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ESPN: One key factor to watch in SEC Championship Game

20200517_134556by:Justin Rudolph•12/03/21
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ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 27: Zamir White #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium on November 27, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Adam Hagy/Getty Images)

This Saturday’s conference championship game slate could change the College Football Playoff like never before, and ESPN has what you need to know. With six of the nine teams with a chance to make the playoffs set to play on Saturday, it’s anybody’s guess on who makes it into the final four.

One of the biggest games taking place on Saturday is the Southeastern Conference Championship Game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs.

The team over at ESPN have broken down the tale of the tape and this is their one key point to be mindful of in this heavyweight showdown.

One key: Bryce Young‘s sack rate.

“After averaging 42.7 points per game against its first six power conference opponents, Alabama averaged only 24.0 points (in regulation) against LSU, Arkansas and Auburn. Opponents are doing a better job of taking away quarterback Bryce Young’s quickest reads and making him freeze a bit: Young went from taking sacks on 5.6% of his dropbacks and throwing 30.3% of his passes at or behind the line to 9.9% and 18.8%, respectively. He’s completing more downfield passes, but at a price,” wrote Bill Connelly of ESPN.

“Georgia has the best defense in the country. The Dawgs harass quarterbacks without blitzing (ninth in sack rate, 80th in blitzes per dropback) and swallow up short passes. Auburn held Young to 4.9 yards per dropback last week, and Georgia’s pass defense is quite a bit better than Auburn’s. Can the Tide make enough plays to keep up.”

Finebaum does not see Georgia getting upset

There are a few important games on the weekend slate in college football, and the results will have drastic impacts on the postseason picture. Georgia vs. Alabama in the SEC Championship might be the most important game of them all, and Paul Finebaum joined the Dan Patrick Show to preview the matchup.

Georgia finished the regular season undefeated. The Bulldogs are already locked into a spot in the College Football Playoff. Alabama, though, finished the regular season 11-1 and needs a win to solidify its chances in the playoff. While Alabama has had Georgia’s number in the past, Finebaum thinks that this year’s SEC Championship will be different.

“I think it’s pretty low,” Finebaum said of Alabama’s chances at upsetting Georgia on the Dan Patrick Show. “And you’re talking to somebody who’s spent most of his life in Alabama. Not that our predictions matter, but I will give you a stat. I have not picked against Alabama since the Iron Bowl in 2010 when Cam Newton was the Auburn quarterback. And by the way, they’ve only been an underdog one time since then. So it’s not like I’m really doing anything or going against Vegas. You would be very wealthy if you had bet on Alabama every game over the last 11 years.”