Eleven months ago, while working for ESPN, Pollack looked into Nick Saban’s eyes and told the Alabama coach what seemed true in that moment.

Georgia ruled.

‘They’ve taken ahold of college football,’ Pollack said during halftime of Georgia’s national championship romp of TCU last January.

Saban was on the ESPN set that night. He quietly and respectfully nodded his head.

Pollack’s words caused a stir in Booker, who watched from afar. And Booker says he wasn’t the only Alabama player moved by what Pollack said to the GOAT’s face.

‘He was on the podium last year with Coach Saban talking about how Georgia is the new standard, Georgia is the new dynasty,’ Booker told me after No. 8 Alabama upset No. 1 Georgia 27-24 on Saturday in the SEC Championship.

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Pollack didn’t use the word ‘dynasty,’ but I wasn’t about to interrupt a 352-pound man on a quote roll after Alabama’s crowning moment Saturday.

So, go ahead Booker. Continue …

‘That really sat with me,’ Booker said of Pollack’s words that night in Inglewood, California, ‘because I came to Alabama for the standard. I came to Alabama to further the dynasty.

‘To hear somebody challenge my coach to his face like that? I take that personally. I feel like everybody who saw it did, and then we responded to that.’

Did they ever.

Alabama stopped the Georgia machine in its tracks.

So much for a three-peat.

The way Booker sees it, Alabama’s dynastic dominance can be imitated but not replicated.

‘There’s only one Alabama, and there’s always going to be one Alabama,’ Booker said.

There can only be one Alabama, but I see it a bit differently from Booker. Alabama’s dominance can be replicated, but it’s going to take more than Georgia’s back-to-back national championships to do so.

The Alabama-Georgia rivalry is going nowhere.

Considering the way Saban and Smart continue to recruit and develop talent and supplement their rosters with cherry pickings from the transfer portal, this won’t be the last time these programs clash in Atlanta.

Alabama-Clemson became the rivalry of the 2010s. Advantage Alabama, which won twice as many national championships during the decade as Clemson did.

That gave way to Alabama-Georgia in the 2020s.

Georgia owns the edge this decade. Pollack put it correctly when he said Georgia had taken ahold of college football.

Alabama wrested control back.

‘There would be no Georgia without Alabama,’ Booker said. ‘We are the standard, and we proved that today. We might have had a slow two years, but the standard is here.’

These rivals will begin meeting more regularly starting next year after the SEC eliminates divisions.

Three matchups between Alabama and Georgia within the same season – regular season, SEC Championship and College Football Playoff – is not only a possibility, it probably will happen sometime within this decade.

I’d expect Pollack to light a few more fires. The former Georgia standout turned analyst was caught up in ESPN’s layoffs last summer, but he’s still opining on the web. He recently planted his flag for Georgia ahead of the SEC Championship.

‘The better coach is clearly Kirby Smart. Clearly,’ Pollack said before Saturday’s game.

Not on Saturday, Smart wasn’t.

The O.G. restored order.

Alabama’s standard became momentarily imitated, but not surpassed.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s SEC Columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.

The final College Football Playoff with four teams is set, and there was drama about which teams would be in the field before the format expands next season.

Michigan is the top seed after running through the Big Ten unbeaten, including victories against Ohio State and Iowa to close out the season. It’s the third consecutive appearance for the Wolverines, who overcame two separate suspensions of three games each to coach Jim Harbaugh. They’re ranked No. 1 in the US LBM Coaches Poll for the first time since Dec. 8, 1997.

No. 2 seed Washington won its way into the field with a second defeat of Oregon. After beating the Ducks in the regular season, the Huskies did it again in dramatic fashion in the Pac-12 title game to secure their second spot in the playoff. Their last time in was 2016, which was also the last appearance for the Pac-12.

The difficulty came with the final two spots. Texas and Alabama were one-loss champions of the Big 12 and SEC, respectively. The Longhorns had the edge on the Crimson Tide due to a road victory in Tuscaloosa in Week 2. The committee took both of them, and Florida State became the first unbeaten team in the Power Five left out of the semifinals. The Seminoles were hurt by the loss of quarterback Jordan Travis with a season-ending injury.

‘That was the decision with Alabama at four. Florida State is a different team than they were through the first 11 weeks,” College Football Playoff committee chairman Boo Corrigan said. “Coach Norvell, their players, their fans, an incredible season. As you look at who they are as a team right now without Jordan Travis, without the offensive dynamic that he brings to it, they are a different team, and the committee voted Alabama four and Florida State five.”

Georgia fell from No. 1 to No. 6 after its loss to Alabama ended its 29-game winning streak.

With the seedings set, Michigan and Alabama will meet in the Rose Bowl. Washington and Texas will face off in the Sugar Bowl.

Both of the semifinals will take place on Jan. 1. The winners will meet in the College Football Playoff championship game on Jan. 8 in Houston.

The rest of the New Year’s Six matchups were set later in the day.

Florida State and Georgia will play in the Orange Bowl, with the game taking the highest-ranked ACC team and the highest-ranked team from the Big Ten or SEC or Notre Dame.Mississippi and Penn State will face off in the Peach Bowl.Ohio State draws Missouri in the Cotton Bowl.Liberty, the highest-ranked champion in the Group of Five, earns a spot in the Fiesta Bowl against Pac-12 title-game loser Oregon.

College Football Playoff committee Top 25

1. Michigan (13-0) 

2. Washington (13-0)

3. Texas (12-1)

4. Alabama (12-1)

5. Florida State (13-0)

6. Georgia (12-1)

7. Ohio State (11-1)

8. Oregon (11-2)

9. Missouri (10-2)

10. Penn State (10-2)

11. Mississippi (10-2)

12. Oklahoma (10-2)

13. LSU (9-3)

14. Arizona (9-3)

15. Louisville (10-3)

16. Notre Dame (9-3)

17. Iowa (10-3)

18. North Carolina State (9-3)

19. Oregon State (8-4)

29. Oklahoma State (9-4)

21. Tennessee (8-4)

22. Clemson (8-4)

23. Liberty (13-0)

24. SMU (11-2)

25. Kansas State (8-4)

Here it is. Week 13 of the NFL season is over. The final week of the fantasy football regular season is upon us. This is what you studied all offseason for. This is the moment your fantasy football season has culminated to. Hopefully you’ve secured your spot in the playoffs by this point, but whether you have or have not, the job is not finished. There are still games to be played. Here are five players to consider adding to your team who could pay off huge.

Fantasy football waiver-wire pickups for Week 14:

Houston Texans WR Noah Brown (Rostered in 40% of Yahoo leagues)

I understand the skepticism of picking up somebody who just put up zero points. My counterargument would be that Brown was not only coming off a knee injury, but Brown’s value also comes entirely off of injuries to receivers ahead of him, and Tank Dell just fractured his leg.

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When either Robert Woods or Nico Collins was injured earlier this year, Brown put up monster numbers, recording 16 receptions, 382 yards, and a touchdown in three games. It is hard to replicate that kind of production, but the upside is evident if Brown gets the same usage he had during Weeks 7-9. There is massive upside as the Texans continue to push for a playoff spot.

This team loves to pass. While they do have tough matchups in Weeks 14 and 16 against the Jets and Browns respectively, they also have two matchups against the Tennessee Titans, who have surrendered 20 or more PPR points to opposing receivers in every single game this season.

Cleveland Browns WR Elijah Moore (Rostered in 43% of Yahoo leagues)

The Browns’ top receiver Amari Cooper went down during today’s game against Los Angeles with a concussion. Odds are that Cooper will be in concussion protocol for the Browns’ Week 14 matchup against Jacksonville.

In Cooper’s absence, Moore received practically every look that quarterback Joe Flacco threw. He had 12 targets. TWELVE! That did only result in four receptions, but as I’ve said time and time again, VOLUME. IS. KING!

Moore has now received at least seven targets in each of his last four games. Keep an eye on Cooper’s availability, because if Cooper is out against Jacksonville, Moore will be the top option against a Jaguars’ defense that has allowed at least one receiving touchdown from opposing wide receivers in every single game this season. They’ve surrendered at least twenty PPR points to receivers in all but one game this season as well. It’s a dream matchup and potentially a dream situation.

Green Bay Packers WR Jayden Reed (Rostered in 57% of Yahoo leagues)

Normally, when I write these pieces, I try to aim for players who are owned in 50% of leagues or fewer. Every now and again though, there is a player that comes along who should be owned in 80% of leagues, but isn’t even close. Jayden Reed is one of those players.

Ahead of Sunday Night Football, Reed has been the must-have player in the Green Bay Packers’ wide receiver room. He has scored a touchdown in three straight games. He has at least 15 PPR points in his last three as well. He has double digit PPR points in five of his last six. He has received at least five targets in three straight. No matter how you try to slice it, Reed has been used a lot and is being used in creative ways designed to get him open. You don’t leave a player like that on the waiver wire.

There is a chance that Reed does not have a good game tonight against KC. That does not diminish what Reed has been able to do though. Kansas City is one of the best defenses in the NFL and has been a nuisance against opposing running backs. The Packers next three games are against the Giants, Buccaneers, and Panthers, three great matchups. Reed is a must-snag in any league where he’s available.

Green Bay Packers TE Tucker Kraft (Rostered in 6% of Yahoo leagues)

The tight end position is tough to nail down in fantasy, but Kraft could be a suitable option with Packers’ starter Luke Musgrave on IR. Musgrave was never an elite option at tight end, but he did post six games with at least seven PPR points. That’s a serviceable output for the tight end spot of your lineup.

Kraft may not be as talented, but he’s in line to pick up all the work that Musgrave left on the table. Plus, like I said with Reed, he’s about to face three abysmal defenses in the Giants, Bucs, and Panthers. If you need a tight end with upside, Kraft is the way to go.

Minnesota Vikings RB Ty Chandler (Rostered in 22% of Yahoo leagues)

The Minnesota Vikings were on bye this week, and that could be good for your chances of landing Chandler. People have already seemed to forget what Chandler was able to accomplish with a decent snap share in Weeks 10-12.

Chandler saw at least 30% of the offensive snaps in each of those games. He scored 10.5 PPR points, 15 PPR points, and…2.1 points. Yeah, that game against Chicago was not good, but that entire Minnesota offense struggled to get going in that one. I’m willing to look past that game because of the explosiveness he displayed in the previous two weeks. Furthermore, the return of Justin Jefferson in Week 14 could do wonders for the Vikings’ offense as a whole. At the very least, it should prevent their opponents from loading the box as often as they have.

For the College Football Playoff selection committee, there was no right answer. There was no wrong answer, either.

But there was a safe answer.

And that safe answer was Alabama.

In choosing the one-loss Crimson Tide over the unbeaten Florida State Seminoles, the College Football Playoff put together a set of semifinal matchups that have the potential to deliver the most thrilling New Year’s Day in the history of the sport.

Alabama versus Michigan is a dream matchup. Washington versus Texas is a game pitting traditional powers that have come back from the abyss. And now, college football will move forward to a 12-team playoff starting next year, where the dilemma this committee faced won’t be relevant.

And in any other year, it would have punched their ticket to the playoff.

But given a choice among three teams for just two spots, the committee had to go with the team that it felt was better-equipped to compete in the playoff and had a better season overall. Despite having one loss, that was fairly clearly Alabama. The Crimson Tide’s third-best win, against LSU, matched Florida State’s best win of the season.

The ACC did the Seminoles few favors given that Clemson, North Carolina and others did not live up to expectations. Florida State didn’t get the opportunities to bank some of the massive wins that might have carried them over the finish line, even without QB Jordan Travis.

But if you’re on the selection committee, and you’re watching Florida State struggle to produce any offense against Louisville, you have to ask yourself: Is this really the same team going into the playoffs that it was for the first 10 weeks of the season? The answer was no.

You could also ask the same question about Alabama. Was the Crimson Tide the same team Saturday in beating Georgia for the SEC championship that had shown some significant vulnerabilities early in the year? Again, the answer was no.

Alabama’s trajectory has been fairly obvious. It’s been improving week by week. And with another month to prepare for the playoff, history says Nick Saban will have his team well-positioned to compete with Michigan.

Florida State was just too big of an unknown in the end. The committee chose safety. And it probably chose the team that had a better chance to win a national championship.

Is that unfair? Yes. But anything the committee would have done Sunday would have been unfair to somebody. That’s just the way it goes.

In some ways, the team that got the worst of it was Michigan. It’s not much of a reward to be No. 1 in the CFP semifinals when you have to face Alabama in a playoff game. And for the Wolverines, this is going to be the ultimate litmus test for whether the way they’ve built their program is capable of competing with the elite of the SEC.

And yes, that matters. Clearly, it matters.

Fans of other conferences don’t like to hear it. But the SEC does get a measure of privilege and benefit of the doubt. That’s what happens when you win 13 of the last 17 national titles. Sometimes the SEC may be a little bit overrated. And sometimes the amount of chest-beating can be difficult to stomach.

But you can’t deny that year in and year out, the top of the SEC is as good or better than what anybody else offers at the end of the season when it matters most. SEC teams usually prove that in the playoff.

It’s hard to imagine the committee didn’t have that in mind as well, in trying to choose between an Alabama team that had just taken out Georgia, and a Florida State team that was going to be a bit of a mystery heading into the semifinals.

For Florida State fans, it’s devastating. I sympathize with you. I hear you. I understand your outrage. But at the end of the day, it’s not hard to see why the committee did what it did.

Now college football has to move on, not just to the semifinals, but to a 12-team era where we won’t have situations like this anymore. There will still be complaints, but they will be far more picayune in nature.

The 10-year history of the College Football Playoff was not without its missteps and mistakes. But the last decision and the most controversial one will be difficult to criticize in the long run.

Good to know these last four months didn’t matter. That results on the field don’t matter.

Those are the only conclusions that can be drawn from the College Football Playoff selection committee’s decision to pass over an unbeaten, ACC champion Florida State for one-loss Alabama on Sunday. The committee members looked into their crystal balls and decided there was no possible way a Florida State team without its starting quarterback could compete, so why bother even letting them try? Especially when there was college football royalty Alabama there for the taking and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey reminding anyone who would listen that it’s an unwritten rule one of the four playoff spots is reserved for the SEC.

There’s a problem with that. Several, in fact. But none larger than the committee going against its own precedent and snubbing a Power Five conference champion that did everything right on the field — a perfect season that included three wins over top-20 teams, as well as wins over two SEC teams outside of Tallahassee, and one of the top defenses in the country — because of what its members “feel.”

That isn’t the pinnacle of competition. That’s a beauty pageant.

“It renders the season up to yesterday irrelevant,” Florida State athletic director Michael Alford said in a statement, not even trying to contain his rage.

“Wins matter. Losses matter. Those that compete in the arena know this. Those on the committee who also competed in the sport and should have known this have forgotten it,” Alford said. “Today, they changed the way success is assessed in college football, from a tangible metric – winning on the field – to an intangible, subjective one. Evidently, predicting the future matters more.’

Alford isn’t wrong. About any of it.

There is no question the committee had a difficult decision this year, its toughest in the 10 years of the playoff, after Alabama’s win over top-ranked and two-time defending champion Georgia in the SEC championship. Michigan and Washington were locks, but there were now four teams — Alabama, Florida State, Georgia and Texas — with legitimate cases for the final two spots. Somebody was going to be disappointed. Furious, even.

But it shouldn’t have been Florida State.

The committee looked at Alabama with stars in its eyes, thinking of all those other times Nick Saban has won the national title and envisioning a similar scenario next month. (That he can dispatch with the troublesome Jim Harbaugh along the way is an added bonus!)

Yes, Alabama has gotten better as the season has gone along. But let us not forget it was only a week ago the Crimson Tide needed a brain lapse by Auburn coach Hugh Freeze to win the Iron Bowl. Or that, for as dominant as Georgia has been, the one weakness Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs have had is Alabama. How much extra credit do Saban and Alabama deserve for running their record against Smart and Georgia to 5-1?

“In the eyes of the committee, Florida State is a different team without Jordan Travis,” committee chair Boo Corrigan said, referring to the Seminoles’ starting quarterback, whose season ended when he broke his leg Nov. 18 against North Alabama. “One of the things we do consider is player availability.”

Except Travis was already out last week, when the committee moved Florida State back into the top four. The committee is also confident Alabama won’t have any injuries, cases of food poisoning or any other woes in the next month.

Perhaps they can tell us who will win next year’s election. Or what the winning lottery numbers for the next billion-dollar jackpot will be.

There is no perfect system that involves humans, who have their own biases and can be swayed by politicking. But this decision wasn’t just imperfect. It stinks and, let’s just go ahead and say it, it’s downright shady, dripping with SEC favoritism.

Florida State might not be able to help its conference opponents, but it did beat every single one of them. Scheduled and won non-conference games against LSU and Florida, too. Beat the Tigers by a wider margin than Alabama did, I might add.

And while the committee sees a lesser Florida State team without Travis, that lesser team beat Florida in Gainesville and, despite being down to its third-string quarterback against Louisville, ground out a win for the ACC title.

Again, when the playoff field is a subjective decision made by a collection of individuals, it’s always going to be open to criticism. That will still be the case next year, when the playoff expands from four teams to 12.

But the purest, most conclusive metric is results. Wins and losses. On that alone, Florida State had the better season. If the committee is going to disregard that, then what’s the point of a playoff at all? What’s the point of even having a season? Just pick the team, or conference, you want and anoint them as the national champion.

Florida State deserves better than what the selection committee did. All of college football does.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.