It all comes down to this. After the dust settled last weekend, we were left with the clearcut two best teams in the nation competing for a championship. And it wasn’t even close. For Bama, it was a 27-6 win over Cincy that featured a heavy dose of the run game. Meanwhile, Georgia handled Michigan to the tune of a 34-11 shellacking.
Georgia knows who their lone loss came to this season. The Tide poured on a 41-24 win behind a massive Bryce Young performance. However, that was with John Metchie III in the mix. Without Metchie, Young was 17/28 for 181 yards, 3 TD and a pick. Now, he didn’t necessarily have to go off, with the Tide going for 301 yards on the ground, but there were no real big plays from the Heisman winner. The “Gingerbread Man” will be a big piece in this one.
Keeping QB play front and center, Stetson Bennett was fantastic against Michigan. 20/30, 313 yards, 3 TD. He was surgical. Against Bama in the SEC championship game, Bennett went 29/48 for 340 yards, 3 TDs and 2 INTs. The Alabama pressure got the Bennett to the tune of three sacks, forcing him into bad throws.
How Georgia Wins | Presented by Kearns, Brinen, & Monaghan
KBM National Champion Pick: Georgia Bulldogs
KBM’s own Brinen LeFevre is a UGA grad, so it’s no surprise that the KBM team will be backing the Bulldogs in tonight’s National Championship. So let’s get to it, how can Georgia take down the Tide?
HOW DOES GEORGIA WIN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP?
It’s simple, really. They have to get to Bryce Young. Too many times in the SEC Championship game, Georgia was absolutely bullied by the Alabama offensive line. They recorded a big fat donut in the sack column and Young had a clean pocket to throw in all night long. Against Michigan, the Bulldogs recorded four sacks and forced two picks. Georgia has more than enough size to get to Young, the question is do they have the motor to do it for 60 minutes. The answer a few weeks ago was no. With the stakes now heightened, this prolific Georgia defense simply has to show up.
How Alabama Wins | Presented by Greektown Grille & Greektown Express
Greektown Grille & Greektown Express National Champion Pick: Alabama Crimson Tide
HOW DOES ALABAMA WIN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP?
Establish the run. We know what the Tide can do to the Bulldogs secondary, but can they run the ball just a little bit like they did against Cincy? This would take some of the pressure off of Young. Brian Robinson Jr went for 204 yards on 26 carries against the Bearcats. However, he struggled against Georgia to the tune of 55 yards on 16 carries. Alabama doesn’t need to run for 200+ to win this game, but some illusion of a run game will help.
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Nick Saban seems to live rent free in Kirby Smart’s head. This isn’t the sole reason to hammer the Alabama ML, but it’s certainly part of it. Georgia being a 2.5 point favorite may surprise some, but to be honest Georgia, not Alabama, has been the best team in college football this season. However, as seen in the SEC Championship game, Alabama has more than enough talent to take them down a second time. If you bet against Nick Saban as an underdog the first time, here is your chance to redeem yourself. Give me the Tide to once again hoist the trophy. We all know how this game ended four years ago.