In CFP world, why Alabama football still wants to play for an SEC championship

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LT Overton is not looking past Alabama football‘s game against Eastern Illinois.

When the Crimson Tide defensive lineman was asked if it’s difficult to focus on Alabama‘s annual FCS game with the Iron Bowl against Auburn, one that brings significant SEC championship and College Football Playoff implications, Overton was blunt: “No.”

“Not difficult at all,” Overton said. “Just focused on our opponent.”

Alabama wants to win out. Alabama wants to beat both Eastern Illinois and Auburn, wins that would likely give the Crimson Tide a chance to play for an SEC championship Saturday Dec. 6 in Atlanta.

After a 23-21 loss to Oklahoma, the second of the Crimson Tide’s 2025 season, Alabama has no room for error. And, from the outside looking in, a conference championship berth puts the Crimson Tide’s CFP hopes in jeopardy, balancing an opportunity at a conference championship win with the chance at a third loss that has been an eliminator in the expanded playoff era.

But Alabama’s standards haven’t changed.

“We want to win the SEC championship and a national championship every year,” Alabama offensive lineman Geno VanDeMark said. “That’s the standard here. The goal every year, that’s not changing, regardless of whatever playoff implications it might have. We want to win the SEC, and we want to win the natty.”

Alabama linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green is “not really worried about a conference championship.”

“We got to win out,” Hill-Green said. It’s all he’s focused on.

That’s all Overton is keyed on too. He’s not focused on anything but Eastern Illinois.

But Overton knows what an SEC championship represents. And he wants to leave Alabama with something to “put on that wall,” something that could be an SEC championship trophy.

“SEC, it’s truly the best conference in all of college football,” Overton said. “And just having that alone is kind of comparing it to a national championship just because of how hard our league is.”

Alabama will take on Eastern Illinois at 1 p.m. CT Saturday, Nov. 22 on SEC Network+.

Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: In CFP world, SEC championship remains Alabama football ‘standard’

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