TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) – Nick Saban doesn’t want to hear that maybe Alabama can lose in the Southeastern Conference championship game and still get into the playoffs.
It’s a distinct possibility for the top-ranked Crimson Tide going into Saturday’s game against No. 15 Florida, but one they don’t want to test. A team that’s won 24 consecutive games and beaten 16 straight SEC opponents doesn’t go into any game accepting losing.
“You all want to put everything on the playoffs, man,” Saban told reporters Monday, his voice rising. “That’s all you care about. You don’t care about bowl games, you don’t care about any teams in the country that aren’t in the playoffs. I don’t know. If we don’t win this game, maybe we throw a stink bomb out there, maybe we don’t get in the playoffs.
“I don’t know. You guys have all the answers to that, but I don’t. All I know is that if we play and we play well, we control our own destiny in terms of what we do. So I’d really rather not have any more questions about ‘Is it OK to lose this game?’ It’s never OK to lose a game.”
The Tide (12-0) isn’t expected to lose this one, either. Alabama is a 24-1/2-point favorite over the Gators (8-3), who won their second straight SEC East title.