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Underneath Playoff glitz, a warning: College football could be headed into a ditch

SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports' George Schroeder and Paul Myerberg look to the national championship. USA TODAY Sports

ATLANTA — The fourth championship game of the College Football Playoff era will take place here Monday night in the world’s most spectacular stadium, in America’s pre-eminent college football city, between two blueblood programs from neighboring states where the story lines are thick with familiarity.

By all rights, Alabama-Georgia for the national title should be the greatest showcase yet for this relatively new Playoff, with future NFL stars all over the field, fans paying $2,000 and up for the privilege of getting in the stadium and even President Trump coming to watch it.