Opinion: Sure, Alabama football is favored vs. Miami, but Crimson Tide does have some unknowns

This story is part of USA TODAY Sports' 25 days to college football countdown. 

If there was ever a season where preseason practice could be limited and not affect a team relative to its opposition, it was Alabama’s 2020 season.

With no spring practice and an unusual preseason preparation, the Crimson Tide, loaded with veteran talent, was an offensive juggernaut. That’s not to say that coach Nick Saban and offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian simply had to flip the switch. More work is involved than that. But when the switch was flipped, Alabama had more working parts in the machine.