No. 9 Alabama and No. 3 Georgia will square off inside the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in a battle for the SEC title.
Saturday’s game will be the 76th meeting between the two teams and the second this season, with the Crimson Tide a 24-21 winner in the previous meeting. Alabama holds a perfect 4-0 record against the Bulldogs in SEC Championship Games.
Here are a few things to look for in the SEC Championship Game.
- Home Away From Home
While Mercedes-Benz Stadium is in Georgia’s backyard, the Crimson Tide have had a ton of success in the building. Since the stadium was built back in 2017, Alabama has enjoyed a perfect 8-0 record. Wins include three neutral-site kickoff games, four SEC championships and one national championship.
- Eliminate Explosive Runs
In the first meeting between the two teams, Georgia ran wild on the Alabama defense for 227 yards and two touchdowns. Chauncey Bowens led the Georgia rushers with 119 yards on just 12 attempts. Explosive runs have plagued the Alabama defense early in the season, but as of late, the chunk plays have become fewer and fewer. Limiting the big plays from Georgia's rushing attack will be crucial to victory.
- Can Alabama Repeat Third Down Success?
Alabama had an enormous amount of success on third down in the previous meeting with Georgia. The Crimson Tide stayed ahead of the chains on first and second downs that led to manageable third downs. Extending offensive drives was key to Alabama’s victory and will once again be key to victory on Saturday.
- Win the Turnover Battle
When Alabama wins the turnover battle, it usually wins the game. Alabama boasts a +8 turnover margin while Georgia has a -1 margin. The Crimson Tide’s loss to Oklahoma was large in part due to the multiple turnovers that Alabama lost. It will be important for the Crimson Tide defense to be active and force a couple of turnovers against the Georgia offense.
- Establish the Run Game
Easier said than done, as Georgia boasts the No. 6 rush defense in the country, while Alabama is near the bottom of the pack in rush yards per game. When these two teams met earlier in the season, the Crimson Tide didn’t find much success, but enough to keep the offense balanced. Alabama and the offensive staff had to get creative to establish the run, and on Saturday, it will have to do the same. A Kadyn Proctor 11-yard rush was the longest running play of the day for the Crimson Tide, but it showed the commitment Alabama had to establish the run by all means necessary.
Alabama will play Georgia in the SEC Championship Game Saturday at 3 p.m. The game will be televised on ABC.
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