You’re SEC’d out. You will have Alabama fatigue. You’re uninterested in the identical lopsided outcomes on the largest day of the faculty soccer season.
It’s comprehensible. It's anticipated.
However there are many causes to look ahead to the Jan. 10 nationwide championship sport in Indianapolis and to be genuinely excited for the Alabama-Georgia rematch with every part at stake. The title sport, after the Crimson Tide beat the Bulldogs, 41-24, within the SEC championship sport on Dec. 4, has all of the makings of a traditional.
Under are 5 of them:
The expertise
The 2 groups have as much as eight potential first-round picks in April’s NFL draft, and that doesn’t even embrace arguably the highest two prospects within the sport: Alabama quarterback Bryce Younger and edge rusher Will Anderson Jr., the nation’s sack chief with 17.5, neither of whom is but eligible.
The sphere will probably be dotted with future Sunday stars. Alabama has the most effective left deal with within the sport in Evan Neal. Georgia’s protection is plagued by future professionals: dominant defensive deal with Jordan Davis, linebacker Nakobe Dean, defensive finish Travon Walker and broad receiver George Pickens.
NFL scouts will flock to Indianapolis for this matchup. It’s the mix earlier than the mix.
Georgia’s protection is ranked second in yards per sport, whereas Alabama’s is sixth. Alabama’s offense is third in scoring and Georgia’s is ninth. These are the nation’s two greatest groups by a mile, as their respective one-sided Faculty Soccer Playoff semifinal victories confirmed.
The quarterbacks
Alabama’s Younger was as elite as elite recruits get, ranked second within the nation coming into school by 247Sports.com. Georgia’s Stetson Bennett IV was as soon as a walk-on.
Younger turned the primary Crimson Tide quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy and is one victory away from finishing a storybook season, during which he has already set the SEC powerhouse’s document for many landing passes in a season, with 46.
Bennett began the season because the Bulldogs’ backup and has been questioned each step of the best way. He was closely criticized (as was his coach for sticking with him) after the loss to Alabama, solely to reply Friday with arguably the most effective efficiency of his profession within the Orange Bowl, a three-touchdown, 313-yard masterpiece in opposition to Michigan. A victory on Jan 10, and Bennett could have authored a fairytale story Hollywood wouldn’t consider.
The 2 quarterbacks are equally fascinating, and do have similarities as undersized, but powerful and good.
The Metchie impact
Dynamic Alabama receiver John Metchie III’s absence was evident within the Cotton Bowl, when the Crimson Tide resorted to the run to counter shedding its prime weapon. A few of that needed to do with dealing with Cincinnati’s elite secondary, however there is no such thing as a changing Metchie. Bear in mind, when Metchie suffered his torn ACL late within the first half of the SEC championship sport, the Crimson Tide already had constructed a landing lead.
Metchie’s absence will enable Georgia to focus extra on Jameson Williams, who was restricted to seven catches for 62 yards by Cincinnati after destroying the Bulldogs within the SEC ultimate. Alabama received’t simply run via Georgia prefer it was in a position to do in opposition to the Bearcats. A serious benefit has been taken away.
Revenge
Everybody will probably be motivated. It’s the nationwide championship sport. However Georgia could have an additional edge. It has years of pent-up frustration over its seven straight losses to Alabama, the heartbreaking 2018 nationwide title sport loss in time beyond regulation and the SEC title sport a month in the past, during which the Crimson Tide ended the Bulldogs’ excellent season. The highest-ranked scoring protection, specifically, will probably be juiced up, after getting gashed for 536 yards and 41 factors by Younger and firm. Georgia seemed like an indignant crew in its rout of Michigan. Multiply that uncooked emotion a minimum of three-fold for this sport.
The coaches
On one sideline is the best coach of all time, Nick Saban, trying to win his document eighth nationwide championship and seventh at Alabama. On the opposite is his former assistant, Kirby Good, attempting to beat the grasp and win the large one for Georgia. Good and the Bulldogs are literally favored by 2.5 factors, although that’s not as a lot as they had been favored by within the first encounter. Saban, in fact, owns an absurd 25-1 document in opposition to former assistant coaches and can little doubt use the unfold as motivational ammunition.
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