by Jalen Milroe, Alabama Have Fans Embracing CFP Chaos After SEC Title Upset vs. Georgia
Todd Kirkland/Getty Images
The College Football Playoff committee has quite the dilemma on its hands.
Georgia had a win-and-in situation going into the SEC Championship against Alabama, but the Bulldogs inability to get it done means that the playoff picture is more cloudy than it was going into the matchup.
Alabama Football @AlabamaFTBL
SEC CHAMPIONS! #RollTide pic.twitter.com/yDnf0f0Pgf
Southeastern Conference @SEC
🏆 2023 SEC CHAMPIONS
Alabama earned the 27-24 victory after a gritty all-around performance. Quarterback Jalen Milroe went 13-of-23 for 192 yards and two touchdowns while also adding 29 yards on the ground.
Trezman Marshall forced a key fumble that led to a Crimson Tide touchdown and the defense as a whole limited the explosive Bulldog offense.
Georgia’s 29-game win streak came to an end with the result and the team’s playoff chances are in jeopardy. While a win should indicate a return to the playoff for Alabama, that is not necessarily a guarantee.
Washington appear to be a lock following a 13-0 season that culminated in a Pac-12 Championship. Michigan and Florida State have a chance to be undefeated conference champions as well, and Texas is a 12-1 conference champion that defeated the Crimson Tide earlier in the season. With only four teams reaching the playoff, even Alabama could find itself on the outside looking in.
The result had some fans pondering the possibility of no SEC teams in the playoff on social media.
BetMGM 🦁 @BetMGM
Is it actually possible that no SEC team is in the #CFBPlayoff?
Some fans celebrated this potential outcome.
Brian Floyd @BrianMFloyd
i’m just rooting hard for the funniest outcome: no sec teams get in https://t.co/m1AyCVcGNh
Seth Davis @SethDavisHoops
Straight truth here
Which means no SEC team in the playoff. The world will keep spinning. https://t.co/fWyzdGCq2r
Dylan Holt @DylanHolt_
We are so close to having no SEC teams in the college football playoff this year pic.twitter.com/zo7oWU2hCo
John @iam_johnw
The college football playoff committee realizing they’ll have no sec teams to let in if Florida state and Michigan both win since Texas already beat Alabama head to head and conference championships matter pic.twitter.com/ssKFYtBfsU
Others were not so intrigued by this possibility and even speculated that both Alabama and Georgia could squeak into the playoff.
24/7 High School Hoops @247HSHoops
I still think one of these SEC teams will make the College Football Playoff regardless, but if not, how can you not say the winner of this game isn’t one of the 4 Best Teams?
Could 2 SEC teams get in potentially? Michigan and Florida State still to play. This is gonna be crazy.
No SEC team qualifying for the playoff would be historic. Since the postseason tournament’s inception in 2014-15, the conference has had at least one participant and has taken home the championship six times. The last time the SEC did not have an opportunity to take home the national championship was in 2005, when Texas beat USC in the title game.
This possibility is not a guarantee by any means, but wins by Michigan and Florida State will certainly give the committee a very difficult task.