SEC championship: 2 teams with nothing to lose?

ATLANTA – Given little chance to knock off the nation’s top-ranked team, Georgia doesn’t have a lot to lose in the Southeastern Conference championship game.

Then again, No. 1 LSU probably doesn’t either.

In all likelihood, the Tigers have already put together a resume that’s impressive enough to get them to New Orleans for the BCS title game – even if the 12th-ranked Bulldogs pull off a huge upset today.

Count Georgia coach Mark Richt among those who feels LSU (12-0, 8-0 SEC) deserves to play for the national championship, whether they win or lose to his team.

He can certainly read a schedule, noting the Tigers have already beaten three teams among the top eight in the Associated Press poll – No. 2 Alabama, No. 6 Arkansas and No. 8 Oregon – as well as 22nd-ranked West Virginia.

“If you look at all the one-loss teams and if, in fact, they became a one-loss team, just look at who they played,” Richt said Friday.

“I would think they’d be a shoe-in to play (for the national title). I know that’s not what they’re focusing on, because you don’t go 12-0 unless you can focus on every game.”

LSU’s Les Miles, whose team is a two-touchdown favorite, refused to get dragged into the debate.