One team will make history Monday night. For Georgia, it can be a statement of national dominance. For Alabama football ‘The Greatest Dynasty’ can be claimed.
As Alabama football fans know so well, national championships define college football programs. The honor is so coveted throughout college football’s history multiple teams often claimed the honor in the same year. Winning a national championship and failing to do so has such impact, a few teams have awarded themselves titles. Auburn did that in 2004. UCF is doing it this season.
With one exception (2003) the annual debate over college football’s national champion has been silenced since 1998. First, the BCS and now the College Football Playoff have given FBS football a clear champion.
On Monday night in Atlanta, either Georgia or Alabama football will be added to the NCAA National Championship list. Georgia claims five national championships. The NCAA only recognizes one claim, 1980 as being awarded by a major national championship selector. All of the Tide’s claimed 16 national championships are not recognized by the NCAA either. The NCAA lists 14 by not including 1934 or 1941.
Fortunately, claimed national championships no longer justify worthwhile debate. Who should make the Playoff field is the new annual argument. The final outcome provides a clear winner.
What National Championship No. 17 would mean for Alabama football
Five national championships in nine seasons has never been done in the ‘poll era’ (going back to 1936.) Minnesota did win five national championships in an eight-season span from 1934-1941. Alabama football in the Bryant era won six national championships over a span of 19 seasons.
Alabama football has won 11 national championships in the poll era. Other FBS schools with five or more, poll era, national championships are Notre Dame and Ohio State (8); Oklahoma and USC (7); Miami and Nebraska (5). Among those teams, the shortest interval for five national championships was Alabama football in 16 seasons, 1964-1979.
Win a fifth on Monday and Alabama football has a strong claim of being college football’s ‘Greatest Dynasty.’
What would a 2017 National Championship mean for Georgia
Thirty-seven years is a long wait for a next national championship. Kirby Smart is ahead of anyone’s believable schedule with Georgia on the threshold. Winning on Monday would be huge for Georgia and Kirby.
Kirby and Georgia already have recruiting momentum. Some of it is fueled by recruiting against Nick Saban by contending that at 66 years of age, his time has passed. If Georgia wins Monday, many 17 and 18-year olds will be swayed by that argument.
Win a sixth and the odds favor Nick Saban winning a seventh
If the 2017 Alabama football team gains Nick Saban a sixth national championship, the end of Nick’s dominance may not be near. He is in excellent health. He still has a fire in his belly. No coach has ever won seven. Does that matter to Nick? It must. It certainly matters to Alabama football fans.
Next: Highlights of the Tide-Georgia History
Just like last season, a loss on Monday night will not signal the demise of Nick Saban or the end of a Crimson Tide Dynasty. A win, on the other hand, will make a strong argument Nick Saban is college football’s greatest coach.