Saban: No SEC group in CFP would be ‘disrespect’

• Chris Low, ESPN Senior Citizen WriterNov 30, 2023, 05:13 PM ET

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Ought to Alabama upset No. 1 Georgia on Saturday in the SEC national championship, the conference could be on the outside searching in when the 4 College Football Playoff groups are chosen Sunday.Alabama coach Nick Saban said Thursday that it would “be a disrespect to the SEC if there isn’t an SEC representation in the [CFP]”

Speaking on the SEC national championship teleconference, Saban first said his focus was on Saturday’s game, however when pressed on the concern, he restated what he said on “The Pat McAfee Program” earlier Thursday: An SEC team must be in the playoff regardless of the Crimson Tide-Bulldogs outcome.Editor’s Picks 2 Related The SEC has actually won the past 4 championship games (Georgia twice, Alabama and LSU ), and 6 of the nine titles in general during the CFP age. Two times, 2 SEC groups have actually bet the champion: Alabama beat Georgia for the 2017 title, and Georgia topped Alabama for the 2021 title.” I think the SEC is among the best conferences in the country,”Saban said.” I believe Georgia is among the very best groups in the country. I think they’re one of the best 4 groups in the country. I think if we beat them, we ‘d be one of the very best four teams in the country.”

Georgia coach Kirby Smart stated he didn’t “want to enter into it” when inquired about the possibility of the SEC being neglected of the playoff.

“I want to concentrate on what we need to do to win this game,” Smart said Thursday.Naturally, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey thinks the playoff should consist of a minimum of among the groups in Saturday’s title game in Atlanta based upon the overall rigor of the conference schedule.” Beginning with the easy facts that there are 3 groups currently ranked in the leading 10 with 3 or more wins over top 25 groups as the rankings presently exist, “Sankey said. “Two of those groups are Georgia and Alabama. “Sankey also kept in mind the unequaled success of the SEC in

the playoff. “It’s coveted by everybody else,”Sankey said.” We’ve lost the semifinal as soon as to a nonconference team, to a nonconference group twice in the championship game. The only other losses we’ve experienced are to ourselves in the national championship game.”The entirety of our record is a basis for the guarantee that we will have a group in the CFP for the 10th successive year.” The worst scenario for the SEC likely would be the fourth playoff area boiling down to a one-loss Alabama team and a one-loss Texas team, both conference champs, particularly with the Longhorns having beaten the Crimson Tide 34-24 in Tuscaloosa in Week 2. Texas plays Oklahoma State in Saturday’s Huge 12 national championship.”With teams, there’s a change that goes through the season,”Saban said.”How are you playing now? Where is your team now? How great are

you now? I believe all those things enter into play.”No group ranked lower than No. 6 in the penultimate CFP rankings has made the playoff.Texas is No. 7 and Alabama No. 8 in this week’s rankings.Ohio State is No. 6 but will not play in a conference championship game this weekend after losing to Michigan last weekend. No. 3 Washington and No. 5 Oregon play Friday in the Pac-12 national championship.