In the heart of Atlanta, Kirby Smart's pregame instincts were soon confirmed. As the game unfolded at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a stark reality became evident - empty seats in the upper deck during Georgia's 22-19 overtime win over Texas. It was a sign of the times, a shift in the very essence of college football championship weekends.

Championship Weekend: A Changing Landscape

For championship weekend, the phrase "It used to mean more" holds more truth than ever. Smart himself admitted that in pregame, he didn't sense the same electric atmosphere he had witnessed before. On Saturday morning, commissioners of the ACC and SEC campaigned on "College GameDay" for more teams in their leagues to be included in the College Football Playoff. An additional team could enhance both leagues' national title odds. But what else could help? Not making their top two teams play an extra 13th game while others sit at home.During the game, Carson Beck's injury on the final play of the first half added another layer of uncertainty. Beck, Georgia's starting quarterback, suffered what appeared to be an elbow injury and spent the second half with his elbow on ice. His health remains uncertain until he gets an MRI in the next few days. This incident highlighted the risks teams face in these intense championship games.Conference title games are remnants of a bygone era. They are moneymakers, but in their current form, they seem like a nonsensical tradition as college football steps into a new era. The top two teams in the Big Ten and SEC are likely to make it to the Playoff field regardless of the title game result. Asking them to battle it out for four hours before a month-long race to the national title makes little sense.

The Texas Conundrum

The Longhorns won the SEC outright in the regular season with an unbalanced schedule that excluded some major teams. But they now find themselves in a situation where they might have to play an additional 17 games (!!) just to reach the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. It's a burden that seems unnecessary. Georgia, on the other hand, shot up the bracket and earned a first-round bye, but at a cost - the potential loss of their starting quarterback.

The Fan Experience

Texas has one of the nation's biggest fan bases, but on Saturday, only around 20 percent of the fans in the building were wearing burnt orange. Ticket prices for the game were a fraction of what they were for Texas' rivalry renewal against Texas A&M. Fans can sense that the stakes aren't what they used to be. In the past, when Georgia and Alabama clashed, it felt like a winner-take-all matchup. But on Saturday, nobody's chips were all in the pot, and fans weren't willing to pay to see it.

An Alternative Model

The SEC earns well into eight figures from TV networks for this game, and it's not going away. But it can be transformed. Imagine a play-in game similar to what SMU experienced in the ACC after going undefeated in conference play. South Carolina or Ole Miss could have a chance to punch their ticket in a win-or-go-home game. This would give teams like South Carolina coach Shane Beamer an opportunity to improve their odds.When the Playoff expands to 14 or 16 teams and the Big Ten and SEC negotiate specific automatic bids, this model could make more sense. Forcing teams in fourth or fifth place to play in this game instead of the top two would be a reasonable request.

The Current State of College Football

Playing eight conference games in a 16-team league and then asking the best teams to play another game against a Playoff-caliber opponent is asinine. Determining conference titles based on tiebreakers or unbalanced schedules isn't perfect, but clinging to an outdated model can cost a conference national titles. Beck's elbow injury might heal in time, but it could also be season-ending. Would winning an SEC title be worth sacrificing a real chance at a national title? Georgia fans would likely say no.Georgia's title hopes now hinge on Beck's elbow health. If the Bulldogs had rested instead of going head-to-head with one of the most physical teams in America, the outcome might have been different. Winning a conference championship was once a grand tradition, but now, it seems like an unnecessary risk.(Photo of Kirby Smart: Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)