‘GameDay’ crew picks SEC, CFP champs: ‘We are going to get demolished on the Internet’
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‘GameDay’ crew picks SEC, CFP champs: ‘We are going to get demolished on the Internet’

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It didn’t take long after ESPN’s College GameDay crew gave their predictions for the CFP national championship for Pat McAfee to declare the obvious.

“We are going to get demolished on the Internet for that,” he declared Saturday.

McAfee was, of course, talking about he and Kirk Herbstreit’s predictions for the upcoming season’s College Football Playoff Final Four. They had the exact four teams … and from the same two conferences.

They both predict Alabama and Georgia from the SEC, and Ohio State and Michigan from the Big Ten to make the Final Four. Herbstreit explained all four teams have the ability to go undefeated before the SEC and Big Ten title games. With close outcomes in those games, Herbstreit said, all four could still qualify for the CFP.

As far as McAfee is concerned, the national championship game will be an all-SEC event.

The picks:

Pat McAfee

  • CFP Final Four: Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State, Georgia
  • Title game: Alabama vs. Georgia
  • Champion: Alabama

Kirk Herbstreit

  • CFP Final Four: Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State and Georgia
  • Title game: Alabama vs. Ohio State
  • Champion: Alabama

Desmond Howard

  • CFP Final Four: Alabama, FSU, Michigan, Texas
  • Title game: Alabama and Michigan
  • Champion: Michigan

The guys had a little more insight into the SEC Championship Game, even if they all agreed it will be Nick Saban’s team hoisting the trophy.

“They are under the radar,” Howard said. “People aren’t respecting Alabama. Everyone is still excited about Georgia. I think Alabama wins the SEC.”

McAfee pointed to former colleague David Pollack calling out Alabama in front of Saban last season, explaining Georgia was the team to beat as motivation for Alabama.

“I love Georgia,” McAfee said. “I love Kirby Smart. I love everything they have going on. Back-to-back national championships. You just don’t stumble onto that. You really have to have something special.

“Saban’s back, tough, I think personally. … I think Alabama is going to be back. Give me Roll Damn Tide.”

Herbstreit just couldn’t go against Saban.

“We all feel and see the same thing,” he said. “Alabama has as big a question mark as anybody in the country at quarterback, and, yet, we all still bow down to Nick Saban. When you question him … he just finds a way to come back. They didn’t achieve their goal last year, so this is a bounce back year. I got Bama as well.”

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.