ALABAMA VS. GEORGIA 2.0
This Saturday the Crimson Tide returns to the scene of the crime. A year ago Tua Tugavolia stole a game from the Bulldogs. It will be a game that Alabama fans will always remember and Georgia fans cannot forget. If the experts are correct, it is a game that Georgia needs a win to play in the College Football Playoffs. The same football gurus believe that Nick Saban´s #1 ranked Tide will make the playoffs regardless of the outcome of the SEC Championship game. Time will tell, but the Crimson Tide is certainly one of the top four teams in the nation. I am certain of one thing. No one who wears the Crimson and White is even thinking about a loss. They are focusing on a win. For Georgia, this may be a revenge game. Revenge may get a player fired up, and it lasts until the opponent knocks you flat on your back. So what do we have?
Alabama is an almost two TD favorite...
The Tide opened as a 10 point favorite. It has moved to 13.5 today. Sports house report that Bama is a heavy betting favorite. The consensus line is now 13.5. Two touchdowns in a championship game is a load. Most of us just want ´Bama to win. A few (wink) need some extra incentive. Expect the line to move to 14 before kickoff as fans continue to bet on Alabama.
Home Field Advantage...
Obviously, Georgia is playing a home game. There will be thousands of Alabama fans in attendance. The ´Dawgs have a five-point advantage playing at home. So is that true against Alabama? Letś look
This season Alabama has played four true road games. The Tide scored 62 on Ole Miss, 65 on Arkansas, 58 on Tennesse, and 29 against LSU. None of those games was remotely close, and a lot of the points scored on Alabama came when the defense was rounding into form or was against non-starters. The Road did not prove to be much of a problem. LSU beat the dog out of Georgia, but Georgia is the best team Alabama has faced in my opinion.
What is so good about Georgia?
They are the best-balanced offensive team the Tide has faced. Fromm* is a good quarterback with a great arm. His receivers are very good. The running backs are the best Alabama has faced. The Georgia offensive line is a good run blocking unit. They have given up 16 sacks. That is kind of a hidden statistic. Fro a run happy team like Georgia it means that Fromm is not always given the best protection. ´Bama has given up 12 sacks but the Tide is using passing as their best weapon. Fromm is completing 69% of his passes. That is 2% less than Tua. The real meaning of those numbers means that when Georgia throws the ball the chances are 7 out of 10 some catches the ball. Essentially, that is the same for ´Bama, but the Tide throws downfield much more often.
Georgia's special teams are very special...
and honestly, Alabama is iffy in placekicking and punting. Alabama decided to put Skylar Delong on the bench. Mike Bernie, a walk-on Senior, was given a shot. He has been the punter since Tennessee. He is not J.K. Scott, but who is? Bernie had one blocked last week against the Barn. His protection broke down. Some blame Mike for being slow in getting the kickoff. I don't think that has much merit. Look for Georgia to overload one side. That is what AU did with success. Georgia has the SEC's premier placekicker. Rodrigo Blankenship looks like he loves Buddy Holly with those black horn-rim glasses he wears. He is 19-22 on field goal attempts and hasn't missed an extra point since being a 'Dawg.
Alabama has missed five extra points this season. Joseph Bulovas was the countries best field goal recruit his senior year. It must have been a bad year for a kicker, huh? He has had such a tough time that a lot of fans wish the Tide would go for two everytime they score.
IMO ...
I believe that Alabama should win this game. If the Tide can avoid a scenario where they don't need a kick to win, or for Georgia to win it would great. I think Bama is going to have success running the ball, and then Tua will let his arm unleash lighting bolts. I like Bama 42 -24.
*Fromm originally committed to Alabama.
Alabama is an almost two TD favorite...
The Tide opened as a 10 point favorite. It has moved to 13.5 today. Sports house report that Bama is a heavy betting favorite. The consensus line is now 13.5. Two touchdowns in a championship game is a load. Most of us just want ´Bama to win. A few (wink) need some extra incentive. Expect the line to move to 14 before kickoff as fans continue to bet on Alabama.
Home Field Advantage...
Obviously, Georgia is playing a home game. There will be thousands of Alabama fans in attendance. The ´Dawgs have a five-point advantage playing at home. So is that true against Alabama? Letś look
This season Alabama has played four true road games. The Tide scored 62 on Ole Miss, 65 on Arkansas, 58 on Tennesse, and 29 against LSU. None of those games was remotely close, and a lot of the points scored on Alabama came when the defense was rounding into form or was against non-starters. The Road did not prove to be much of a problem. LSU beat the dog out of Georgia, but Georgia is the best team Alabama has faced in my opinion.
What is so good about Georgia?
They are the best-balanced offensive team the Tide has faced. Fromm* is a good quarterback with a great arm. His receivers are very good. The running backs are the best Alabama has faced. The Georgia offensive line is a good run blocking unit. They have given up 16 sacks. That is kind of a hidden statistic. Fro a run happy team like Georgia it means that Fromm is not always given the best protection. ´Bama has given up 12 sacks but the Tide is using passing as their best weapon. Fromm is completing 69% of his passes. That is 2% less than Tua. The real meaning of those numbers means that when Georgia throws the ball the chances are 7 out of 10 some catches the ball. Essentially, that is the same for ´Bama, but the Tide throws downfield much more often.
Georgia's special teams are very special...
and honestly, Alabama is iffy in placekicking and punting. Alabama decided to put Skylar Delong on the bench. Mike Bernie, a walk-on Senior, was given a shot. He has been the punter since Tennessee. He is not J.K. Scott, but who is? Bernie had one blocked last week against the Barn. His protection broke down. Some blame Mike for being slow in getting the kickoff. I don't think that has much merit. Look for Georgia to overload one side. That is what AU did with success. Georgia has the SEC's premier placekicker. Rodrigo Blankenship looks like he loves Buddy Holly with those black horn-rim glasses he wears. He is 19-22 on field goal attempts and hasn't missed an extra point since being a 'Dawg.
Alabama has missed five extra points this season. Joseph Bulovas was the countries best field goal recruit his senior year. It must have been a bad year for a kicker, huh? He has had such a tough time that a lot of fans wish the Tide would go for two everytime they score.
IMO ...
I believe that Alabama should win this game. If the Tide can avoid a scenario where they don't need a kick to win, or for Georgia to win it would great. I think Bama is going to have success running the ball, and then Tua will let his arm unleash lighting bolts. I like Bama 42 -24.
*Fromm originally committed to Alabama.
