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Lofty Expectations: The college football season is still more than two months away, but everybody’s got an opinion about how the season might go. 

Just about every publication has picked Alabama as the favorite.  Auburn is getting some love too.  That might mean we’re in for some solid seasons in the state that loves its Saturday pigskin… then again - maybe not.

I expect both teams to be pretty good.  Picking the Tide is not tough.  They’ve been at the top of the ladder.  In the Saban era, Bama has finished in the Top 10 every year except his first.

As for Auburn, the Tigers have finished in the Top 10 just twice during that ten-year span.  They won it all in 2010. They were runners-up in 2013.

Auburn has been in the Top 25, five times in the past decade.  What is more interesting is that AU almost always goes against expectations.

It goes both ways. When Auburn played for the title in 2010 and ’13, they came from out of nowhere.  The same is true if you backtrack to the undefeated season of 2004.

SB Nation has put out the collaborative preseason rankings from some of the well-known prognosticators.  Auburn is No. 13.  Alabama is No. 1.

No. 2 might actually be the best spot.  The last two national champions were preseason No. 2. 

According to statssen.com, Alabama is the last team to be picked No. 1 and finish there.  It happened in 2011.

Here is a breakdown of the preseason favorites and champions over the past decade with the Tide and Tigers results as well.

Preseason vs. Post-Season (2007-16)

2017: Preseason Pick – Alabama (Final Ranking – ?)
*Auburn (Preseason – No. 13 , Final Ranking - ?)

2016: Preseason Pick – Alabama (Final Ranking – No. 2)
National Champion – Clemson (Preseason – No. 2)
*Auburn (Preseason – Unranked, Final Ranking – No. 24)

2015: Preseason Pick – Ohio State (Final Ranking – No. 4)
National Champion – Alabama (Preseason – No. 2)
*Auburn (Preseason – No. 7, Final Ranking – Unranked)

2014: Preseason Pick – Florida State (Final Ranking – No. 5)
National Champion – Ohio State (Preseason – No. 6)
*Alabama (Preseason - No. 2, Final Ranking – No. 4)
*Auburn (Preseason – No. 5, Final Ranking – No. 22)

2013: Preseason Pick – Alabama (Final Ranking – No. 7)
National Champion – Florida State (Preseason – No. 10)
*Auburn (Preseason – Unranked, Final Ranking – No. 2)

2012: Preseason Pick – Southern Cal (Final Ranking – Unranked)
National Champion – Alabama (Preseason – No. 2)
*Auburn (Preseason – Unranked, Final Ranking – Unranked)

2011: Preseason Pick – Alabama (Final Ranking – No. 1)
*Auburn (Preseason – Unranked, Final Ranking – Unranked)

2010: Preseason Pick – Alabama (Final Ranking – No. 10)
National Champion - Auburn (Preseason – No. 23)

2009: Preseason Pick – Florida (Final Ranking – No. 3)
National Champion – Alabama (Preseason – No. 6)
*Auburn (Preseason – Unranked, Final Ranking – Unranked)

2008: Preseason Pick – Ohio State (Final Ranking – No. 9)
National Champion – Florida (Preseason – No. 5)
* Alabama (Preseason – No. 24, Final Ranking – No. 6)
*Auburn (Preseason – Unranked, Final Ranking – Unranked)

2007: Preseason Pick – Southern Cal (Final Ranking – No. 3)
National Champion – LSU (Preseason – No. 2)
*Alabama (Preseason – Unranked, Final Ranking – Unranked)
*Auburn (Preseason – No. 18, Final Ranking – No. 15)

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