DeBoer: Alabama deserves CFP berth despite loss to Georgia - ESPN

ATLANTA, Ga. — Despite a 28-7 loss to No. 3 Georgia in the SEC championship game Saturday, Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said the No. 9 Crimson Tide are deserving of a spot in the College Football Playoff, saying a conference title game loss shouldn't be punishment.

«If this game applies to and takes away from our résumé, I don't think that's right,» DeBoer said. «I really don't. I think the precedent's been set and I don't know how you can go into a conference playoff game when you're the No. 1 seed and did all these things throughout the year — and playing in this game against one of the top teams in the country as well — how that can hurt you and keep you out of the playoff when again, we've done what we've done all year.»

The Tide opened the season with a 31-17 loss on the road to Florida State, then won eight straight, including victories over Georgia, Vanderbilt, Missouri and Tennessee. Despite a 23-21 loss to then-No. 11 Oklahoma at home on Nov. 15, the Tide qualified for a rematch with Georgia in Atlanta.

The Bulldogs held Alabama to 16 carries for minus-3 yards rushing, just the second time in school history the Tide have been held to negative yards rushing, after the 1968 Gator Bowl. They became the first team not to rush for a first down in an SEC championship game, according to ESPN Research. Their longest carry of the night was 5 yards.

Still, Alabama remained in striking distance until 8:13 remained, when, trailing 21-7, DeBoer opted to go for it on fourth-and-2 from the Tide's own 12. Quarterback Ty Simpson threw the ball toward the sideline for Germie Bernard, but it sailed high and wide and out of bounds. Three plays later, Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Zachariah