In a bit of an upset, Sports Illustrated picked Bama as their No. 1 team in the nation. It was somewhat surprising knowing that most experts have either picked USC or LSU as favorites to play for the crystal ball in January, but SI thinks the Tide is No. 1 and here is their reason why:

Alabama could become just the second school in more than six decades to win three national titles in four years (the other: Nebraska, in 1994, '95 and '97). The strength of the Tide will be its offensive line, which features three potential first-round NFL draft picks: center Barrett Jones, left tackle D.J. Fluker and left guard Chance Warmack. This talented front wall will be ripping open holes for junior tailback Eddie Lacy, who as a backup for the last two seasons has rushed for 1,080 yards and 13 TDs on 151 carries.

"Eddie is a proven player to all of us," said quarterback AJ McCarron. "It's exciting to think about what he'll be able to do with more touches and being more involved in the offense."

To read more on the Crimson Tide and other teams that are ranked in SI’s poll, check out this Sports Illustrated article:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/football/ncaa/08/15/preseason-top-25-alabama-usc-lsu/index.html#ixzz23duGm4iY

Oh and AJ McCarron will be featured on the regional cover of SI.

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