David Pollack believes pressure is on Georgia to beat Alabama

Alabama and Georgia are set to meet this weekend in a race that will set the early tone of the SEC race, with both programs expected to vie for the league title this season.

College football analyst David Pollack joined the Always College Football podcast with Greg McElroy to discuss the game.

In particular, they kicked around the topic of which team faces more pressure. Pollack believes it’s Georgia, in part because Alabama has had the team’s number in recent years. It’s on the Bulldogs to prove that was temporary, perhaps even a product of Nick Saban being there.

That’s where the pressure comes in.

“Everybody was like it is Saban, but now it’s a new era and it’s (Kalen) DeBoer, and if it starts off on the wrong foot… listen, Georgia fans know, like Alabama’s had their number,” Pollack explained. “The year they broke through and won a natty, when they played them they had lost to them already in the SEC Championship Game, so they still lost to them.”

The two have played in some monster matchups in the past decade, and this will be another big one. But at least with this one there is time to recover afterward.

Pollack, though, pointed out that’s more true for Alabama than Georgia.

“I think Georgia’s going to be very interesting to me. Their schedule sucks, and we talked about this all year long,” Pollack said. “The best team in the country, you can give me the best team last year or the last 10 years, are going to lose at least one game with their schedule. So if this is the one you choose to lose, Greg, you still play at Texas, you still play at Ole Miss, you still host Tennessee. So I think this is an important game.”

Alabama simply doesn’t face the same degree of pressure in this one, according to Pollack.

“Listen, I don’t think Alabama’s schedule, by any means, is easy,” he said. “But compared to Georgia’s it’s pretty easy. So I think where does Georgia get a loss? I think Carson Beck, to me, like I’ve seen Carson Beck be better than he has this year so far. They’re going to need him to be great. Slowing down Alabama and this offense that’s been pretty historic good is, I think you start to question where they’re at.

“But I think Georgia’s solidified themselves at the top of the mountain. I don’t think that’s going to change, but now I think if that were to happen, and that’s what we’re doing, we’re picking if that were to happen, I think it says a lot about Alabama, and it’s going to say a lot about their chances to be right back where they’re used to being. And it says Kalen DeBoer’s new reign is a lot like Nick Saban’s. I think that’s a fair assessment if Alabama wins the football game.”