In no sport does the transitive property have as much sway as it does in college football. It's an ancient tradition, dating as far back as a humorous 1936 attempt to crown Slippery Rock the national champion.
This year, however, the rules of logic in college football are under a historic level of scrutiny. Alabama's 27–24 win over Georgia Saturday set up a potentially noxious debate about the meaning of the Crimson Tide’s September loss to Big 12 champion Texas (and by extension, the meaning of the Bulldogs’ loss to Alabama).
Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe, however, attempted to simplify things for the CFP committee after the SEC championship.
“I got something to say,” Milroe told reporters. “Georgia’s No. 1, right? You beat the No. 1. team. What does that make us?”
Jalen Milroe: "I got something to say. Georgia's No. 1 right? You beat the No. 1. team. What does that make us?"
— David Ubben (@davidubben) December 3, 2023
Milroe makes a compelling argument, given that Georgia entered Saturday riding an SEC-record 29-game winning streak. There were points against the Bulldogs where Alabama seemingly looked the part of the best team in college football.
Yet that prickly loss to the Longhorns remains, and in a little over 12 hours, we will see whether the CFP committee shares Milroe’s sentiments.