Four downs: Sports columnist Scott Rabalais dissects the Georgia-Alabama SEC title game
Sports columnist Scott Rabalais breaks down Saturday’s SEC championship game between Georgia and Alabama:
1. MAKE NO MISTAKE
Alabama’s thin College Football Playoff hopes would be nonexistent if the Crimson Tide hadn’t pulled off that miracle fourth-and-31 pass to beat Auburn, a play ESPN estimated had a 0.01% chance of succeeding. This followed a shotgun snap Jalen Milroe wasn’t ready for that he had to pounce on for a huge loss, and his illegal forward pass over the line of scrimmage to set up the winning play. Alabama got away with it against an average Auburn team, but Georgia is far superior. The Crimson Tide needs to play as error free as possible to pull off the upset.
2. 30 FOR 30
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck has been a more than adequate substitute for two-time CFP champion Stetson Bennett, throwing for 3,495 yards and 22 touchdowns. But the Bulldogs offense moves more effectively on the ground than it does through the air. Georgia averages 185.6 yards per game rushing, led by Daijun Edwards and Kendall Milton, who have combined for 1,455 yards and 21 rushing touchdowns. Alabama is physical and talented as always, but the defense is vulnerable to the run. Auburn rushed for 244 yards last week. If Auburn can do that, Georgia is even more of a threat.
3. GET AHEAD, STAY AHEAD
Georgia is a 5½-point choice over Alabama, the first time all season that the Bulldogs haven’t been a double-digit favorite. Georgia ended up winning nine of its 12 games by double digits, the closest calls 27-20 at Auburn, 30-21 versus Missouri and 31-23 last week at Georgia Tech. The Bulldogs have allowed the opposition to score first in seven of their 12 games, including a 10-0 first-quarter deficit at Auburn. Georgia has been more than good enough to win most of those games going away, but Alabama — that old miracle worker — isn’t going to just allow itself to get run over.
