SEC Championship Preview (and others): Georgia v Alabama, folks
Before the season, if you said that Georgia and Alabama would be playing this weekend at the SEC Championship Game, you wouldn’t have batted an eyelid.
But after the Alabama generally dreadful performances at the start of the season, including one where Crimson Tide had struggled – and I mean struggled – against South Florida, the prevailing thought that they wouldn’t make it was 60-40.
Alabama was definitely helped by three factors: LSU couldn’t find a defense, and Auburn couldn’t work out a defense on 4th and 31. Oh, and Lane Kiffin continued his trend of ineptitude against Top 10 opponents. The third was Jalin Milroe, a freshman out of Katy, TX, who ran like Vince Young and had enough of his arm to hit his extremely capable wide receivers.
While in Athens, Georgia fans were definitely worried after the injury to Brock Bowers, but suddenly Death Star Georgia got its lasers into action, and most of the teams in their way were Alderaan. Except Georgia Tech last Saturday. The Yellow Jackets battled Georgia until the end, helped by a mound of Georgia mistakes and generally poor play.
Georgia and Alabama could argue that both teams were looking forward to their date on Saturday, but rivalry game bragging rights just don’t work like that….
WHY GEORGIA WILL WIN
Because right now, Georgia’s playing better than anyone else in the league. The defense is suffocating after generally starting slowly. Their secondary is the best in the SEC (178.5 yards/game). The rushing defense isn’t as good as usual – 28th nationally – but it’s still exceptional. And they are 6th-best in the country in scoring defense, which is best in the SEC.
Offensively, Carson Beck has been increasingly gone from game manager to damned good quarterback. Brock Bowers will be refreshened after a week off (he was out due to ankle soreness, but still looking rather cheery on the sidelie), and Ladd McConkey – also with an ankle issue – is only questionable after picking up an injury against Tennessee. We expect Dominic Lovett and Dominic Bell to pick up some slack.
But if Bowers is fully healthy, God help Bama. He can do everything, and no-one’s been able to stop him for the past, er, 3 years.
Running the ball, Kendall Milton has average 116 yards in the last 3 games, and will give an alternate problem to an Alabama defense giving up over 128 yards per game.
WHY ALABAMA WILL WIN
Jalin Milroe is like Vince Young. He doesn’t have a wonderful arm, but my good Lord does he have some wheels. Any hole that Alabama’s offensive line – which has improved in recent weeks – gives him, and he’ll be picking up 10 to 12 yards a shot.
Their running game – Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams – is also good enough to punch UGA in the mouth should Kirby Smart try and stop Millroe by playing a more zone-y defense.
Wide receivers-wise, former Georgia WR Jermaine Burton and Iron Bowl hero Isaiah Bond would cause any secondary fits.
On the other side of the ball, Alabama’s defense is pretty solid. Auburn hurt them because of Hugh Freeze’s inventive play-calling. We’re not sure that Mike Bobo is that inventive.
If Carson Beck does push the ball long, then Mssrs McKinstrey and Caleb Downs could spell trouble for the UGA quarterback.
SO WHO WILL WIN?
It’s going to be a rock fight. Some might say it’s going to be a really rather dull one, with both sides living on the opponents 35 yard line, and the only points scored off the odd mistake and a bunch of field goals.
I came out with questions about both sides in their final game of the season, save to say this: Both sides couldn’t have played an awful lot worse.
PREDICTION: Georgia win the SEC!! Georgia 24, Alabama 17.
OTHER GAMES OUT THERE
As I send this out again, Washington beat Oregon 34-31 in an incredible game. Book in the Huskies for a spot!!
ACC Championship Game: No.4 Florida State (-2.5) v No.14 Louisville (Charlotte): Tate Rodemaker has a week more of practice as the starter in Tallahassee, and he comes off a pretty good performance in nasty circumstances in The Swamp. Saturday night’s event in Charlotte will be far more staid. Florida State has weapons all over the shop, and we’re not entirely sure Louisville does. Could Louisville try and slow the game down to keep Florida State’s high-octane offense (which is going to be centred more on RB Trey Benson than his QB’s arm)? PREDICTION: Florida State stays perfect. And if they have a 10 point lead, look for them to really go for it on 4th down and try and pad it out for the Committee. Florida State 38, Louisville 17.
Big Ten Championship Game: No.2 Michigan (-21.5) v Iowa (Indianapolis): Iowa’s going to suffocate Michigan for the first quarter, but get absolutely nothing going offensively. And the “absolutely nothing going offensively” will last all game long, because Iowa has been doing just that for the last 3 years. Michigan will hit a gear, and the game will be over. Michigan will then run the score up, in an attempt to get that No.1 seed. PREDICTION: Michigan rolls. And rolls. And rolls. Michigan 38, Iowa 3.