One of Georgia football's goals every season is to win an SEC Championship. But the expansion of the College Football Playoff has made that goal no longer feel worth it.
While Georgia and Alabama are preparing for their bout this weekend, most of the country is sitting at home. For the teams that already have their spot in the playoff clinched, they can use this time to get healthy while teams like UGA and Bama face the potential of even more injuries. And considering the vast amount of injuries both teams are already facing, they really could have used this extra time off before the playoff begins.
Thursday Night Availability Report is out, and Zion Branch has popped up as questionable
— Graham Coffey (@GrahamCoffeyDC) December 5, 2025
Just posted some info on what we’re hearing about him over on the site @DawgsCentral_ pic.twitter.com/4kodnUEDUF
Georgia has seven injuries they are dealing with entering Saturday's matchup while Alabama has even more. So it's no wonder that fans are wondering if playing for a conference championship is even worth it because while these two teams face the potential for suffering even more injuries while other teams get to sit at home and get healthy before the playoff begins.
Georgia and Alabama face a significant disadvantage heading into the College Football Playoff
The ulitimate goal for Georgia and Alabama is to win a National Championship. In the past it was essentially a requirement to win the SEC in order to accomplish that, but that no longer is the case.
So why should they risk further injury this weekend when other teams like Oklahoma and Ole Miss get to sit at home and get healthy before the playoff begins?
If Georgia wins on Saturday they thankfully will earn a first round bye in the playoff, so they could use that time to get more healthy. But if Georgia loses they likely won't get that bye and will have to play their first round game just a few weeks later. Alabama on the other hand will probably have to play a first round game whether they win or lose this weekend.
This puts both teams at a significant disadvantage if they have to play in the first round because their opponent will potentially be sitting at home and resting this weekend.
So is playing for an SEC Championship even worth it anymore? Kirby Smart has argued that it is, but fans are rightfully not so sure.