TAKE A LOOK: 2016 SEC Championship - by the numbers

ATLANTA (WTVM) - The SEC Championship game will kick off for its 25th edition on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 4 p.m. from the Georgia Dome. 

Here is EVERYTHING you need to know about the conference's biggest game: 

2016 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

• Alabama (V) vs. Florida (H)
• Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016 • 4 p.m. ET (3 p.m. CT)
• Atlanta, Ga. • Georgia Dome (71,500) • CBS Sports
• CLICK HERE for a Preview/Statistical Matchup 

THE TEAMS:  Alabama (12-0, 8-0 SEC) is the Western Division Champion and the visiting team.  Florida (8-3, 6-2 SEC) is the Eastern Division Champion and the home team.   

NATIONAL RANKINGS: Alabama comes into the game as the No. 1-ranked team in the nation in the Associated Press and USA Today polls. Florida is the No. 15th and 16th-ranked team in the nation, respectfully.

SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:  The game, which started in 1992, is in its 25th year.  It was a result of conference expansion, which saw Arkansas and South Carolina become the first members added in SEC history.  Nearly 1.8 million fans have witnessed the pageantry of the game first-hand, with 22 sellouts in its history.  (Only 1993 and 1995 were not). The first two games were played at Legion Field in Birmingham and the game has been played at the Georgia Dome since (1994). This will mark the final SEC Championship Game played at The Georgia Dome.

SEC CHAMPIONS:  Alabama will be vying for its 26th SEC Championship and third consecutive SEC Championship. Florida is aiming for its ninth SEC Championship and first since 2008. Alabama will be looking to win its fifth SEC Championship under Nick Saban. Jim McElwain is the first coach in SEC history to guide his team to the SEC Championship Game in each of his first two seasons. Alabama is the first undefeated team to play in the SEC Championship Game since LSU in 2011.

TELEVISION:  CBS Sports will televise the game nationally for the 12th  straight year (VERNE LUNDQUIST, Play-by-Play; GARY DANIELSON, Analyst; Allie LaForce, Sidelines; CRAIG SILVER, Producer).  CBS has aired the game nationally since 2001.  ABC Sports televised the game from 1992-2000.

TV RATINGS:  Last season’s SEC Championship Game, which saw Alabama defeat Missouri, delivered a national average household rating/share of 8.3/17  and 13 million viewers, making it the most-watched college football game of the 2015 regular-season.  The 2009 game between Florida and Alabama is the highest rated SEC title game earning a national household rating/share of 11.1/23.  

RADIO:  Managed by IMG College, the SEC Radio Network will broadcast the game to the 11-state SEC region and around the nation on SiriusXM. (SEC Radio Network:  DAVE NEAL, Play-by-Play; DAVE ARCHER, Analyst; DAVE BAKER, Sidelines).  The game is available on SiriusXM College SportsNation Channel 84.  The Alabama Radio Network is on Sirius 83, XM 190 and the Florida Radio Network is on Sirius 93, XM 191.

FULL HOUSE:  The previous 24 SEC Football Championship Games have a total accumulated attendance of 1,791,493.  The 22 games in The Georgia Dome have attracted 1,637,057 fans.  The 74,412 average is over 104 percent of capacity in the 71,500-seat stadium.  Twenty-two of the 24 games have been sold out, including the last 20 consecutive contests. This will be the 23rd consecutive , and final, game in The Georgia Dome. The SEC Championship Game will move to the newly constructed Mercedes-Benz Stadium, located adjacent to The Georgia Dome, in 2017.

SERIES:  Alabama and Florida are meeting for the 40th time in the history of the two schools with Alabama leading the all-time series 25-14. The Crimson Tide won last season’s SEC Championship Game 29-15.

IN THE SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:  Florida and Alabama are the most common matchup in SECChampionship Game history, meeting eight times prior to this season, with the two programs tied at four wins each. Florida leads the SEC with 12 appearances in the championship game, while Alabama is second with 11. Prior to last season, the two last met in SEC Championship Game in 2009 – a No. 1 vs. No. 2 battle of 12-0 teams (won by Alabama). Alabama’s last SEC Championship Game loss was to Florida in 2008, also a meeting of nationally-ranked No. 1 vs. No. 2 teams.

BOWLING:  The winner of the SEC Championship Game automatically qualifies for a spot in the Sugar Bowl if that team is not selected to participate in the College Football Playoff.  The top four teams in the CFP Standings will play in the semifinals (Chick-fil-A Peach and Fiesta Bowl) with the winners advancing to the CFP National Championship Game in Tampa, Fla. (Monday, January 9).

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