Alabama's thrilling 45-40 win over Clemson gave the Crimson Tide their fourth national championship in seven seasons.

It's Alabama's world, and the rest of college football is just trying to stay afloat without the Crimson Tide dragging them under. Getting on or surpassing Alabama's level seems impossible as long as Nick Saban is around.

The bar is set very high in the SEC, but there are teams that have what it takes to move up. Teams besides Auburn, Florida, Georgia and LSU, who have the national clout, rich history, recruiting bases and university resources to stay near the top.

(Note: All but Georgia have played for at least two national titles in the past decade. Georgia has been a consistent fixture near the top of the SEC Eastern Division.)

So, who's next?

ALMOST THERE

Tennessee

Coaching: Butch Jones will enters his fourth season with a record of 21-17 (.552). He's 71-44 (.617) in nine years as a head coach. Jones has increased his win total by two games each season in Knoxville. Tennessee just won nine games for the first time since 2007 after finishing the season with six straight victories.

Roster: Tennessee will return one of the most experienced teams in the SEC, with nearly 20 starters back. Jones has signed back-to-back top-five recruiting classes.

Recruiting: The state of Tennessee isn't exactly spilling over with talent, but Jones has signed 10 of the state's top-10 prospects the past two years. He's also signed 21 high school prospects from Florida and Georgia through three classes. Tennessee also has the luxury of dipping into Alabama and the Carolinas.

Administrative support: Tennessee just spent $45 million on facility upgrades with the beautiful, state-of-the-art Anderson Training Center. Millions have also recently been spent on renovations for Neyland Stadium. Paying a coach isn't a problem, either, as Jones is one of eight SEC coaches averaging at least $4 million per year ($4.1 million).

Intagibles: Rich history, huge fan base, and in the SEC East.

NEXT IN LINE

Mississippi

Coaching: Hugh Freeze is 34-18 (.654) in four seasons at Ole Miss. He's 64-25 (.719) in seven seasons as a head coach. Freeze is the first Ole Miss coach to go to four straight bowls (3-1) in his first four years, including back-to-back New Year's Six bowls. Freeze is 10-12 against ranked teams, including back-to-back wins over Alabama. He's also 3-1 against rival Mississippi State and 2-2 against LSU.

Roster: Freeze has signed three straight top-20 classes, including that historic 2013 class that ranked fifth nationally. First-round talents Laquon Treadwell, Laremy Tunsil and Robert Nkemdiche are gone, but Chad Kelly and a host of skill players and quality defenders return.

Recruiting: Thanks to Freeze’s bulldog recruiting style, the Rebels have national clout, but he’s done great in his home state too, signing 16 top-10 prospects in four classes. Freeze has made Mississippi a priority, but he’s planted Ole Miss’ footprint in plenty of southeastern states and Texas.

Administrative support: Ole Miss’ facilities are gaining ground on the bigger SEC schools, and $77 million of a $200 million capital campaign is going directly to the football program. Expansion will bring Vaught-Hemingway Stadium to a 64,038 capacity. Freeze will average $4.925 million in salary (third-highest in SEC) through 2019, while the salary pool of four assistant coaches is $4.26 million.

Intangibles: Hot, up-and-comer, beat Alabama twice, culture change.

Arkansas

Coaching: Bret Bielema is 18-20 in three years at Arkansas, and 86-44 in 10 years as a head coach. Fifteen of those wins have come in the past two years, including seven in November/bowl season. Bielema guided Wisconsin to three straight Rose Bowls, but is only 4-14 against ranked opponents at Arkansas.

Roster: Arkansas loses key offensive players Alex Collins, Jonathan Williams, Hunter Henry, three starting offensive linemen and three-year starting quarterback Brandon Allen. Most of the defense is back, though, and this roster is comprised mostly of three top-30 recruiting classes.

Recruiting: Since 2013 there has been a total of 10 recruits from Arkansas in the ESPN 300. It’s a good thing the recruiting budget is $615,000. Arkansas must push into surrounding states and hit the heart of the southeast, making for a lot of competition with bigger schools.

Administrative support: Arkansas spent $300 million on facility upgrades back in 2011 that are on par with most of the SEC. With Bielema’s extension through 2020, his salary went from $3.2 million to $4 million in 2015, but he’ll average $4.25 million in the next five years. Arkansas has the dough to treat its football program well.

Intangibles: Loyal fan base, Bielema's bravado, strong administration.

Texas A&M

Coaching: Kevin Sumlin is 36-16 in four years at Texas A&M, and 71-33 in eight seasons as a head coach. He’s just the second coach in school history to win at least eight games in his first four years, and the second to reach four bowls in his first four years. Sumlin won 20 games in his first two years, but is 9-11 versus ranked opponents.

Roster: There is a major hole at quarterback, but the Aggies do have a solid group of wide receivers returning, including all-purpose star Christian Kirk. Future first-round selection Myles Garrett headlines a more athletic -- but not great -- defense. Sumlin has reeled in four top-15 classes.

Recruiting: Between 2006 and 2015, 3,559 Texas recruits signed with Power 5 schools. Texas A&M has to compete with a plethora of schools, but there’s plenty of good talent to go around. Texas is talent-rich like Florida, Georgia and California, so recruiting out-of-state isn’t a necessity.

Administrative support: A&M spent a record $485 million on stadium renovations, and has pumped in nearly $530 million on facility upgrades the past four years. The school's endowment is huge and there’s strong donor base. Sumlin in is the $5 million club with a hefty buyout.

Intangibles: Strong donors, Texas school, modern appeal and culture.