For the previous two seasons -- and honestly, for the majority of several seasons before that -- the rest of the SEC was chasing Alabama.
Everyone will open the 2016 season as the Crimson Tide's pursuers, again, although only a few teams are legitimate threats to catch up to Nick Saban's juggernaut. Over the next several days, we'll take a look at the Tide's fellow SEC contenders and their cases for overtaking Alabama in the upcoming season.
Next up are the Auburn Tigers, the last team other than Alabama to win the SEC.
How they can beat Alabama: Only two SEC teams have defeated the Tide over the past three seasons -- Ole Miss and Auburn.