Championship Monday is here. One SEC team will be going home with a National Championship. Will it be a repeat for the Crimson Tide, or will Georgia get their first National Championship since 1980? It’s a rematch of December’s SEC Championship, where Alabama upset Georgia 41-24. Let’s take a preview of both teams, who are the only teams to be ranked #1 this season:
#1 Alabama (12-1) (8-1 SEC)
Alabama was one loss away from missing out on the College Football Playoff. There has never been a two-loss team in the College Football Playoff, so winning the SEC Championship is the main reason they are here right now. They had to face against the remaining undefeated team in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: Cincinnati, who was ranked #4 in the country. It’s safe to say that was a complete mismatch, as the Crimson Tide won 27-6. Alabama has Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young leading the Tide on offense and top linebacker Will Anderson Jr. on defense. It’s impressive that they’re back in the spotlight this year, after losing many of their starters. Analysts were saying that Alabama’s offensive line would be at their worst this year. Two major transfers came in: WR Jameson Williams, who was spectacular in the past two games, and LB Henry To’o To’o, who is one of their top linebackers. Alabama’s only loss comes on the road against Texas A&M, 41-38.
#3 Georgia (13-1) (8-1 SEC)
This Georgia Bulldogs team came into this season with one of the most highly anticipated matchups of the season: a neutral-site game against Clemson. Georgia shut Clemson’s offense down, holding them to only three points. What is incredible is that there’s only one game where they didn’t allow more than 17 points, and that came in the SEC Championship loss against Alabama. Georgia has a historic scoring defense, averaging 9.6 points against per game. Considering the schedule they have played, that’s unbelievable. Their defense will be key in the rematch against Alabama. Not only did their defense look good in the Capital One Orange Bowl against Michigan, but their offense looked as good as I’ve seen it look. Top defensive tackle Jordan Davis is clearly their best player, with linebacker Nakobe Dean and #1 tight end Brock Bowers leading the way. However, all the pressure will be on quarterback Stetson Bennett, and how he can ignite Georgia’s offense against a tough Alabama defense. Georgia is a 2.5-point favorite, after all.
Prediction:
When Nick Saban’s in the National Championship, never bet against him. Alabama has won seven straight against the Bulldogs, with a 4-0 record in Championship Games (SEC or CFP). Both sides of the ball will matter for both teams, as this will be quite a battle. I’m taking Alabama to repeat as National Champions. The last repeat happened in 2012, by no other than Alabama.
Calhoun's Corner 