It’s Georgia vs. Alabama. Saturday night in Athens. Sanford Stadium will be blacked out. Let’s hope they aren’t going to the Dawg’s funeral. Let’s get to the preview.
Between the Hedges: Georgia vs. Alabama
What Are the Game Details?
Opponent: Alabama
History: Alabama leads the series 44-26-4.
Last meeting: Alabama defeated Georgia 41-34 last year.
Date and Time: Saturday, Sept. 27 | 7:30 p.m. EST
Location: Vince Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium.
Television: ABC
Spread: #GoDawgs -2.5
What Should You Know About Alabama?
After a rough start against Florida State, Ty Simpson has been efficient for Alabama. He has completed 71.9% of his passes for 862 yards and nine touchdowns with zero interceptions. Simpson and the Tide have an embarrassment of riches at the wide receiver position that will challenge Georgia.
- Ryan Williams is a major deep threat and a breakout star who was an All-SEC selection last season. He has two touchdowns on the season and is averaging 19.5 yards per catch.
- Germie Bernard, a transfer from Washington, is back and was a leading receiver last year. He leads the Tide with 15 receptions for 275 yards and 3 touchdowns, averaging 18.3 yards per catch.
- Isaiah Horton, a transfer from Miami, adds a veteran presence and a strong deep-threat option at 6-foot-4. Horton has nine receptions for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns this season.
What Should You Expect From Georgia on Offense?
Can Georgia’s offensive line keep opening lanes in the run game and give Gunner Stockton the time he needs to throw? It’s been a season of transition up front, with guys heading to the draft and others hitting the portal. That’s opened the door for some young players to step in. Juan Gaston and Earnest Greene III have been part of that mix this week. Smart shared about the work the two have put in this season.
“Just working hard. That’s all they can do right now—put their heads down, grind, and keep getting better. We’ll continue to develop them and move guys around on both the right and left sides. There’s a lot of work to go around, and these guys are taking it on.” Look for Gaston to make the move from guard to tackle this weekend. The 6’7″ freshman was one of the top recruits in the nation and will be looking to make some big plays against the Tide on Saturday night.
What Should You Expect From Georgia on Defense?
It’s time for the Georgia secondary to step up. The Georgia secondary was exposed in their matchup two weeks ago in Knoxville. The Vols were able to hit big plays and deep threats against the Georgia secondary. Smart addressed how he, the team, and his staff have worked with the secondary to improve against the Tide.”I think they’ve challenged themselves. We’ve done a lot of things with them to challenge them in terms of competition, in terms of drills, in terms of changes. So, I’m looking forward to seeing those guys go out and compete, and they’ve got a hell of an opportunity because they’ve got a really good quarterback and skill group to play against.” Alabama has a talented secondary. It’s time for KJ Bolden to step up.
Who Wins Georgia vs. Alabama?
Tight End Oscar Delp was asked what has to be different on Saturday from the tale of two halves game last year in Tuscaloosa. Delp was honest, but shared what is necessary for Georgia to come out on top Saturday night. “We had a lot of communication issues, just not everyone being on the same page and, you know, just things that we hurt ourselves,” Delp said. “I think that’s a big thing we focused on is just, you know, doing our job, communicating with everyone, being on the same page with everyone. I mean, they’re a physical team. They’re physical every year. They’ve got playmakers every year. We know what kind of game it’s going to be. It’s going to be a physical game, and we’re excited. For it to be at home at night, it’s going to be really, really fun.”
Georgia: 38
Alabama: 27
Main Photo: Alan Poizner-Imagn Images
