The SEC’s superiority over other conferences may hurt Alabama Football and other SEC clubs by making victories more difficult to achieve.
There was a lot of excitement in Week 12 of SEC Football. The victory of Georgia over Tennessee was legendary. The Gators defeating LSU must have been a relief to Florida supporters. South Carolina had a strong case to be the greatest three-loss team in the country. Kansas’ victory over BYU gave Alabama football a significant victory and some boost in the playoff rankings. The Week 12 games did not provide much for those expecting for greater playoff clarity. Kirby Smart clarified that he was unsure of what the CFP Selection Committee would be like. I have no idea what they’re searching for. Actually, I don’t. I wish the criteria could be clearly stated. I wish they would come down here and examine the people we’re with in order to perform the eyeball test.
Kirby is correct. Up close, the game appears differently. In person, it becomes clear that no other league can match the physical characteristics of SEC roster talent. Indeed, there are plenty of equally fortunate collegiate football players who do not play for SEC teams. Some may even be better than the best SEC players. However, SEC talent is unmatched by clubs in other leagues, from the top to the bottom.
Although SEC football fans love the talent explosion, there might be a drawback. The conference’s bottom clubs are a threat to the top teams in no other conference. The exception is the odd upset. The other 15 SEC teams, excluding Mississippi State, are difficult to defeat both at home and occasionally away. Ole Miss is likely playing the best football in the SEC, according to a recent statement made by Nick Saban. In Oxford, the Rebels were defeated by Kentucky. Right now, the Wildcats rank 15th in the SEC. The Georgia Bulldogs almost avoided being upset by Kentucky in Lexington in September. Georgia prevailed 13–12.
The loss to Vanderbilt in Nashville against the Crimson Tide still haunts Alabama football fans. Texas played Vandy in Nashville three weeks ago. After defeating Georgia 30-15 in Austin the previous week, the Longhorns prevailed 27-24.
“It’s all unfolding now, week after week like some sick joke,” Matt Hayes wrote, dramatizing the current state of SEC football. Furthermore, the most influential league in college athletics is unable to change it. The SEC is destroying itself on the path to the College Football Playoffs, which will undoubtedly result in the worst outcome possible. The worst case scenario is that the Selection Committee chooses only four, or even just three, of the five or six deserving Playoff teams that the SEC has. One may argue that all seven of the SEC’s current AP Poll rankings are teams deserving of the playoffs.
Will Selection Sunday surprise Alabama football fans? Hayes is right; there will be throngs of irate SEC football fans on Selection Sunday. The primary shortcoming is the playoff selection process, but the Selection Committee will be held accountable. In addition to recognizing performance, it was created with inclusivity in mind.
The outcome of this season will be unpredictable. We have already established what is predictable. The 12-team field will consist of at least one team that has no victories over rated opponents. Additionally, they will be chosen over SEC teams, whose schedules are more difficult than those of almost all Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12 teams.
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