All eyes will be at Mercedes-Benz Stadium this coming Saturday as the Georgia Bulldogs and the Alabama Crimson Tide face off in the much-anticipated SEC championship game. It is bound to be one grand finale with the victor grabbing the coveted conference crown and the all-important berth in the College Football Playoff.
Can Georgia continue its undefeated run and win its 14th SEC title? Or will the third-ranked Crimson Tide spoil their party this coming weekend? Here is a breakdown of the Georgia vs Alabama matchup.
Georgia Bulldogs installed as -6.5 favorites
Georgia will head to its SEC showdown with Alabama with momentum on its side after trouncing Georgia Tech, 45-0, last Saturday. It was another impressive victory by the Bulldogs, who achieved their first perfect regular season since 1982. The Bulldogs have won their first 12 games by an average of 33.8 points.
Georgia has gotten to this point thanks in large part to the brilliance of its defense. The Bulldogs lead the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 6.9 points per game this season. Opponents have found it difficult to attack the Bulldogs' defense through the air, with Georgia allowing just 150.8 yards per game, second-best in the FBS.
Georgia has been great in stopping the run game as well, with the Bulldogs allowing just 78.9 yards per game on the ground this season, third-best in the nation. That lethal combination puts Georgia No. 1 in the total defense category, with the Bulldogs yielding just 229.7 yards per game this campaign.
The Bulldogs have limited their opponents to less than 10 points in nine of the 12 games this season. Three were shutout wins, with Vanderbilt, Arkansas, and Georgia Tech laying goose eggs against Georgia.
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Alabama Crimson Tide installed as +6.5 underdogs
Alabama will head to the SEC Championship game with a six-game winning streak after beating Auburn, 24-22, in a four-overtime thriller in the Iron Bowl. Bryce Young inspired Alabama in the comeback win, engineering a 12-play, 97-yard drive with 1:35 left in regulation to force overtime.
Young completed 25 of 51 passes for 317 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the win against Auburn. He is the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy this year, with the sophomore quarterback throwing 40 touchdown passes and just four interceptions this campaign. He has amassed 3,901 total yards this season, 876 of which came in Alabama's last two games.
If there is one team that can trouble Georgia's outstanding defense, it is Alabama. The Crimson Tide are ranked seventh nationally in total offense, averaging 492.2 yards per game this season. The bulk of those yards have come through the air, with Alabama averaging 341.8 passing yards per game this campaign, 7th-best in the FBS.
Writer's Prediction
Georgia wins and covers the spread.
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