The 2018 SEC Championship Game is setting up to be one for the ages.
After all, it was less than 11 months ago that Alabama and Georgia gave us the greatest national championship game of all time. Now the same two teams are about to do it again in the exact same stadium. (RELATED: Alabama Is Spending A Shocking Amount On New Sports Facilities. Is It Too Much?)
Since Tua Tagovailoa’s perfect spiral landed in the outstretched arms of Crimson Tide wide receiver Devonta Smith on that cold, Atlanta night, the entire country has been salivating at the thought of a rematch and now it’s finally here.
This season, Alabama enters the game as the clear favorite, with most odds-makers predicting the Crimson Tide to win by double digits. This notion doesn’t take into account how well the Bulldogs have been playing of late.
Most of the country seemed to forget about Georgia after a blowout loss to LSU. This ignores how much better the ‘Dawgs have been since that came. Quarterback Jake Fromm has been one of the most efficient passers in the country this season, and the Bulldogs rushing attack might even be better than it was a season ago, with backup quarterback Justin Fields getting into a rhythm on the ground, and D’andre swift leading a talented three-man backfield. Georgia may not beat Alabama on Saturday, but we need to dispel with the notion that they can’t beat Alabama.
The Crimson Tide are the best team in the country, but they are not unbeatable. The blueprint came a few weeks ago when Mississippi State brought the pressure on Tua and was able to stifle Alabama’s offense. These Bulldogs will likely have a similar game-plan but will be in a much better position to score in order to keep up.
Georgia has the type of team that could potentially beat Alabama. Despite predictions of a blowout, this is shaping up to be an instant classic of a game. In fact, the tea leaves are trending towards a Big Bulldogs upset.
On the other hand, it simply doesn’t seem wise to bet against Nick Saban in a big game and it doesn’t seem wise to bet against Tua Tagovailoa in a big moment.
Alabama will survive with a late score and the undefeated season will continue.