Two teams with a decorated history, two prestigious schools, but only one can be the SEC Champion this weekend. Georgia and Alabama prepare to do battle for the richest prize in the South, as well as an opportunity to build momentum ahead of the College Football Playoffs, with Georgia currently ranked No. 4.
At the same time, Alabama comes in at No. 10, and a loss for them could potentially keep them out of the CFP this season, depending on how other conference championships and the committee’s decisions unfold.
Bulldogs’ Path to the SEC Championship
The Bulldogs began the year with a 3-0 start before eventually suffering their only loss of the season, to their SEC Championship opponent, the Alabama Crimson Tide.
From there, Georgia would roll through the remainder of their schedule, going undefeated en route to an 11-1 overall record, along with key conference wins against Ole Miss, Florida, and Texas.
Led by junior quarterback Gunner Stockton, the Bulldogs’ offense has averaged 32.6 points per game this season, but will need to turn it up a notch as their last three contests have only seen an average of 28.7.
Defensively, the Bulldogs remain one of the strongest units in the nation, allowing an average of just 17.6 points and 90 rush yards per game.
Crimson Tide’s Path to the SEC Championship
Alabama’s season got off to an interesting start, losing to Florida State on the road before defeating four conference-ranked opponents during an eight-game win streak that led up to a heavyweight bout between Oklahoma and the Crimson Tide.
The Tide would lose by two points, but with a win against Auburn this past weekend, it put them in the picture for a shot at the SEC title.
Heisman hopeful Ty Simpson has had a stellar year, throwing for over 3,000 yards through the regular season, along with 27 total touchdowns.
Aside from the loss to OU, Alabama has proved to be able to beat the rest of its SEC competition cleanly and has already claimed a win against the Bulldogs early on in the season.
SEC Championship Game
Plenty of eyes will be watching the SEC Championship as ESPN’s College Game Day will be heading to Atlanta this weekend.
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This matchup marks the fifth SEC title in which these two teams will meet up with one another. Alabama currently leads the series 4-1.
The last time these two teams faced off for the SEC Championship, Alabama defeated Georgia 27-24.
