Georgia football is playing in the last East vs.West SEC Championship. This division set-up in the SEC has been around since the 1992 season. Most of our lives have been trying to figure out how Georgia could get into the title game with losses from school “X” and the Dawgs have to beat school “Y.” Whenever the game ends, it will be the final time the SEC has divisions.
I wrote about this before the season, but we need to enjoy this season. This season is the last before the playoffs and conference expansion occurs. The PAC 12 is officially dead, and when I wrote that appreciation blog, the PAC 12 was on life support. I never imagined that the conference would fade away into the past. But here we are, where the last PAC 12 championship occurs.
This is also the last time we will argue about teams deserving of a playoff spot. Next year, it will be a 12-team playoff, and I was not too fond of it. The playoffs lose their luster a little with the play being expanded. Do you realize some teams in the 12-team playoff would have 2 or 3 losses on the season? That’s nuts.
Also, I am worried about what happens to the regular season. Last week, Georgia had four healthy scratches against Tech. Could you imagine if Georgia is 11-0 heading into next year and plays its back-ups because the game essentially does not matter? The regular season will have less effect, so I am sad. Also, the conference championships are meaningless next year. Believe whatever narrative you want to believe in.
This is also the last SEC Championship for CBS and, for that matter, the latest SEC game for CBS. This will be the final time we hear that beautiful music bringing us into Mercdes-Benz Stadium. SEC on CBS is as old as I am; it is all I know.
Most of my Saturdays were consumed by that 3:30 CBS game. I was watching it because Georgia was on, or I just wanted to see the primetime SEC game. When I die, one of the last things I will see and hear is the CBS intro to a Georgia game with the music and Verne Lundquist telling me the match-up.
I hate to sound pessimistic, but this is the final week of a truly remarkable era. An era that makes College Football: College Football. So on Sunday afternoon, when the rankings are revealed and there is chaos on social media, enjoy it. Enjoy every second of it because it will never be like this again. Having said that, I have the right to change my opinion if Georgia loses on Saturday.