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The Alabama Crimson Tide got blasted 28-7 by Georgia in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday in Atlanta. Alabama losing to Georgia isn't the problem. Losing big -- by 21 points in a game which was never especially competitive after the first 10 minutes -- could legitimately cost Alabama a playoff spot.
To be sure, this is not a done deal. Alabama has received the benefit of the doubt in numerous previous situations, notably 2023 and 2017, when the Tide did not have a great argument to make. Nevertheless, Bama's blowout loss raises the real possibility that Notre Dame and Miami both get in over the Tide. We will find out on Sunday.
You have an opinion on this. We have an opinion on this. We're not going to tell you what should happen on football's version of Selection Sunday. We will tell you this: If Bama does get left out, that endangers and probably kills off the SEC Championship Game, the first of the conference title games to emerge back in 1992. Let's talk about this:
Two sides of the coin with conference title games
Back in 1996, the very first Big 12 Championship Game knocked a Big 12 team out of the BCS National Championship Game. No. 2 Nebraska lost to Texas and enabled No. 3 Florida to back-door into the event against No. 1 Florida State. Conference title games can punch tickets, but they can also cost conferences big-game berths, and it has been happening for three decades. Bama getting knocked out wouldn't be a novel event.
Upside versus downside
In the BCS era or the four-team playoff era, the stakes were a lot higher for conference championship games. Losing meant almost-certain elimination -- there were some exceptions, but not that many -- but winning a high-end game often pushed teams into the title game or the four-team playoff. The upside of winning was greater in previous eras.
Conference title games in the 12-team playoff era
Now, conference title games have quickly lost their upside. Teams which are guaranteed to make the playoff have to play a 13th game instead of getting ready for a playoff in which they have to win at least three games, possibly four. Last year, unbeaten Oregon had to play a 13th game in the Big Ten Championship Game. Ohio State was able to rest. OSU was the better, fresher team in the playoff.
This year, Ohio State and Indiana should be relaxing and preparing for the playoff. Instead, they have to beat each other up while Oregon, the third-place team, rests. The incentive structures for conference championship games have dramatically changed in negative ways. Even with Texas Tech against BYU, the Red Raiders already beat BYU in the regular season. In a 12-team playoff, the Red Raiders could be declared conference champions. BYU should have been playing today, but Texas Tech should have had the weekend off. Everything about the 12-team playoff format makes these conference championship games significantly less compelling and valuable. College football has been slow to recognize this.
Killing the SEC Championship Game already occurred
Officially, the SEC Championship Game is still alive. It hasn't been pronounced dead. However, if you're sad about the possibility of this game going away after 33 years, please realize the move to the 12-team playoff is what changed the equation. Don't mourn the SEC title game's death if it happens. We'll explain why as we continue below:
These games shouldn't go away -- they should be reformatted and newly labeled
The SEC Championship Game should die, but let's be clear: There should still be a football game played in Atlanta on the first Saturday of December, televised by ABC/ESPN. The labeling and formatting of the game should change. This is how college football can make a fundamental pivot and adjust to the 12-team playoff era.
SEC Playoff, not the SEC Championship Game
What has been the SEC Championship Game can be relabeled the SEC Playoff. An SEC bubble team would play another bubble team in a game which would do really well on television and grab strong ratings, making TV partners and advertisers very happy. Money would be made. The SEC Championship Game prints money for the SEC, but an SEC Playoff could easily generate just as much money if not more.
Imagine Alabama playing Miami, not Georgia, in this year's SEC Playoff. You know that would have done huge numbers if it happened.
Other conferences can do the same thing
Imagine this layout of non-SEC games on Championship Saturday (or should we say, Playoff Saturday):
BYU versus Texas in Arlington (Big 12 site)
Oregon versus Utah in Indianapolis (Big Ten site)
Vanderbilt versus Notre Dame in Charlotte (ACC site)
All three games would be compelling and very attractive for television, in addition to Miami-Bama in Atlanta. This is how college football can adjust to the 12-team playoff era. No one would miss the SEC Championship Game if this first Saturday of December becomes a bubble game lineup instead of a conference championship lineup.
TV and media rights remain, only the labels change
It's important to emphasize this one note, just to be clear: ESPN, Fox, and other TV networks would retain their current media rights to these games. The labels of the games would change, but this Saturday on the calendar would still be intact, only with more importance and sex appeal. This is the obvious step college football needs to take. One wonders if the sport will be smart enough to adjust for 2026.
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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: If Alabama gets left out of CFP, the SEC title game dies - that's good
Reporting by Matt Zemek, College Sports Wire / College Sports Wire
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