Nick Saban Says A CFP Without The SEC Would Be Disrespectful To The League

During the SEC Championship Press conference with Nick Saban and Kirby Smart this week, Saban made it clear that an SEC team belongs in the four-team playoff regardless of who wins on Saturday in Atlanta. Per SDS:

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“Well, I think I commented on it earlier. To reiterate it, 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,” said Saban. “I think they’re one of the best four teams in the country. I think if we beat them, we’d be one of the best four teams in the country.”

Overall, Saban pointed to a transformational aspect of the season and the idea that how a team is playing at the end of the year should be factored into the evaluation. He went on to label it “a disrespect to the SEC” if there isn’t any SEC representation in the final field of 4.

“With teams, there’s a transformation that goes through the season. How are you playing now. Where is your team now. How good are you now,” Saban explained. “I think all those things come into play.

“I think it would be a disrespect to the SEC if there isn’t an SEC representation in the final four. I do believe that.”

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Alabama is currently No. 8 in the playoffs and would get a big jump up in the CFP rankings if they were to knock off No. 1 Georgia. Some other teams would be in their way of a CFP spot, like No. 4 Florida State and No. 7 Texas, who beat the Crimson Tide earlier this season. We'll have to wait and see how this plays out.