by Steve Eubanks, Special to FOXSports.com

The poster advertising the game says it all: "Best of the Best: Best Conference, Best Two Teams, The SEC Championship." After the Big 12 debacle, the Alabama-Florida game has become the de facto national championship. It already feels title-worthy. AP and Harris have Alabama at No. 1 and Florida at No. 2. Despite some squeakers, Alabama is undefeated, no small feat in the SEC. And with all due respect to USC, every objective expert agrees that Florida is the most dominant one-loss team in the nation with the fastest backs and receivers, and a quarterback who already has one Heisman Trophy at home.

The Tide just routed Auburn in the Iron Bowl while the Gators made a ranked Florida State team look like a JV squad. Brokered tickets in Atlanta are already going for north of a grand. That's double the rate for a BCS Championship seat in Dolphin Stadium. Throw in the fact that, despite a few nicks and cuts, both teams will be sharper on Saturday than on Jan. 8, and it's easy to see why this is the game of the year.

According to Nick Saban, "If you're playing in a national championship game it means something, but winning the SEC means something. This game means something."

If Alabama wins, it means they will have beaten their toughest foe, a team that looks stronger than any possible BCS opponent. Florida has put up a total of 556 points against teams like Georgia, Miami, Florida State, Ole Miss and LSU while allowing their opponents to score only 147. Oklahoma, the most likely pick to fill the other BCS slot, has scored 650 points, but given up 260. And, yes, Florida played The Citadel, but Oklahoma had Chattanooga, TCU and Baylor on the schedule.

"They are just explosive," Alabama cornerback Javier Arenas said of Florida. "That's why they're so good. They have playmakers and great coaches. All around, they are the ideal team, the type of team you would want to have."

Saban agreed. "They've got big-play ability. They've got outstanding receivers. They've got a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback. And they utilize all those players in different roles."

Both teams have great offensive lines — according to Urban Meyer "the best in the SEC" — and both play disciplined defense and special teams. Meyer also said, "The team that runs the ball effectively is going to win the game …If you're 13 years old out there thinking about being a coach, this is the kind of thing you want to watch."

It's also the kind of game you want to see if you're a fan of noggin-knocking college football. December will be filled with brass-band hype about the national championship game. But even the staunchest holdouts will know the game to determine the best team in college football will have been played before the first BCS kickoff. And computers will have had no part in it.

Croom firing not about race

When Sylvester Croom stepped down at Mississippi State, every story led with the fact that he was the first African-American head coach in the SEC. Fortunately, race had little to do with his hiring and played no part in his resignation. Croom was one of three finalists for the Alabama job after the Mike Dubose fiasco. When the Tide trustees hired Mike Shula, Mississippi State gobbled up Croom in what they thought was a game-changing coup. One winning season and a 21-38 record later, Croom stepped aside after losing 45-0 to Ole Miss. Expediting the departure was the success of Houston Nutt. It's one thing to go 4-8 overall and 2-6 in the SEC, it's quite another to do it in a year when your in-state rival goes 8-4 with a new head coach.

Georgia stung in finale

Lou Holtz is no favorite of Georgia fans, but his harsh criticisms of the Bulldogs have been more right than wrong over the years. After Georgia's upset loss to Georgia Tech, Holtz summed up the 'Dawgs' underachieving year when he said, "An undisciplined defense will always have trouble with the option." Georgia's defense lived up to the charge, giving up 409 rushing yards and 45 points to the Yellow Jackets. Adding insult to injury, Tech's new coach, Paul Johnson, was named ACC Coach of the Year after the victory.

Quote of the week

Lane Kiffin didn't waste any time sticking his foot in his mouth. In his introductory remarks as Tennessee's new head coach, the 33-year-old Al Davis reject said, "I can't wait to sing 'Rocky Top' all night after we beat Florida next year. Just wait." Nothing like giving one of the best teams in the country an early quote for the bulletin board.