SEC Championship: Is Alabama Capable of Beating UGA?

The 2021 season has looked different than most seasons in the SEC. For The University of Georgia, it has been refreshing to be the most dominant team in the SEC. Obviously, over the last 10 seasons, Alabama has been the perennial SEC champion and big brother of the entire league. In a turn of events, Alabama is now the underdog in this SEC championship matchup as UGA comes into the game undefeated and Alabama has one loss on their record. Despite the general consensus of UGA fans alike, until the game is over, we cannot crown UGA as the best team in the SEC. 

University of Georgia 

Coming into this game, UGA is the only SEC  unbeaten and the only SEC team likely to make the playoff even with a loss this week. Through the 2021 season, the pure dominance of UGA has been expected due to their rock-solid run game and suffocating defense. Without weighing heavily on numbers, UGA is in the top 5 for rushing yardage offensively and rushing defense. While the passing game has not been their money maker, they have been extremely effective when throwing the ball and now with Stetson Bennett playing well, the UGA team has hit their stride. 

The UGA defense forced three shutouts this season, held teams to less than 3 yards per carry, and was the top-ranked passing defense in this matchup. They have the uncanny ability to create scoring opportunities for their offense which undoubtedly increases the offensive production in the process. By suffocating the run game, UGA forces teams to throw the ball and then create turnovers. With this formula, Alabama may not be as susceptible considering that they have a similar defensive philosophy.  

The two players that dictate UGA’s success in this game include Linebacker Nakobe Dean and Quarterback Stetson Bennett. Defensively, Nakobe Dean has put up great numbers that have anchored the Georgia defense. He currently has 5 sacks on the season and 2 interceptions. His impact is typically immediate and he can be devastating for offenses. A big game by Stetson Bennett is essential for a UGA to win. Stetson Bennett has been a good game manager, but with a great running game, we have yet to see the team rely heavily on their quarterback and in a quarterback-heavy matchup, UGA does not match up well with Alabama. 

University of Alabama 

For Alabama fans, this season has been unlike many seasons in recent years. The University of Alabama has lost only 4 games since 2018 and despite their one loss this season, they are deemed as vastly inferior when compared to UGA. Despite losing to a solid Texas A&M team, they otherwise have shown how well they can finish a game.  

Alabama has obviously shown a different identity in that they are predominantly passing and have seemed to abandon the run game due to the lack of depth. However, Alabama’s offense has still been able to produce on a high level and put up major yards. 

The star power in Alabama’s offense is still present in Bryce Young and receivers like Jameson Williams. Bryce Young is in his first season as a starter and yet he has proven to be a winner. In high-pressure situations, Bryce Young is like an elite point guard that commands the entire attention of the defense. Defensively, it will be a full team effort, but the defense is surely capable of coming up with big plays in crucial situations. 

If you have made it this far, great because now things get real. 

Things to Consider

• Strength of Schedule 

Alabama’s SEC West schedule is surely better than Georgia’s but when you compare the margin of victory against similar opponents, UGA has the upper hand. However, UGA’s best SEC East competition was the University of Kentucky, who they beat 30-13. 

• Alabama Defense vs Georgia Offense

We all know that Alabama’s offense is high flying and the UGA defense has given up an average of 7 points a game. This matchup may be one of the most competitive of the season, but with uncertainty around Stetson Bennett’s play and Alabama’s defensive struggles at times, the great equalizer for both teams will be in this matchup.

Writer

-By: Lemarkus Bailey