Alabama and Georgia will meet in Atlanta in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday, and Bama coach Nick Saban doesn’t like that the loser of the game likely will not make a BCS bowl game.
Saban was asked Sunday about what happens to the losing team in the game when he offered his thoughts.
“It’s not really a great scenario,” Saban said. “You play your way into the championship game, which means you’re the best team in your division. It doesn’t see quite right.
“I don’t feel good about it for our football team or their football team.”
Florida is 11-1 like Bama and Georgia, but they failed to reach the conference title game because they lost to the Bulldogs. The Gators are ranked No. 4 in the BCS standings and are likely headed to the Sugar Bowl. While the winner of the SEC title game is going to play Notre Dame in the BCS National Championship Game, the loser is probably headed to the Capital One Bowl. The difference in payout for the schools playing in the Sugar Bowl and Capital One Bowl was around $13 million last season, per the Orlando Sentinel.
Florida coach Will Muschamp had a response for Saban.
“Well, I can switch and go to Atlanta,” Muschamp said when asked about Saban’s remark Monday, via the Orlando Sentinel. “If he doesn’t want to go to Atlanta and play the `Dogs. Be careful what you ask for, Nick.”
Saban’s point makes plenty of sense, but it’s also somewhat hypocritical. Alabama lost to LSU last season to finish second in the SEC West, yet they made the National Championship Game and beat the Tigers in the rematch. If he wasn’t complaining about matters then, he shouldn’t be now.
