Alabama OL Tyler Booker revealed the team’s all-in stance on the SEC Championship Game during a November 18 appearance on “The Next Round”: the Crimson Tide are doing everything possible to play in it, regardless of the risks losing it poses on their College Football Playoff hopes.
Of course, Booker didn’t disrespect Oklahoma. The consensus first-round 2025 NFL draft talent mentioned the Crimson Tide’s upcoming matchup with the Sooners.
Booker was responding to a claim from Lane Kiffin that certain SEC head coaches don’t want to make the conference championship game.
“First and foremost, we’re super focused on Oklahoma this week,” Booker said. “That’s what we’re worried about. But our program values, our pyramid of success, there’s no ifs, ands or buts about it that Alabama wants to be in the SEC championship (game), and when we get there, we want to win it. That’s what you’re measured by. In our indoor facility, there is a bunch of numbers on each side of the wall. One of those numbers are national championships and the other numbers are SEC championships. So we definitely want to play in the SEC championship. There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it.”
Booker is commenting on the Crimson Tide’s SEC Championship Game prospects because Alabama is in pole position to make it with wins over 5-5 Oklahoma and 4-6 Auburn. As The Sporting News’s Bill Bender explains, the Tide is in great shape tie-breaker-wise.
“The Crimson Tide beat Mercer 52-7 and are in good shape despite conference losses to Vanderbilt and Tennessee. That’s because Alabama has head-to-head victories against Georgia and LSU, which will be huge if there is a pileup of two-loss teams. In most of those situations, Alabama will have the advantage. It’s amazing how Kalen DeBoer’s first season has fluctuated in Tuscaloosa,” Bender relayed.
Kalen DeBoer’s first season has fluctuated wildly. If he doesn’t finish the job in the regular season, he may end up on the hot seat heading into next season.
It’s title or bust in Tuscaloosa even without Nick Saban. Lose to the Sooners or this Auburn team and you’ll have a unanimously unhappy fanbase/donor conglomerate.
