George Schroeder

USA TODAY Sports

The debate was short, and remained good-natured, and thankfully did not disrupt the family’s holiday warmth. And that’s mildly surprising, because if it didn’t involve politics, the topic was much more passionate.

The Arkansas fan said he was cheering for Alabama in the College Football Playoff. The son-in-law, a transplanted Missouri fan, wondered: Why?

“Because they’re in the SEC,” my father said.

Case closed. And about now, you’re hearing the familiar chant, ringing through countless stadiums over the last decade or so: “SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC!”

But it’s time, in my family and countless others across the South, to consider a realignment of regional priorities:

Come Monday, they should pull for Clemson.

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SEC fans’ collective pride, unmatched by fans of any other conference, is one of the coolest things in college sports. (It’s also one of the most obnoxious to fans from elsewhere in the country, but that’s their problem.) It’s complicated, a phenomenon deeply woven into the cultural fabric of a region with an everlasting chip on its shoulder. But whatever the reasons, the SEC’s recently adopted slogan, “It Just Means More,” is entirely correct — which is why it’s time for a radical shift.

Auburn fans will have no trouble with this. But for fans of the other 12 schools not named Alabama, the idea seems like something very near sacrilege. The reflexive instinct is to cheer on the Tide against the Tigers, just as they would at any other time in any other nonconference matchup, in the belief that victory would demonstrate the SEC’s continued dominance.

In reality, it would simply illustrate — and exacerbate — Alabama’s continued domination of college football’s proudest conference.

A victory would be the SEC’s ninth national championship in 11 seasons, which is fantastic. Except it would be Alabama’s fifth in the last eight years, and the run seems only to be gathering momentum.

As SEC fans live vicariously through the Crimson Tide’s success, Nick Saban’s “Process” is relentlessly shredding not just college football but also its conference opposition into something resembling the confetti that rains after every Bama championship.

As it turns out, the dynasty did not crumble on that Tuscaloosa night in September 2015 when Ole Miss torched the Tide for the second consecutive season, a dangerous quarterback running that infernal hurry-up spread, kryptonite that threatened to derail the Tide’s dominance. Since then, Alabama has won 26 in a row — including 17 consecutive against SEC teams.

Saban adapted his defensive philosophy to counter the spread, and then he simply adopted the offense, too. The result: Alabama’s average margin of victory during the SEC winning streak is 21 points. This season, the average was 24.9 points. Only twice during that span did Alabama endure a one-score game. Very rarely has there been any real suspense.

But it’s more than that. There’s no real debate that over the last decade or so, the SEC has been the best league in college football. But at least this year, it isn’t.

Alabama is undefeated, and could become the first college football team to finish 15-0. Every other SEC team finished with at least four losses. Sure, the league sent 12 teams to bowls, which is nice. They’re 6-6. Against Power Five opponents this year, the SEC is 6-8.

Maybe it’s only a blip. “It’s still the most competitive, toughest football conference in the country,” Tennessee coach Butch Jones said last month, noting the “grind” each week. But just possibly, Alabama’s success has grinded down every other SEC program, and been detrimental to the overall strength of the league.

The brother-in-law got it right when he told dad that, at least in theory, Arkansas and Missouri and all the other SEC teams compete with Alabama for recruits. And from there, for victories. Lately, they’ve all been on the losing end.

Five years ago, LSU was thisclose to being Bama’s equal; in what might have been the SEC’s peak moment, the Tigers lost to ‘Bama in the BCS national championship game. Four years ago, Georgia fell 5 yards short of beating ‘Bama in the SEC championship game; win, and the Bulldogs would almost certainly have blown out Notre Dame (as Alabama did).

Mark Richt got canned last year. Les Miles was sent packing last September. When it comes to coaches, virtually the entire SEC has entered a vicious spin cycle. Coaches get hired, their programs don’t measure up to Saban’s, replace, repeat.

And the Tide keeps rolling, ever more dominant.

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So unless they’re into wearing houndstooth, SEC fans should pull for Clemson. It won’t be easy. No one affiliated with the SEC wants to acknowledge the ACC’s recent surge. Don’t bring up the ACC’s 8-3 bowl record, or that the ACC went 3-1 against the SEC in bowls and 9-4 head-to-head all season.

The underlying premise is, never admit they play good football anywhere else, and we get it. But console yourself with this: It’s not some Big Ten team, or an interloper from the Pac-12 or Big 12. Clemson is about as SEC as any program could be without being a part of the league. And a temporary alliance would be good for all involved.

We know, SEC fans probably won’t take well to this proposal. They’re nothing if not defiant, and it’s never a good idea to poke a stick at a Bear Bryant — but wait, there’s the problem again. If and when LSU or Auburn, Florida, Georgia or Insert Your Favorite Team Here starts beating ‘Bama again, then go ahead, crank up the chant, let everybody know about the SEC’s superiority. But if fans want the league to return to true pre-eminence, it’s time to stop wrapping themselves in Alabama’s glory.

Otherwise, enjoy how the Process grinds.

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