Saban wants SEC team in CFP regardless of Bama-Georgia result - ESPN

Should Alabama upset No. 1 Georgia on Saturday in the SEC championship game, the conference could be on the outside looking in when the four College Football Playoff teams are selected Sunday.

Alabama coach Nick Saban said Thursday that it would «be a disrespect to the SEC if there isn't an SEC representation in the (CFP).»

Speaking on the SEC championship game teleconference, Saban first said his focus was on Saturday's game, but when pressed on the issue, he reiterated what he said on «The Pat McAfee Show» earlier Thursday: An SEC team should be in the playoff despite the Crimson Tide-Bulldogs outcome.

The SEC has won the past four national championships (Georgia twice, Alabama and LSU), and six of the nine titles overall during the CFP era. Twice, two SEC teams have played for the championship: Alabama beat Georgia for the 2017 title, and Georgia topped Alabama for the 2021 title.

«I think the SEC is one of the best conferences in the country,» Saban said. «I think Georgia is one of the best teams in the country. 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.»

Georgia coach Kirby Smart said he didn't «want to get into it» when asked about the possibility of the SEC being left out of the playoff.

«I want to focus on what we have to do to win this game,» Smart said Thursday.

Naturally, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey believes the playoff should include at least one of the teams in Saturday's title game in Atlanta based on the overall rigor of the conference schedule.

«Starting with the simple facts that there are three teams currently ranked in the top 10 with three or more wins over top 25 teams as the rankings currently exist,» Sankey