus Malzahn’s offense of old. Any offense would do after this past season, which saw Auburn finish 115^th nationally (out of 120) teams in total offense. The Tigers were shut out in each of their last two SEC games and scored 13 or fewer points in six of their eight league contests. Malzahn has proven he can put a dynamic offense on the field. Of course, given how hard the Tigers were to watch this season on offense, Auburn fans will take points any way they can get them in 2013.

LSU: Redo of Alabama’s last drive. If not for the final 1:34 of the Alabama game, LSU might be the one playing in the Discover BCS National Championship Game. The Tigers would love to have that last drive back. They were dominant defensively in the second half of that game, but gave up too much cushion on Alabama’s game-winning drive and then got caught in a blitz on the screen pass for a touchdown.

Mississippi State: Defensive line help. The Bulldogs could use some more muscle in the interior of that defensive line, not to mention a game-changer or two on the outside. They’re 11^th in the SEC in rushing defense and next-to-last in sacks with only 18 in 12 games. In their four losses this season, they gave up an average of 223 rushing yards.

Ole Miss: More depth. Nobody expected the Rebels to be in a bowl game in Hugh Freeze’s first season, so this is a team that definitely overachieved after coming into the season dragging around a 14-game SEC losing streak. What the Rebels need now is more depth, especially more quality depth. It’s a big reason they had such a hard time finishing games this season. They ran out of gas a lot of times, but that’s going to happen when you take on the teams in this league with 60 scholarship players.

Texas A&M: Top juniors to return. Maybe it’s one of those wishes that’s a bit unrealistic, but imagine this Texas A&M team next season if offensive tackles Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews, and defensive end Damontre Moore all decided to stay in school. All three are projected as first-round picks. Joeckel and Moore could be top 10 picks.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Tuesdays aren't Spencer Nealy's favorite.

The Texas A&M defensive tackle doesn't always look forward to practices on Tuesday. But with Alabama, the No. 1 team in the country, on deck for a showdown with the Aggies on Saturday, his feeling was different.

"We usually hate Tuesday practices and I'm pretty amped up right now," Nealy said Tuesday. "I don't like taking on those double-teams as much on Tuesdays, but today, we've got to get after them. I'm jacked."

Coach Kevin Sumlin has been adamant about having a consistent approach weekly and keeping the team's routine the same. But there's no denying that the feeling in the pit of the Aggies' stomachs is just a little different with the opportunity that awaits at 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

When it comes to playing Alabama, the team that has won two of the past three BCS championships and annually produces numerous NFL draft picks, there's often a David-versus-Goliath feel. Coming into this season, that would have applied for Texas A&M, too, when observers looked at the schedule and saw the trip to Bryant-Denny Stadium coming as the third of a three-game SEC road swing.

Expectations for the Aggies weren't extremely high. A seven-win season would have been considered respectable by many pundits nationwide, considering the caliber of the league Texas A&M entered. The Aggies have already met that total and are looking at the possibility of a nine or 10-win campaign.

And what once might have been considered a sure Alabama win is now a game that could very well be anybody's come Saturday.

"It's a big challenge for us," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "They've got a really good team on both sides of the ball. Really explosive on offense, probably the best offensive team in our league, especially in their presentation, and their quarterback has played phenomenally well for them. Very athletic and it's going to be a real challenge. I think it's a real challenge for anybody that plays against them."

Sitting at 7-2 and second place in the SEC West (4-2), the Aggies have been lauded for what they've done so far but might still be flying under the radar. They're behind three other two-loss teams (LSU, South Carolina and Oklahoma) in the human polls (No. 15) and also behind Stanford in the BCS rankings (also No. 15). They aren't considered juggernauts by any stretch of the imagination.

Part of that could be attributed to the fact that their two losses came at home to two teams that are now ranked in the top 10: Florida (No. 6 BCS, No. 7 AP) and LSU (No. 7 BCS, No. 9 AP). But make no mistake, the Aggies showed they were capable of going toe-to-toe with each.

In both instances, the Aggies led those teams by double digits. In the season opener against Florida, the Aggies took a 17-7 lead in the second quarter. Against LSU, they jumped out to a 12-0 lead. Each team came back to take control, but the Aggies remained in the game until the final minute both times.

With a redshirt freshman at quarterback (Johnny Manziel) and receiver (Mike Evans) and two true freshmen starting on defense (defensive end Julien Obioha and cornerback De'Vante Harris), it hasn't always been perfect. There have undoubtedly been mistakes made, and that's part of the deal when you have young players in key spots, particularly when new schemes are installed, which the Aggies did on both sides of the ball this season. Turnovers were an issue against LSU. Against Florida, the offense stalled and there were many missed tackles on defense.

This is a different team now than it was in Week 1, or even on Oct. 20 when it faced LSU. Sumlin said the Aggies were able to take away something positive from both games.

"I think if there's anything out of it that we've gotten as a team, even though we were disappointed to lose those two games, I think that there's a little bit of confidence out of our football team from being able to handle the physical nature of this league," Sumlin said. "Understanding that Florida and LSU had a lot to do with the mistakes we made, but we can certainly play better. Our guys understand that.

"We haven't played a complete football game yet. I'm not talking about playing a perfect game, I'm talking about playing a complete game. Some of our games, our starters have been out in the third quarter. Other games we've turned the ball over and won or found a variety of ways to win, but we still haven't played a complete game yet. If we can do that, I think we can be dangerous for anybody."

Their past two outings have been resounding road victories at Auburn and Mississippi State. This Saturday's affair will be a completely different animal altogether. The Crimson Tide are the nation's best and right now are the gold standard in college football. Just the thought of the matchup has Nealy and his teammates fired up.

"We talked about it; we haven't played a No. 1 team ever [in our careers]," Nealy said. "Oklahoma State last year, we played them and they were No. [7], but it didn't feel like that. This is the No. 1 team. We've played the No. 5 team, which was cool. But this is big-time, and we need to come out there and shock the world."

With Texas A&M's clash against the nation's No. 1 team, Alabama, fast approaching, we'll take a closer look at the Aggies opponent with Alex Scarborough, who covers the Crimson Tide for ESPN's TideNation. Here are five questions for Scarborough and his takes on the Tide and the upcoming matchup:

1. Alabama yielded a season-high 435 yards to LSU on Saturday. What worked for LSU against the Crimson Tide and is it something that you think other teams could replicate, including Texas A&M?

LSU was able to effectively run the ball downhill and capitalize on missed assignments in the secondary. Throw in a few missed tackles and it made for a long day for the Alabama defense. While I'm not sure the Aggies can run the ball in quite the same way, I do believe the area of missed tackles and blown assignments should be a concern for Alabama fans. As I've said all week: if you think LSU turning a 2-yard gain into a first down was bad, watch out for what a real offense like Texas A&M's can do. That said, I think there's a fundamental difference in the two opponents. LSU went pro-style all night and effectively kept C.J. Mosley and the nickel and dime defenses off the field, which are Alabama's strengths. Obviously that won't be the case when Johnny Manziel trots out there with three, four and five receivers at a time.

2. I know that Nick Saban said he doesn't have anybody that can help simulate Johnny Manziel for his scout team, but how do you see the Tide trying to attack the redshirt freshman?

I expect to see Alabama go straight containment on defense a la Michigan in the season opener. Saban isn't a guy that harps on getting sacks or tackles for loss. He'd rather pressure the quarterback in a controlled way as to not let Manziel use his feet, whether that's running around the tackles or straight through the box. I think we'll see Saban spy Manziel throughout the game and force him to beat Alabama with his arm rather than his legs.

3. Much was made about Saban's comments on the no-huddle offense after the Ole Miss game. Did the pace really give the Tide that much trouble and could it be an area of concern for Alabama heading into Saturday?

Yes and yes, but take it with a grain of salt. Alabama's defense did have trouble exchanging personnel and getting play calls in when the Rebels went uptempo, but it wasn't like Ole Miss put up 40 points. The game was never in doubt. That said, Texas A&M's offense is far more advanced than Ole Miss'. If Manziel and the Aggies can convert on a few third downs, it can get the defense on its heels. When that happens, it's anyone's game.

4. For those who have never been, describe what a typical game-day atmosphere is like at Bryant-Denny Stadium and what kind of advantage it is for the Tide over visiting opponents.

It's an all day affair in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The quad will be jam-packed and the streets crowded before many of us in the media wake up and get a cup of coffee. The stadium itself is one of the louder venues in the SEC with more than 100,000 fans right on top of you. Expect to hear a lot of "Sweet Home Alabama" and a steady chorus of "Roll Tide."

5. Give me a name of an Alabama player that Texas A&M fans might not know today, but will know by the end of Saturday's game and why.

Adrian Hubbard. Alabama's sophomore outside linebacker is the key to keeping Manziel contained. At 6-foot-6, 248 pounds, he's athletic enough to stay in front of Manziel and more than strong enough to pull him down. He leads the team in tackles for loss, and while he may not end Saturday with a full stat line, his ability to hold the edge and force the action back up the middle will be key to Alabama's success on defense.

Now that Edward has unveiled his freshmen of influence in the East this season, I’ll take my shot at those first-year players who will make the biggest impacts in the West.

Remember, we’re picking only true freshmen.

Here goes:

Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama: One of the key questions for Alabama heading into the season was who would emerge as the big-play threat in the Crimson Tide’s passing game. Enter Cooper, who’s drawn rave reviews from coach Nick Saban and several of Cooper’s veteran teammates. Even though a foot injury has hampered the 6-foot-1, 198-pound Cooper in recent days, he’s given the defending national champions confidence that they won’t be lacking when they decide to throw the football in 2012.

De’Vante Harris, CB, Texas A&M: The Aggies were able to pry Harris away from Oklahoma during the recruiting process, and it’s a good thing. He might very well be starting in the Texas A&M defensive backfield from Day 1. In fact, one of the first players Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin mentioned following last weekend’s scrimmage was Harris, who’s been hard to miss this preseason. He’s played like a veteran, challenges the receivers and has kept his mistakes to a minimum.

I'Tavius Mathers, RB, Ole Miss: Nagging injuries have limited junior running back Jeff Scott this preseason, which has provided a big opportunity for Mathers. Needless to say, he’s taken that opportunity and run with it. So has fellow freshman running back Jaylen Walton. Mathers, who’s right around 200 pounds, has shown the power and strength to get the tough yards, but he also has breakaway speed. He ripped off a 58-yard touchdown run in last weekend’s scrimmage.

Jalen Mills, CB, LSU: He’s not the biggest guy or the fastest guy, but Mills is a fierce competitor and an excellent tackler. Sound familiar? OK, it’s way too premature to compare him to Tyrann Mathieu, but Mills has been mighty impressive during preseason camp with his instincts and nose for the ball. With Mathieu gone, Mills worked with the first-team defense last Saturday during the scrimmage and is pushing to be a fixture in the Tigers’ secondary rotation this season.

T.J. Yeldon, RB, Alabama: After enrolling early, Yeldon burst onto the scene this spring and had 91 yards receiving and 88 yards rushing in the A-Day spring game. He had the play of the game on a 50-yard touchdown reception and has picked up where he left off this preseason. The Crimson Tide aren’t short on talent at running back, but Yeldon is the kind of playmaker that demands touches. He’s explosive as a runner and also makes things happen after the catch. Saban will see to it that Yeldon is a big part of the offense.

Kirk Herbstreit, Todd Blackledge and Scott Van Pelt preview the SEC in 2012.

Alabama and LSU played for college football’s top prize a year ago, with the Crimson Tide winning 21-0 and capturing their second national championship in the past three years.

If the 2012 preseason USA Today coaches poll is any indication, the road to the national title will once again go through Tuscaloosa and Baton Rouge.

LSU will open the season No. 1 and Alabama No. 2, according to the 59 coaches who vote in the USA Today poll. You can see the entire preseason poll here.

Keep in mind that the coaches poll is one of three components used in the BCS standings, which will determine the two teams that play for the national title for the next two seasons, until the newly created playoff takes shape in 2014.

Alabama actually had more first-place votes than LSU (20 to 18), but the Tigers collected four more total points to claim the No. 1 spot.

A year ago, Alabama started No. 2 and LSU No. 4 in the preseason coaches poll. This is the third straight season that Alabama has started with a No. 1 or No. 2 ranking. The Crimson Tide were No. 5 in the preseason in 2009 when they won their first national title under Nick Saban.

LSU spent 11 straight weeks ranked No. 1 last season. This is the first time the Tigers have gone into a season ranked No. 1 since 1959. They were coming off a national championship in 1958.

The Tigers were No. 2 in the coaches preseason poll in 2007 when they last won a national title.

Not surprisingly, the SEC is well represented in the 2012 coaches preseason poll. Five of the top 10 teams are from the SEC.

Georgia is No. 6, South Carolina No. 9 and Arkansas No. 10.

This is the first time in school history that the Gamecocks have gone into a season ranked in the top 10 nationally.

Florida and Auburn give the SEC seven teams ranked in the preseason Top 25. The Gators are No. 23 and the Tigers No. 25.

For the record, there are seven SEC coaches voting in this season’s poll -- Auburn’s Gene Chizik, Vanderbilt’s James Franklin, LSU’s Les Miles, Kentucky’s Joker Phillips, Georgia’s Mark Richt, Alabama’s Nick Saban and South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier.

It's almost time for hundreds of media folk to pile into a swanky ballroom and kick off another year of SEC media days.

The festivities begin Tuesday at the Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Ala., and last until Thursday afternoon. The event serves as the unofficial kickoff to SEC football season.

So what should we be on the lookout for this year?

Well, the biggest news is all the star power that won't be making the trip. Two of the league's top rushers -- Marcus Lattimore and Christine Michael -- won't be in town. Yes, they are both coming off season-ending injuries, but so is Arkansas' Knile Davis, and he'll be in attendance.

One of the league's best, Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray won't be in Hoover, either. Nor will Bulldogs wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell.

Some other big names not on the list include Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron, LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu, South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and Missouri quarterback James Franklin.

There are a lot of interesting storylines revolving around all those players, who serve as faces for their respective programs, and it's disappointing that they won't be around this week.

However, some quality names are on this year's roster, including Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones, Alabama offensive lineman Barrett Jones, Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson, Texas A&M linebacker Sean Porter, Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray and South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw.

I'm sure they'll all have plenty to say and should keep us all entertained.

Here are some other things to keep an eye on this week:

• If you're coming into town, make sure you bring your protective gear for Thursday. That's when Alabama's up, and you'd better believe the lobby will be jam-packed with Tide fans. They come out in full force and expect things to be even tighter this year after that championship.
• Arkansas players will have to answer a lot of questions surrounding their former coach, Bobby Petrino. How much of a distraction will his exit be this fall?
• Also, what will new Arkansas coach John L. Smith say? He sure knows how to make a news conference exciting, so don't expect anything to be different in front of all those SEC scribes.
• One coach not afraid to put on a show while at the podium is South Carolina's Steve Spurrier. The Head Ball Coach has been chirping this year, and he probably won't stop in Hoover.
• Last year, there were a lot of questions about the quarterback talent in this league. This year, that isn't the case, as the league is as plentiful at the position as it has been in years.
• Although only Davis will be in town, expect a lot of talk about three of the league's best running backs all coming off major, season-ending injuries.
• Georgia has had an eventful offseason away from the field, and it's time to see how players and coach Mark Richt are feeling about all of the silly distractions. Also, what's in store for the Bulldogs' running game now that Isaiah Crowell is gone?
• I wonder how many times Nick Saban and his players will be asked questions about comparisons to the 2010 team. You know how much Saban loves comparison talk. ...
• Tennessee coach Derek Dooley should field a lot of questions about his job security this week. Regardless of how you feel about the time he's had and all the issues he's had to deal with, his seat is hotter than ever.
• Texas A&M and Missouri are now officially members of the SEC. How will their players and coaches react to being surrounded by all those SEC writers? And how many more questions will they get about adjusting to their new conference?
• LSU was on top of the college football world until last year's national championship. The Tigers bring back a boatload of talent, but can they finish things this year?
• The good news for Auburn, South Carolina and Tennessee is their coaches won't have to deal with NCAA questions, unlike last year.