It sounds a bit foolish to say that Alabama was sorta, kinda viewed as a maybe, almost sleeper to start the season. Sure, the Crimson Tide started the season ranked third, but there were so many questions surrounding the quarterback and that defense.
Then, Alabama lost at home to Ole Miss and all was lost in Tuscaloosa. Until it wasn't.
Alabama's thrilling 45-40 win over Clemson in the College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T officially ripped any sleeper tag off the Tide and gave the country even more reason to fear the Tide.
Reaching Tide status seems unfathomable, but making surprising runs is nothing new. Just look at Florida in 2015. As we close out the 2015 season, we're taking an incredibly early look at a few teams in the SEC that could have breakout seasons in 2016:
SEC EAST
Tennessee: With that six-game winning streak and dominant bowl performance, the Vols ended the 2015 season as the best-looking team in the SEC Eastern Division. No, they didn't win the East, but they looked a lot better than the division champs did. Florida finished they year getting blown out in three straight losses, while Tennessee had all the right answers. And most of those answers are coming back in 2016.
It all starts with veteran quarterback Joshua Dobbs, who is a superior athlete, but still has a ways to go with his arm. The good news is that his workhorse running back Jalen Hurd (1,288 yards) is back, along with most of the offense line and top receiving targets. The defense could be tremendous with some top talent return and the addition of quality defensive coordinator Bob Shoop running things.
Georgia: Just about everything is new in Athens, starting with Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart taking over as the head coach. He's putting a very solid staff together, including bringing Bama defensive backs coach Mel Tucker with him as his DC.
A handful of talent returns on both sides, but this is Smart's first head-coaching venture, and he has questions at quarterback and receiver. He also has some huge players to replace at linebacker.
Still, if Smart can bring some of that Bama swag and heart to Athens, things could really start off with a bang in his first year thanks to a schedule that isn't too daunting.
SEC WEST
Arkansas: Can Bret Bielema's boys finally put an entire season together? The past two years have seen two completely different teams for two halves of their respective seasons. Quarterback Brandon Allen is gone, but his younger brother Austin is early favorite to replace him. But don't forget about former USC signee Ricky Town, who transferred before the start of the 2015 season.
Just about everyone is back on defense, but the offense must replace tight end Hunter Henry, running back Alex Collins and three starting offensive linemen. Bielema thinks he has the tools needed to reload, but will his team have the wins to start the season that have evaded this team the past two seasons?
Auburn: No, I'm not making the same mistake I did last year and picking these Tigers to win it all. No way, brother. But Auburn is a team to keep an eye on. Gus Malzahn made some strong hires this offseason, including stealing offensive line coach Herb Hand away from Penn State. Malzahn must get his offense in order, and that starts with finding the right quarterback. He'll have four guys to pick from, including No. 1 JUCO dual-threat quarterback John Franklin III.
Texas A&M: Total sleeper, here. The Aggies are a team in turmoil and with no true starting quarterback. The running game has questions, and the offensive line yet again has some reshuffling to do. The defense was better under John Chavis, but it was far from great. Can we really bank on Oklahoma transfer Trevor Knight being the quarterback savior?
Who knows, but this is a team on the brink, and there is a lot of pressure on Kevin Sumlin to make a strong run in 2016. The Aggies have their backs against the wall and must come out swinging. Sumlin won't just roll over, and he'll have a few tricks up his sleeve in 2016.