State of Play: Georgia hopes to turn back the Tide
When Georgia defeated Alabama 33-18 for the 2021 national championship, it sure seemed the tide — pun intended — had shifted.
Alabama had other plans.
The Crimson Tide have won the past two meetings, the first in the 2023 SEC Championship and the second during last year’s regular season.
With this year’s meeting at Sanford Stadium, you can bet the Bulldogs will do everything they can to start a new streak and a new trend. After all, the winner of this game will be at the front of the pack for the race to the SEC Championship.
Important weekend
Forget the fact that this weekend will be incredibly important for playoff ramifications. A loss for Alabama leaves it with zero margin for error. A loss for Georgia won’t be as devastating, but given the tough schedule ahead, only one slip-up would be allowed.
Mentally, however, Georgia needs this. Since 1994, Alabama is 11-4 against the Bulldogs. The Crimson Tide have won nine out of the last 10 in the series. Kirby Smart’s former employer is the one team that continues to haunt him, outside of the 2021 national championship game.
Of all the games on Georgia’s schedule, this is the one that was circled at the start. Not Texas, not Ole Miss, not Florida, not the North Avenue Trade School. Considering five teams have beaten the once mighty Alabama since Kalen DeBoer took over last year, there’s no reason Georgia can’t be the sixth.
The key to the game
It’s pretty simple, really. The winner of this game will be who gets after the passer more frequently.
In three games, Georgia has recorded only four sacks. The same stat applies to Alabama. Neither team has demonstrated a dominating pass rush yet.
Both teams have also allowed four total sacks each. Whichever team can apply the most pressure will limit big plays and have a bigger say in the game’s outcome.
SEC Everest
Chasing the summit: Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Ole Miss
A camp behind: Texas, Tennessee, Alabama, Vanderbilt, Missouri
Advanced base camp: Auburn, Mississippi State
Base camp: Kentucky, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida
Games of note
Utah State at No. 18 Vanderbilt: If Georgia defeats Alabama and Vanderbilt beats Utah State, the Commodores will be ranked ahead of the Crimson Tide when they meet next week. Anyone know when the last time that occurred? I sure don’t.
No. 4 LSU at No. 13 Ole Miss: The Rebels survived Kentucky by seven points and Arkansas by six. LSU defeated a not-great Clemson team by seven and outlasted Florida by 10. Is it possible both teams are a tad overrated?
Auburn at No. 9 Texas A&M: The Aggies are still riding a high from two weeks ago when they beat Notre Dame 41-40. Auburn played Oklahoma extremely tough and would love nothing more than to upset a top-10 team after such a stinging defeat.
ICYMI
The latest on the right side of Georgia’s offensive line.
Georgia’s pass rush is not a concern for Smart.
Oscar Delp knows how to get his kicks.
One dominant decade is hardly enough for Smart and the Bulldogs.
Georgia-Alabama battles have been memorable on and off the field.