Want to make the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide irritable before this weekend's Southeastern Conference championship game in Atlanta?
Tell them they're already in college football's four-team playoff regardless of their outcome against Florida inside the Georgia Dome.
"Anybody who says that you can afford to lose a game doesn't know what it's like to play sports," Tide sophomore tailback Damien Harris said after Saturday's 30-12 win against Auburn at Bryant-Denny Stadium capped their 12-0 regular season.
Alabama is the only undefeated team from a Power Five conference and continued to receive every first-place vote Sunday in the Associated Press and coaches polls. The Crimson Tide are 22.5-point favorites against the Gators (8-3), who have double-digit losses to Tennessee (38-28), Arkansas (31-10) and Florida State (31-13).
Should the Tide somehow stumble against Florida in a rematch of last year's SEC title game that Alabama won 29-15, they would assuredly remain among the top four teams and might even stay at No. 1. Alabama coach Nick Saban loathes hypothetical questions, and that didn't change when he was asked about the Tide's comfortable predicament regardless of this week's outcome.
"I hate it when they put that on TV, radio, the internet or any kind of communications," Saban said. "I'm really proud of our team, but the legacy of our team still lies ahead in terms of what they can accomplish and what they can do. I don't want to minimize the fact that it's a significant accomplishment to have an undefeated season, but I also think there is a lot more out there for this team in terms of an SEC championship, which we still hold in very high esteem.
"That's the next thing we want to focus on, and whatever happens from there happens from there. This is like being in a playoff, and you really can't fall in love with what you just did. You've got to look to the next challenge, and as proud as I am of the team and what they've accomplished, I know how important it is as coaches to do the best job we can to help them finish the season and accomplish some other things that are pretty significant as well."
At stake for Alabama this week is a third consecutive SEC title, something the program last accomplished from 1977 to '79 under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. Georgia (1980-82) and Auburn (1987-89) won three straight league titles during the 1980s, and Florida (1993-96) won four in a row during the 1990s, but no SEC member has won three straight since.
"We've won two in a row and hope to make it three," Harris said. "That's kind of a historic thing, so we'll go in this week and put together the best game plan we can to win, and we'll see how we do."
Alabama and Florida each won its division somewhat comfortably, with the Crimson Tide's 8-0 league record outdistancing 5-3 Auburn and LSU in the West. The Gators went 6-2 and finished with a two-game lead over the 4-4 trio of Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee in the East.
But they have been depleted by injuries and are coming off a long night in Tallahassee that could have them playing catch-up from a preparation standpoint.
"There are a whole bunch of people who wish they were playing on this championship weekend," Florida coach Jim McElwain said Sunday, "and the Gators are one of the few who are. We've talked about taking advantage of this opportunity. Our guys are disappointed, but this last game had no effect on us winning the SEC championship game, and that's what the focus is."
McElwain is the first coach to reach the SEC championship game each of his first two seasons. Former LSU coach Les Miles became the first to reach the title game during his first season in 2005, and Auburn's Gus Malzahn in 2013 became the first SEC rookie coach to not only get there but win it.
Kiffin front quiet
Although there were media reports over the weekend linking Alabama third-year offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin to the same role at LSU under Ed Orgeron, Saban insisted Sunday he had not heard such talk. Orgeron was named the permanent coach of the Tigers on Saturday, and Fox Sports reported LSU athletic director Joe Alleva was intrigued by the possibility of Orgeron luring Kiffin.
"He's never mentioned it to me," Saban said of Kiffin, "and I'm sure he would if there was something out there."
SEC title notes
Florida redshirt junior defensive end Jordan Sherit, a seven-game starter this season, will not play due to the leg injury he suffered early in the third quarter at Florida State. McElwain on his initial film study of the Crimson Tide defense: "There have only been a couple of times so far when I've become violently ill watching them." Christopher Allen, the No. 7 outside linebacker nationally according to 247Sports.com, has committed to Alabama over LSU. The 6-foot-4, 235-pounder is from Baton Rouge. Tide senior outside linebacker Ryan Anderson on what besides a national championship gives him a sense of accomplishment: "Having two of them."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.