Does Alabama view SEC Championship Game as playoff burden?

Oct 12, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Malachi Moore (13), lineman LT Overton (22), and defensive back Jaylen Mbakwe (9) react to recovering a fumble by the South Carolina Gamecocks during the fourth quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Will McLelland-Imagn Images

Despite its loss to Oklahoma last week, Alabama still sits in the driver’s seat when it comes to punching its ticket to the SEC Championship Game. 

The Crimson Tide (8-2, 6-1) will host FCS opponent Eastern Illinois this Saturday before wrapping up its regular season at Auburn on Nov. 29. 

Alabama’s head-to-head win over Georgia (9-1, 7-1) gives the Tide the advantage if the two teams end up with the same conference record. That means an Iron Bowl win for Alabama would likely lock up a spot in the SEC Championship Game for the Tide. 

There’s still an unlikely possibility that Alabama could beat Auburn and miss out on the conference championship game due to a possible three-way tie between the Tide, Georgia and Ole Miss (10-1, 6-1) that would negate head-to-head records. That scenario would involve the Bulldogs and Rebels having a better conference opponent winning percentage. However, that possibility can be eliminated this weekend if Vanderbilt beats Kentucky at home. 

At the moment, a trip to Atlanta on Dec. 6 seems unavoidable for Alabama if it wins the Iron Bowl. That would give the Tide an opportunity to play for its 31st SEC title. But would the extra game end up as a burden to the Tide in terms of reaching the College Football Playoff? 

Wins against Eastern Illinois and Auburn would place Alabama at 10-2, seemingly guaranteeing the Tide a spot in the College Football Playoff. A win over a top-five team like Texas A&M (10-0, 7-0) or Georgia in the SEC Championship Game could propel Alabama to a top-four playoff seed and a first-round bye. However, a blowout loss in the SEC Championship Game might muddy the Tide’s playoff chances if it is sitting at 10-3 on selection day. 

Some have argued that the best-case scenario for Alabama is the unlikely possibility of winning out and missing the SEC Championship Game. However, Tide players aren’t buying into that theory. 

 “We want to win the SEC championship and win the national championship every year,” offensive lineman Geno VanDeMark said following Tuesday’s practice. “That’s the standard here. That’s our goal every year, and it’s not changing regardless of whatever playoff implications it might have. We want to win the SEC and we want to win the natty.” 

VanDeMark, a New Jersey native, joined the Tide from Michigan State last year. While his desire to play for a conference title is clear, the SEC Championship Game arguably holds an even greater meaning for players who grew up in the South following it. 

“The SEC is the best conference in all of college football, and just having that alone is kind of comparing it to a national championship, just because of how hard our league is,” said defensive lineman L.T. Overton, who grew up in Milton, Georgia and played at Texas A&M before transferring to Alabama last year. “So anything that we could end up putting on the wall, make a memory of, means a lot.”

It’s a bonus for Overton that one of Alabama’s likeliest opponents in the SEC Championship Game is an Aggies team that he spent two seasons with from 2023-24. 

“It would be a great game,” Overton said of the potential matchup against Texas A&M. “Any game’s a great game, but being able to play those guys — I know a lot of guys on that team, so it would be fun to go against them.” 

Before getting into conference title implications, Alabama will wrap its non-conference slate by hosting Eastern Illinois at 1 p.m. CT on Saturday inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game will be streamed on SEC Network+.