Alabama's Nick Saban Says it Would be 'Disrespect' Not to Include SEC Team in CFP

Nick Saban wants to make sure Alabama doesn't get left out of the College Football Playoff as a one-loss team if it beats Georgia in the SEC Championship Game this weekend.

The head coach told reporters on Thursday it would be a "disrespect to the SEC if there isn't an SEC representation in the [CFP]."

"I think the SEC is one of the best conferences in the country," he added. "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."

It's a moot point if Georgia beats Alabama on Saturday evening, of course. The Bulldogs are the two-time defending national champions and the top-ranked team in the sport. They'll be the top seed in the playoff if they win on Saturday.

But Alabama finds itself in a bit of a pickle. The Crimson Tide are ranked just eighth by the CFP Selection Committee, and one of the teams ahead of them is the one-loss Texas Longhorns, which beat Alabama—in Tuscaloosa, no less—earlier in the season.

If Alabama leapfrogged Texas to get into the CFP—assuming the Longhorns win on Saturday—it would be incredibly controversial.

But that's just the beginning. At present, four teams—Georgia, Michigan, Washington and Florida State—are all undefeated. Behind them, three teams with one loss—Oregon, Ohio State and Texas—are ranked above Alabama.

All of those teams except for Ohio State will be playing in their respective conference championship games on Friday or Saturday.

Oregon could throw everything into chaos with a win over Washington, which would mean the pair of schools split the season series. That could potentially lead to both Pac-12 schools getting into the four-berth playoff, or the Committee deciding to leave out Washington, which wouldn't be a popular choice amongst Huskies' faithful.

And what will the Committee do about Florida State?

If they beat Louisville on Saturday night they'll be undefeated, but star quarterback Jordan Travis is out for the season with a leg injury. Is an undefeated Florida State team without its key offensive player better than some of the one-loss teams behind them? Probably not, but would it nonetheless be ridiculous to punish them for an injury if they don't have a blemish on their schedule?

It's possible this will all be fairly simple, of course. Wins from Georgia, Michigan and Washington will lock in three playoff teams, setting up a debate for the fourth playoff berth. A Florida State loss in this scenario would mean that the Committee would be left to decide between Ohio State or Texas, assuming it wins the Big 12 Championship Game.

But if any of Georgia, Michigan or Washington loses, absolute chaos will ensue. Saban wants to ensure his Crimson Tide get in with a win on Saturday, but at this point it's anybody's guess as to how this whole thing will shake out.