Alabama football Saturday’s result had no bearing on the race for a berth in the SEC Championship Game, beating Mercer 52-7 at home.

But after week 12, Crimson Tide they have a much better shot at a championship berth than they did at the weekend.

Georgia’s 31-17 win over Tennessee added another two-game losing streak to the SEC. Now, the Bulldogs, Volunteers, Alabama and Ole Miss each have two losses in Week 13.

At least one more team will be added to the roster by the end of the regular season, either Texas or Texas A&M, who could face off as one-loss SEC teams vying for a spot in the 30 championship game November.

But the Aggies vs. Longhorns it’s not the game that controls Alabama’s SEC championship destiny.

How Alabama Football Makes the SEC Championship Game

If Alabama wins and beats both Oklahoma and Auburn, the Crimson Tide needs Missouri to win one of its last two against Mississippi State or Arkansas, respectively mred’s SEC football standings tiebreaker tracker.

If Missouri wins both games, Alabama would have an advantage over Georgia, Ole Miss, Tennessee and either Texas or Texas A&M based on conference opponent winning percentage.

The same would remain if Missouri were to lose to Arkansas.

If Missouri were to lose to Mississippi State, Alabama would have the same conference opponent winning percentage as Georgia. The Crimson Tide holds a head-to-head advantage over the Bulldogs after its 41-34 win in September.

What if Alabama football plays in the SEC Championship?

Most sportsbooks have Alabama with the second-best odds to reach the SEC Championship Game behind Texas.

If the Crimson Tide wins an SEC title, it ensures a first-round bye in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff.

If Alabama loses in the SEC championship game, ESPN gives the Crimson Tide a 71 percent chance to make the CFP.

Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Get to him at [email protected] or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football’s path to the SEC championship is much clearer