Even though the college football playoff system is two years away, the 2012 season is offering something nearly as exciting.
The Southeastern Conference championship game is serving as a semifinal showdown this year, pitting No. 2 ranked Alabama against No. 3 ranked Georgia for the chance to play undefeated Notre Dame in the BCS Championship game in Miami.
The winner of the game will be sitting pretty with a 12-1 record, while the loser may be out the BCS all together.
With Florida lurking at No. 5 in the rankings, it is likely that the Gators will be ranked higher than the loser of the game next week, giving them the conferences second SEC BCS spot. Only two teams per conference can receive bids to the BCS bowls.
"For either one of these teams, it's not really a great scenario," head coach Nick Saban said on a conference call Sunday, according to the Associated Press. "You play your way into the championship game, which means you're the best team in your division. They're the best team in their division. They played their way into the game by a total body of work for the whole season. It doesn't seem quite right, but it is what it is. I don't really know what me commenting about it is going to do to change it, but I don't feel good about it for our football team or their football team."
Although in a sense Georgia has a de facto home game because the SEC championship is in Atlanta, both teams know that Alabama fans travel as good as anyone in the nation.
The Crimson Tide are the defending national champions, but haven't played in the conference title game since 2009. Last season Alabama was defeated by LSU for the SEC West division title, but won in the rematch in the BCS championship game.
The win gave Alabama their second national title in three years.
"Regardless of what you've accomplished in the past, this is the most important game we're going to play this entire year for our team," Saban said. "I'm always looking forward to the next challenge. When I can't do that, I probably shouldn't do this anymore."
Alabama won nine straight games to open the season and looked as though a national title spot was a certainty. Then came freshman phenom and Heisman frontrunner Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M.
The Aggies upset Alabama 29-24 at home on Nov. 10 to end their undefeated season and appeared to end their national title hopes. Luckily for Alabama, both No. 1 Kansas State and No. 2 Oregon lost the following weekend and they were able to reclaim the No. 2 spot once again.
The Crimson Tide put up identical 49-0 scores in the past two weeks against Western Carolina and Auburn and will do their best to not let a second chance at a national championship slip away against Georgia.
Senior AJ McCarron has been one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the nation and has shown leadership and calm under pressure in the biggest games this season. Against LSU on Nov. 3, he orchestrated a game-winning drive with minutes left in the game despite having an awful first three quarters.
McCarron has passed for 2,507 yards with 25 touchdowns and just two interceptions this season. He is completing over 67 percent of his passes and has thrown five touchdowns and zero interceptions the past two weeks.
The Crimson Tide has the 22nd ranked rushing attack in the nation due to the talented duo of Eddie Lacy and TJ Yeldon. Lacy has rushed for 1,001 yards and 14 touchdowns this season, while Yeldon has added 847 yards and 10 touchdowns.
According to the Associated Press, "This is Alabama's eighth time in an SEC championship game but the first time the team has played someone other than the Gators."
Georgia has won the SEC East for the second straight year and returns to the championship game looking for their first conference title since 2005.
Head coach Mark Richt has tried to keep the pressure off his players leading up to the game.
"All you can do is get your staff and your team as prepared as possible to go play a game," Richt said. "That's what we're going to do. If you think about what the game means, this that and the other, it doesn't really help you win the game. The only thing that helps you win the game is preparation and getting your mind ready to go to battle. That's what you've got to do. Physically, mentally, be ready to handle your business when the ball kicks off. That's my only focus. I don't worry about all that stuff."
The Bulldogs have been one of the most well rounded teams in college football, ranking in the top half of the nation in both offense and defense. Georgia is allowing just 17.7 points per game while scoring 38 on offense and the team averages over 460 yards per game in passing and rushing.
Senior quarterback Aaron Murray has been just as good as McCarron when it comes to efficiency, throwing for 3,201 yards and 30 touchdowns with just seven interceptions, He is completing over 66 percent of his passes and has thrown 15 touchdowns and zero interceptions in the past four games.
The biggest win of the season for Georgia can during one of Murray's worst. The team defeated then-No. 2 ranked Florida 17-9, but Murray had just 150 yards passing with one touchdown and three interceptions. The win gave Georgia the edge in the East division and a chance to play for a national title.
"We've already played the No. 2 team in the country once this year and had a good day against Florida," Richt said.
Georgia opened the season with five straight wins, but lost 35-7 to then-No. 6 ranked South Carolina. The Bulldogs rebounded with six straight wins, including a 38-0 shutout against Auburn on Nov. 10.
The team has been dominant on defense during the second half of the season, allowing just 43 points in the past five games. The Bulldogs offense has produced 87 points over the last eight quarters of play. Georgia averages nearly 200 yards rushing per game and is led by running back Todd Gurley.
The freshman has rushed for 1,138 yards this season and scored 14 touchdowns. In the win against Florida he had 118 yards rushing and scored one touchdown. He has scored four touchdowns in the past three games and rushed for 116 yards in the win over Auburn.
The matchup of Georgia and Alabama ensures that an SEC team will compete for the conference's seventh straight national championship after winning the past six.
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