Entering Saturday’s season finale for both Auburn and Alabama, a game that could’ve had the SEC regular season championship on the line, now has different meaning.

Instead of a “winner-take-all” clash that may have a No. 1 seed in multiple tournaments on the line, it is Alabama hoping to crash what may be an epic party at Neville Arena. While Auburn may be 40 minutes away from cutting nets down to celebrate a regular season championship, Alabama is looking to get their season back on track, entering the game losers in four of their last six games.

Whether it be going into the conference tournament or NCAA tournament, you need some momentum, and a rough stretch could be a harbinger of things to come.

I say this fully aware that Alabama was picked by many to not even make it out of the first weekend, and we all know how that ended.

So, what does a team like Alabama, a team that may be a popular pick when folks fill out brackets in a couple of weeks have in common with recent tournament champions?

When looking the national championship teams since 2015, I take a look at what would be deemed as their “worst stretch” of the season.

Here’s a look at national champions and their “worst stretch” of their eventual championship seasons:

• 2015-Duke: Back-to-back losses (Final record: 35-4)
• 2016-Villanova: Lost two out of three (Final record: 35-5)
• 2017-UNC: .500 in four-game stretches (Final record: 33-7)
• 2018-Villanova: Lost two out of three (Final record: 36-4)
• 2019-Virginia: 4-2 in a six-game stretch (Final record: 35-3)
• 2021-Baylor: 4-2 in a six-game stretch (Final record: 28-2)
• 2022-Kansas: Back-to-back losses (Final record: 34-6)
• 2023-UConn: 1-5 in six-game stretch (Final record: 31-8)
• 2024-UConn: 3-2 in a five-game stretch (Final record: 37-3)

History isn’t looking too kind for the Crimson Tide. If I am proven wrong, I will gladly eat these under the beautiful Denny Chimes.

AL.com’s projected “Field of 68″

This will be updated throughout championship week, with teams who have locked up auto-bids in bold.

South Regional (Atlanta, GA)

• 1. Auburn vs. 16. Omaha/Bucknell (play-in game)
• 8. UConn vs. 9. New Mexico
• 5. Oregon vs. 12. San Diego
• 4. Arizona vs. 13. High Point
• 6. Louisville vs. 11. VCU
• 3. St. John’s vs. 14. Utah Valley
• 7. Memphis vs. 10. Georgia
• 2. Michigan State vs. 15. Central Connecticut State

It’s pretty safe to say that Auburn locks up the No. 1 overall seed with a win over Alabama on Saturday. Throught the season, two teams I’ve pegged as teams I’d take to the Final Four have been Auburn…and Michigan State. So, of course they’d be in the same region.

East Regional (Newark, NJ)

• 1. Duke vs. 16. Norfolk State/Southern
• 8. Mississippi State vs. 9. Utah State
• 5. Clemson vs. 12. Liberty
• 4. Purdue vs. 13. Arkansas State
• 6. Marquette vs. 11. Arkansas
• 3. Texas Tech vs. 14. Towson
• 7. Kansas vs. 10. San Diego State
• 2. Alabama vs. 15. Robert Morris

I’m still trying to figure out what’s more surprising, Alabama on the No. 2 seed line, or Kansas at a No. 7 seed, and seemingly getting worse.

West Regional (San Francisco, CA)

• 1. Florida vs. 16. Southeast Missouri State
• 8. BYU vs. 9. Gonzaga
• 5. Maryland vs. 12. Drake
• 4. Iowa State vs. 13. Yale
• 6. St. Mary’s vs. 11. Ohio State/Xavier (play-in game)
• 3. Kentucky vs. 14. Lipscomb
• 7. Ole Miss vs. 10. Baylor
• 2. Wisconsin vs. 15. Northern Colorado

Florida may have locked up a No. 1 seed with their win at Alabama this past week. If you’re looking for a team with a pair of road wins (Not named Auburn), the Gators might be the next option.

Midwest Regional (Indianapolis, IN)

• 1. Houston vs. 16. Quinnipiac
• 8. Creighton vs. 9. Vanderbilt
• 5. Missouri vs. 12. McNeese State
• 4. Michigan vs. 13. Akron
• 6. UCLA vs. Indiana/Oklahoma (play-in game)
• 3. Texas A&M vs. 14. Chattanooga
• 7. Illinois vs. 10. West Virginia
• 2. Tennessee vs. 15. Bryant

Yeah, I can’t believe Indiana might play their way into the NCAA tournament either.