This is an opinion column.

There was always something about Atlanta on that first Saturday in December.

That unmistakable buzz. Tension.

Drama.

The SEC was an innovator among major college football conferences when launching its football conference championship game in 1992. Controversial at inception, it grew into a national treasure that every league then copied.

Here’s the rub.

There was something different about Atlanta on this first Saturday of December.

The buzz was more of a dull hum. Little tension.

Drama?

It just felt different in Mercedes-Benz Stadium when Alabama and Georgia kicked off at 4 p.m. local time because all the juice has been squeezed from this once-daring invention.

And it wasn’t just the dud of an attempt at offense for Alabama . Or the 28-7 final scor

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