BCS Championship

Alabama head coach Nick Saban holds up the championship trophy after the BCS National Championship college football game against Notre Dame Monday, Jan. 7, 2013, in Miami. Alabama won 42-14. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

The game wasn’t even an hour old, and Nick Saban already was looking toward what was next.

“We’ll enjoy this for 24 hours or whatever,” Saban said after Alabama throttled Notre Dame in the BCS National Championship Game.

Don’t let that “whatever” fool you. Saban and the Tide know what 2013 means: the chance to become the first team in college football history to win three straight national titles. Not even The Bear himself can lay claim to that.

A look at the 10 teams that can win the 2013 BCS National Championship (in alphabetical order):

Alabama

There are holes to fill on the lines of scrimmage, but when has that ever been an issue for this program?

Saban is back, and so are key skill players, a two-time national championship-winning quarterback and another stellar recruiting class.

What’s not to like? See you in Pasadena, fellas.

Clemson

Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

If we’re going to criticize Clemson for an ugly bowl loss in 2011 (and you know who you are), why not see the huge lift from a big bowl win over LSU this time around?

The offense will be electric, and another year under defensive coordinator Brent Venables could be enough to push this team to an unbeaten season.

Georgia

Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

QB Aaron Murray is staying for his senior season, and the ‘Dawgs will have the SEC’s best offense.

The defense will need some work, but the personnel is there to make a championship run.

The schedule is tougher (add LSU, drop Ole Miss in league; add game at Clemson in non-con).

Notre Dame

Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Brian Kelly always said he was pointing to 2013 as the year the Irish made a championship run.

This team loses very little—and gains possibly the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation.

If QB Everett Golson can take a significant step in his maturation—and what’s to say he won’t considering Kelly’s track record with QBs?—Notre Dame could be playing for it all again.

Ohio State

Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

The team with the longest current winning streak in the nation, and a talented team set up to roll through what could be another down year in the Big Ten.

The Buckeyes should begin the season high in the polls, which we all know is a significant advantage—no matter the schedule (which will be cake).

The only question: how do the Buckeyes perform when they have to win instead of need to win? A completely different kind of pressure.

Oregon Ducks

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)

Chip Kelly flirted with the NFL again, and returned to Oregon again.

This, of course, means one thing: the Ducks will again will be among the nation’s elite.

There’s too much good on this team—and too many dangerous and dynamic players (QB Marcus Mariota, TB De’Anthony Thomas) to not see the Ducks playing key games in November.

This time, maybe they’ll win the games that count.

South Carolina

Jadeveon Clowney

Like it or not, Steve Spurrier has a quarterback controversy.

One gives him the ability to run from the position (Connor Shaw); the other (Dylan Thompson) is the thrower he has been looking for since he arrived in Columbia.

The Gamecocks have a stout SEC defense, and can run the ball between the tackles. If either of the two quarterbacks leads and plays well, South Carolina can beat anyone.

Stanford

Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Remember when Stanford was going to take a step back without Jim Harbaugh.

Or the following year without Andrew Luck?

All David Shaw has done is win 23 games, a Pac-12 championship (something Harbaugh never did) and put the Cardinal in position to take the next, elite step.

The emergence and development of QB Kevin Hogan is critical in 2013.

Texas A&M

Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

It starts with Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel and as hot a program as there is this side of Alabama.

OT Luke Joeckel is heading to the NFL, but if the Aggies can get OT Jake Matthews from leaving for the NFL, Manziel’s second season in College Station gets a nice lift.

UCLA

UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

The Bruins got a big lift when star LB Anthony Barr decided to stay for his senior season, and further strengthening not only the defense, but coach Jim Mora’s hold on the program.

UCLA has a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate in QB Brett Hundley, and again is working on a top-10 recruiting class.

-- Matt Hayes Sporting News. This article originally appeared on SportingNews.com.