When you break down college football's National Championship Game into the simplest of terms; there's only two outcomes: Alabama wins or Georgia wins.
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Nothing is ever that simple, however. In the immortal words of infomercial legend Ron Pompeil,
Sports is as much about the hypotheticals as it is the actual games themselves. With that in mind, here are some questions we have to ask before the two SEC schools square off in Atlanta.
MORE: National Championship Predictions
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What If Alabama Wins?
If the Crimson Tide beat Georgia, it will be their fifth national championship in nine years. The most in that span since World War II. Nick Saban can be considered, arguably, the greatest coach in college football history. In essence, Alabama is playing for immortality.
There's also this…
If Alabama wins tomorrow, EVERY player Saban recruited since 1999 will have won a National Championship.
— Pick Six Previews (@PickSixPreviews) January 7, 2018
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What If Georgia Wins?
If the Bulldogs beat Alabama, it will scratch an itch that has been nagging Georgia for almost 40 years. Georgia has probably the greatest set of running back alums in all of college football during that time, but no titles to match. Head Coach Kirby Smart will become the first Saban apprentice to beat his former boss.
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What If Alabama Wins Ugly?
Maybe it's a blown call, or just a really bad game, but there will be people down in Central Florida who will have a bigger gripe than any other non-power five schools left out of the playoffs. UCF beat the only team to beat both Alabama and Georgia–Auburn. The Knights are ninth in offensive efficiency and ranked 11 overall in team efficiency. Alabama or Georgia will hoist the trophy Monday night, but…
Feels good to be the champs! jQuery172007773881656870174_1515441621969??????
Thank you Disney, and thank you Knight Nation, for a day we'll never forget! #ChargeOn pic.twitter.com/eP0EJkOxoT
— 2017 National Champions (@UCF_Football) January 8, 2018
3rd-best SEC team is gonna play another SEC team for a national title on same field where UCF clinched 13-0 season by beating 2nd-best SEC team (who beat those other 2 SEC teams). Thank God the 4-team playoff has brought undisputed clarity to what used to be a complicated mess!
— Mark Titus (@clubtrillion) January 2, 2018
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What If Georgia Wins In A Blowout?
Um…
Goooood morning, Orlando ???? pic.twitter.com/naOjmys64o
— 2017 National Champions (@UCF_Football) January 7, 2018
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What If Alabama Wins In A Blowout?
Expect more of this, but with a lot more rings–and to be honest–a lot more annoyance.
Me at work tomorrow waiting to get off to watch Alabama play in it’s 3rd national championship game in a row pic.twitter.com/jGw1qisCP6
— Alphonse Taylor (@SHANKK50) January 8, 2018
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What If Rob Riggle Never Existed?
Someone thought it was a good idea to play Rob Riggle's "Most Interesting Fan" ad incessantly since the start of Bowl Season, and it might be the only reason to watch this game on a 30-minute delay. Every year during March Madness and Bowl Season we are treated to one gem that is neither funny nor memorable, but yet we are tortured for three weeks.
Who could forget this.
Or this.
While Riggle's reign of terror will–hopefully–end Monday, the questions will not. If Alabama wins the question will move on to how long can they continue to dominate college football. If Georgia wins, many will wonder if this is the start of something new.
That's the thing about college football and sports in general, the questions will always be there, much like Riggle. We are only left to ask What If?