Saban: It would be 'a disrespect to the SEC' if league is left out of CFP
Alabama head coach Nick Saban was asked about the possibility of the SEC being left out of the College Football Playoff on Thursday’s SEC Championship Game Pregame presser.
“I think that the SEC is one of the best conferences in the country, I think Georgia is one of the best teams in the country and I think that they’re one of the best four teams in the country,” Saban said. “I think if we beat them, we’d be one of the best four teams in the country because … there’s a transformation that goes through the season. How are you playing now? Where is your team now? How good are you now? I think all of those things come into play.
“But I think it would be a disrespect to the SEC if there isn’t SEC representation in the final four. I do believe that.”
The No. 8 Crimson Tide (11-1, 8-0 SEC) much beat top-ranked Georgia (12-0, 8-0) to even be in the conversation for the four-team playoff. But even with what many will consider the best win of the season, Alabama might need help from elsewhere to make the postseason field.
UA is currently the fourth-highest team with one loss in the CFP Top 25 entering championship weekend and may need either No. 4 Florida State to lose to Louisville in the ACC title game or No. 7 Texas to fall to Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship to reach the top four.
The Tide is currently a 5.5-point underdog, according to BetMGM, and has a 28 percent chance to make the College Football Playoff before facing the Bulldogs in Atlanta. A win would certainly improve those chances, and Saban isn’t alone in thinking Alabama would be deserving.
“Just starting with some simple facts, there are three teams currently ranked in the top 10 with three or more wins over top-25 teams as the rankings currently exist,” said SEC commissioner Greg Sankey on Thursday. “Two of those teams are Georgia and Alabama.
“Obviously, Georgia has distinguished itself the last two years as the national champion, is undefeated to this point. You have a 1-loss Alabama team that has continued to improve, that has won games by significant scores and has won some close games.
“I think the rigor of this schedule within the SEC has been recognized over time. It’s not a secret that we didn’t have the non-conference success across the board that we’ve become accustomed to, yet I think the level of football is still the highest that could be played.”
Sankey continued, “I’ll also point candidly to the realities when the SEC teams have entered the College Football Playoff format, our success is unparalleled. It’s envied by everyone else. We’ve lost in the semifinal once to a non-conference team, to a non-conference team twice in the championship game. The only other losses we’ve experienced is to ourselves in the national championship.
“The entirety of our record for the assurance that we will have a team in the CFP for the 10th consecutive year.”
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