The No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide take on the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game. The game kicks off at 4:00 p.m. ET in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Bulldogs are listed as 1.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at O/U 48.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction and best bet for the SEC Championship Game.
Alabama vs. Georgia prediction, preview
Alabama Preview
The Crimson Tide are likely in the College Football Playoff regardless of the result in this game. However, Kalen DeBoer is still working to earn the trust of this fanbase and would love to add a conference title to the trophy cabinet to get the ball rolling in his Alabama tenure. In the middle of the season, Alabama looked like the best team in the country, not named Ohio State. However, the Tide have not been playing their best in recent weeks. Star receiver Ryan Williams has become a non-factor for unknown reasons, and quarterback Ty Simpson’s play has declined, possibly due to a lingering injury. Alabama will also be without one of its top defensive players, defensive end LT Overton, for this game. If Ty Simpson is healthier and able to hit some deep shots, Alabama has a good chance to win the game. However, if the passing game isn’t clicking, this team could be in trouble.
Georgia Preview
Unlike Alabama, Georgia is playing some of its best football of the season. The Bulldogs beat Ole Miss and Florida, dominated Mississippi State and Texas, then controlled the game in a win over a good Georgia Tech team to close the season. Now, Kirby Smart wants to get the monkey off his back. He is 1-7 in his career against Alabama, including 0-3 in SEC Championship Games. Smart hoped that Nick Saban was the problem, but Kalen DeBoer is now 2-0 against Georgia as well since arriving at Alabama. The Bulldogs are the defending SEC champions and have a lot of players who won the conference in Atlanta last season against Texas, including quarterback Gunner Stockton.
Stockton entered the game early against Texas after Carson Beck went down with an injury. Stockton managed the game well and led Georgia to a win, and he has started every game for them since then. Stockton has really developed as a passer throughout this season. He is a good athlete and Georgia has one of the nation’s best rushing attacks. However, Stockton adding a more reliable passing game to the offense later in the season has made a big difference. This Georgia team is definitely better than the one that lost to Alabama earlier this season.
Alabama vs. Georgia pick, best bet
My best bet for this game is Georgia on the moneyline at -120. The Bulldogs have been much stronger down the stretch than Alabama has been. Alabama beat Georgia head-to-head at the beginning of SEC play, but even in that matchup, Georgia was the better team for most of the game. Alabama has now sputtered down the stretch, scraping by against South Carolina, losing to Oklahoma and then narrowly avoiding an upset in the Iron Bowl. The Bulldogs had a bit of a sluggish performance against Georgia Tech, but they still controlled that game the whole way. Apart from that game, they steamrolled Texas and Mississippi State, plus got a great win over Ole Miss. The Bulldogs have the more well-rounded team, the better coach and should get the job done in Atlanta.
