After that night in September, did you think this Georgia team would be here with a chance to put an important number on the wall and a trophy in the case? I admit I wasn’t sure especially given the defensive problems we saw 2 weeks prior in Knoxville on top of the mess we saw in Sanford that night. If so, I’ll give you the title “ball knower.”
On the other sideline is the nuisance (I like that term over nemesis) … the Bammers. They may be playing for their playoff fortunes and their ability to be Lucy to our Charlie Brown.
Let’s get to the preview.
When Georgia has the ball
Can the Dawgs run for 230 yards against Alabama again? If so, I love our chances. Other than the last quarter and a half in Indianapolis, I’ve never seen a Georgia offensive line dominate a Bama defensive line as they did that night in Athens during the Saban era and beyond.
Mixed with a passing game that has become dangerous (last Friday not withstanding), this offense could be high powered and force Bama to do something they may not be built for at this point … win a true shootout. Drew Bobo’s injury couldn’t have happened at a less opportune time. Will that be neutralized by LT Overton’s absence due to illness? That may be the storyline to follow throughout the game.
When Alabama has the ball
Do Schumann and Smart have a better game plan than they did in September (especially on 3rd down)? Teams that have attacked Ty Simpson have had success. The Bama running game has been pretty lousy by their standard this year. The Dawgs are coming off their best defensive performance since Clemson 2024 as they put a UFC chokehold on the vaunted Faulkner/King offense (Side note – What does Faulkner’s decision to leave in a lateral move for Hogtown tell you about his faith in Key?).
Can Georgia get pressure on Simpson and control the Tide’s running game effectively? I think the outcome hinges on this. If the Dawgs’ rapidly improving front 7 can manage the game, we’ll be happy with the outcome.
What will happen
I don’t think there’s any doubt the suits in Birmingham (plus the other 15 presidents and athletic directors) want Bama in the CFP. It ju$t mean$ more. To what extent will the SEC go to get their way, that’s tin foil hat kind of stuff.
What is real and spectacular is Bama privilege. Therefore, we’re likely to be playing 11 vs. 19 all night long.
At this point, I’m asking the team to show me it can beat Bama plus the refs before I pick them.
Someone send me a crow au vin recipe and soap to wash out my mouth. I won’t be placing a bet on this, so, no, I’m not putting my money where my mouth is.
Final score: Alabama 28, Georgia 24