ATLANTA, Ga. — Despite a 28-7 loss to No. 3 Georgia in the SEC championship game on Saturday, Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said the No. 9 Crimson Tide deserves a spot in the College Football Playoff, saying a loss in the conference title game shouldn’t be a punishment.
“If this game applies to our resume and takes something off our resume, I don’t think it’s fair,” DeBoer said. “I really don’t think so. I think the precedent has been set and I don’t know how you can go into a conference playoff game when you’re a No. 1 seed and you’ve done all these things all year long – and you’re playing in this game against one of the best teams in the country as well – how that can hurt you and keep you out of the playoffs when, again, we’ve done what we’ve done all year.”
The Tide opened the season with a 31-17 road loss at Florida State, then reeled off eight straight wins, including victories over Georgia, Vanderbilt, Missouri and Tennessee. Despite losing 23-21 to No. 11 Oklahoma at home on Nov. 15, the Tide advanced to a rematch against Georgia in Atlanta.
The Bulldogs held Alabama to 16 carries for minus-3 rushing yards, only the second time in school history the Tide were held to minus-3 rushing yards, following the 1968 Gator Bowl. They became the first team to not rush for a first down in an SEC championship game, according to ESPN Research. Their longest reach of the night was 5 yards.
Still, Alabama stayed within striking distance until 8:13 remained, when, trailing 21-7, DeBoer elected to go for fourth-and-2 from the Tide’s 12. Quarterback Ty Simpson threw the ball toward the sideline to 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 Branch to increase the lead to 28-7.
“If we’re really worried about the score, then you’re probably going to do it on your own 11,” DeBoer said. “I’m here to win an SEC championship. If you lose by one or if you lose by more, it’s still a loss. And that’s what I cared about. We’re here to win an SEC championship. We can’t worry about how much we lose.”
DeBoer said Alabama was missing a few key players who would have helped against Georgia, all of whom would return before a playoff game, including running back Jam Miller.
“Two of our three losses come when Jam doesn’t play,” he said.
In the first quarter, Georgia’s Cole Speer blocked Blake Doud’s punt, and it was recovered and returned by Justin Williams to the Alabama 21. Four plays later, Stockton threw its first touchdown pass to Roderick Robinson II to give the Bulldogs a 7–0 lead. DeBoer said the block came from the spot usually occupied by defensive lineman LT Overton, who was out for this game.
“There’s a check we have to make throughout the season,” DeBoer said. “We missed it and they had an extra hat that we couldn’t block.”
DeBoer said that was the story of the game, that the Tide gave the Bulldogs four short fields and he had to stand up to them. But he touted Alabama’s resilience, the same way he said the team bounced back all season.
“If you really look at that game, I mean it was a 14-point game with 7 and a half minutes left and we had the ball,” DeBoer said. “I don’t want to take anything away from what Georgia did.”
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey told ESPN that a loss to Georgia in this game should not be a negative in the eyes of the CFP selection committee.
“They might be the best team in the country right now,” Sankey said of Georgia. “And you have to remember that Alabama went to Athens, won a game, won a number of other seeded games and played a tough schedule. That’s a reward tonight. It’s not a penalty for playing that game.”
He said if the loss costs Alabama a CFP berth, he’s sure it would raise important questions about the future of championship games.
“But this question has been around for decades and Georgia and Alabama played here a few years ago, and Alabama beat an undefeated Georgia team in the four-team playoff. [in 2023]”, Sankey said. “We still kept the championship game.”
Simpson finished 19 of 39 for 212 yards, a touchdown and an interception, his first start in which he completed less than 50 percent of his throws. He was pressured all night and said the Georgia defense had a good plan. He also said that regardless of the loss, his team’s resume stands up to scrutiny.
“We went through a scheduling challenge,” Simpson said. “The SEC is the best conference in the country. They’re a very good team, and it’s as simple as that.”
ESPN’s Mark Schlabach contributed to this report.
