With three likely top-10 teams in 2013, the battle to win the SEC East is going to be one of the most heated conference battles in college football.

Georgia is the defending East Division champ, but South Carolina and Florida each have a strong case to be picked as the division favorite.

Spring practice has finished for all 125 Football Bowl Subdivision teams for 2013. And with spring workouts over, the picture for the national championship battle is starting to come into focus.

Depending on your point of view, spring practice is either a respite from the football-free months of winter and a taste of things to come in August. On the other hand, it’s only appealing to the hardcore football fan.

Sure, there’s the same questions every year -- is my team’s defense really good or is the offense really bad, or vice versa. But there’s also plenty of news and notes.

Greatness is defined in so many different ways. Statistical production, individual awards, team success, longevity, supporting cast, level of competition, raw talent and athletic ability all factor heavily in determining overall greatness. Sometimes, you simply know greatness when you see it.

So all factors were considered when trying to determine who the greatest running backs of the BCS era have been. Here are the Top 50 ball carriers since the BCS was implemented in 1998:

Eddie Lacy, Mike Gillislee and Zac Stacy are gone, but the SEC isn’t hurting for options at running back.

Georgia’s Todd Gurley and Alabama’s T.J. Yeldon are back after standout freshman seasons. And both players are due for a bigger workload in 2013.

Mississippi State’s LaDarius Perkins quietly rushed for over 1,000 yards last season, while Texas A&M’s Ben Malena is an underrated option in a deep stable of backs.

The SEC is one of college football’s top conferences for quarterback play in 2013.

Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel clearly ranks as the No. 1 quarterback for this season, as the sophomore hopes to repeat as a Heisman Trophy winner, while leading the Aggies to a SEC West title. Alabama’s AJ McCarron ranks as the No. 2 quarterback, with Georgia’s Aaron Murray not too far behind.

For the first time ever, Athlon Sports is letting fans choose the Georgia Bulldogs cover of our 2013 SEC College Football Preview magazine. Fans can choose between quarterback Aaron Murray and running back Todd Gurley.

Coaching is one of the driving forces in building a national championship team or program. No matter how much talent a program has, it can’t win a national title if the coaching is questionable.

Considering how important coaches are to teams or even making preseason predictions, Athlon is taking a look at how all 125 college football coaches rank nationally.

Coaching is one of the driving forces in building a national championship team or program. No matter how much talent a program has, it can’t win a national title if the coaching is questionable.

Considering how important coaches are to teams or even making preseason predictions, Athlon is taking a look at how each conference stacks up with its head coach rankings for 2013.

With spring practice underway for most college football teams, the countdown to the 2013 season has officially started. With preseason predictions right around the corner, it’s never too early to start thinking about which players might be the next breakout stars.