Tension will be palpable on Saturday afternoon in Atlanta, as Georgia and Alabama meet once again in the SEC Championship Game.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart has had a dominant tenure in Athens, winning two national championships and building one of the nation’s most elite programs. Smart, however, is only 1-7 straight up (SU) against Alabama and hasn’t beaten the tide since the national title game in January 2022.
Is Georgia due to finally beat its nemesis again? Would the College Football Playoff committee hold a loss against Alabama and exclude the Tide from the 12-team field?
Before we get to a pick, let’s not overlook how dominant these teams have been in the SEC and how incredible the games are when these two juggernauts take the field against each other.
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One of these teams has won the SEC title each of the last five years and 10 of the last 11 years. Two seasons ago, Alabama beat Georgia in the SEC Championship to break the Dawgs’ 29-game winning streak, ending Georgia’s hopes of winning a third straight national title. That result led to one of the great college football controversies in recent memory, as Alabama displaced undefeated Florida State in the College Football Playoff.
These squads met earlier in the season, with Alabama winning 24-21 and ending Georgia’s 33-game home winning streak.
That being said, I like Georgia to get revenge on Saturday.
Last week against Auburn, Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson was seen getting treatment on the sidelines after absorbing a number of big hits, and concerns about his health continue to linger. Despite the loss in October, Georgia averaged 6.7 yards per play in that game, while Alabama only averaged 5.2 and won the game despite not scoring in the second half.
I think Georgia, with a defense that’s improved over the course of the season, comes into this game in better form. The Dawgs ran for 227 yards in the regular-season meeting and have a more balanced offense and much better rushing attack than Bama. This is not the vintage Georgia team that won back-to-back titles a few years back, but beating Kirby & Co. twice in the same season is still a tall task.
A Georgia win would likely give the Dawgs a first-round bye in the Playoff and make for a nerve-filled Sunday morning for Alabama.
I like Georgia in what should be another incredible edition of this rivalry.
PICK: Georgia (-2.5) to win by more than 2.5 points
Will Hill, a contributor on the Bear Bets Podcast, has been betting on sports for over a decade. He is a betting analyst who has been a host on VSiN, as well as the Goldboys Network.
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