Alabama coach Nick Saban enjoys the competitiveness and atmosphere surrounding the SEC championship game so much, he said every conference should have a similar event.

"I think it's something that all conferences should do, have two divisions playing a game like this,'' Saban said.  "I think it's the passion that people have in our league. Atlanta makes it a tremendous venue. The dome is a great atmosphere to play in. You're going to play a team that's in the Top 10 for sure. In this case we're playing in the top 3 or 4.  Every game that we've had there when they played Tennessee there, they were No. 2.  When we played Georgia there, they might have been 6 or 7.  You know, it's a great competitive game, they're always going to have two great teams, it's a great atmosphere, and it means something.''

CBS executives are downright giddy about the opportunity to televise No. 1 vs. No. 2 in what many are calling a "de-facto' national championship semifinal.

"We're obviously delighted to have what we think is the first BCS semifinal that's been played, where either team has a chance to go the championship game,'' said Michael Aresco, executive VP of programming for CBS. . . . There's almost never been a year when (this game) didn't have national championship implications, but this year is extraordinary.''
If you're playing in a National Championship game it means something, but winning the SEC means something, and this game means something as well.  I think that's what makes it such a great competitive venue.