12/07 at 01:52 AM

ATLANTA — No matter what, this will go down as an amazing year for Alabama.

No matter what, playing in the SEC Championship Game and earning a BCS bowl bid is something to remember.

No matter what, the 2008 season will prove to be a special one for the Crimson Tide.

But just not now.

Not today. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Maybe not even next month.

Because no matter how you spin it, coming this close to playing in the BCS National Championship Game and falling short is a huge disappointment.

It hurts. “It hurts deep,” as Alabama center Antoine Caldwell said.

And it won’t heal for a long time.

“This game will take a while (to get over) …” Alabama senior quarterback John Parker Wilson said. Mentally. Emotionally. Physically.

It’ll take a while. Just like Alabama’s rise to No. 1, its fall was even harder.

Today, Alabama’s not the top team in the country, even though it played like it for the entire year. And on Saturday, in its lost to Florida, Alabama really showed its mettle.

But … Florida 31, Alabama 20 … is all that matters.

Florida to the title game. Alabama to … well, does it matter? It was Miami or bust. And the Tide busted.

Being ranked No. 1 only means something if you finish.

Being ranked No. 1 only matters today. Right now. Yesterday, a week ago, two weeks ago or last month doesn’t matter.

And right now, Alabama’s out.

Auburn knows how that feels. Remember?

Just four years ago, Auburn was dreaming of a national championship. All it got was the People’s Championship — not much of a consolation prize.

Alabama will most likely go to the Sugar Bowl. While Bourbon Street is nice, it’s not South Beach in January.

Again, Auburn knows all about that.

Alabama was only the third SEC team since the inception of the BCS to enter the conference championship game undefeated.

The other two? Tennessee in 1998 and Auburn in 2004.

Tennessee went on to win the national championship that year and finish 13-0.

And Auburn, well, the Tigers finished 13-0, too. But, as you remember, it wasn’t good enough. The Tigers were left out of the title game because they finished No. 3 in the final BCS poll, behind USC and Oklahoma, respectively.

Auburn went undefeated and never really had a chance to play for the national championship — not as long as Southern Cal and Oklahoma were ranked Nos. 1 and 2.

Alabama had every chance to play in the BCS title game, but couldn’t finish. And, yes, Florida and Superman … er, Tim Tebow … had a lot to say about that.

Alabama finds itself in the same bowl game Auburn did four years ago. The difference? Auburn did its job. Alabama didn’t.

Alabama had the chance to play for a national championship if it would have just won. Auburn won, and had no chance.

Why? Because it matters where you finish.

Alabama started the day No. 1. It finished … well, it doesn’t really matter. Even though this season will. Some day.

Just ask Auburn.

MIKE SZVETITZ is sports editor of the Opelika-Auburn News. He may be reached at 737-2513.