Tag: georgia alabama football

ESPN’s “College GameDay” set to attend Georgia-Alabama in Week 5

“College GameDay” is attending a third consecutive SEC game in Week 5.

ESPN announced that its premier pregame college football show, “College GameDay”, will be attending the matchup of the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs vs. the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide. This is not surprising news considering the hype between these two teams, but it’s great news for Georgia fans.

Georgia-Alabama is a battle of two titans in the SEC people rarely get to see in the regular season, with the SEC flipping to a schedule without divisions this season. It’ll be the first time Nick Saban is not the coach of Alabama against Georgia with Saban sporting an 8-2 record against UGA all-time.

Georgia will be looking to strike to prove they are the new kings of college football. Saban has gone on record praising Georgia numerous times in the past, but Georgia head coach Kirby Smart will view this as an another example of rat poison.

For new head coach Kalen DeBoer, this is the first true test of his coaching tenure with the Crimson Tide. Since DeBoer’s hire, Alabama has had an extremely explosive and balanced offense, scoring 49 points a game, which is tied for No. 7 in the nation. It has been against non-ranked opponents, but it’s been a big turnaround offensively, with the Crimson Tide scoring 49 points only three times last year.

Of course, they’ll have to go up against a Bulldogs team that has allowed only 6 points a game, which is the 4th lowest in the FBS. Who knows what the future holds for this matchup, but this defined rivalry will get a new chapter written on ABC at 7:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 28.

 

UGA football unlikely to make CFP with SEC championship loss

Georgia football has a way to make the College Football Playoff with a loss in the SEC championship, but it is not a realistic path.

The Georgia Bulldogs are not likely to make the College Football Playoff with a loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC championship.

The Michigan Wolverines, Washington Huskies and Florida State Seminoles are undefeated entering their respective conference championship games, which means if any of these teams win, they are in (as would Georgia).

The Texas Longhorns are 11-1 and hold a win over Alabama, so Texas could block the Crimson Tide from making the College Football Playoff. If Georgia fell to Alabama, the Crimson Tide would be ranked over Georgia. The selection committee really values conference championships, which means that Texas (assuming the Longhorns beat Oklahoma State in the Big 12 championship) would make the playoff over Georgia and Alabama if Alabama wins.

Georgia’s only realistic option to make the College Football Playoff is to defeat Alabama in the SEC championship. The Bulldogs’ only other potential path would involve two major upsets in conference championship games. Two of the three would have to happen: Louisville beating Florida State in the ACC championship, Oklahoma State upsetting Texas and Iowa shocking Michigan in the Big Ten championship. In this scenario, Alabama, Georgia, the winner of the Pac-12 championship (Oregon vs. Washington) and one other team would make up the College Football Playoff.

ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) gives Georgia a 52.3% chance of beating Alabama. The Dawgs have a 56.2% of making to College Football Playoff, so (as previously mentioned) there are scenarios where Georgia could make the playoff with a SEC championship loss, but they are highly unlikely.

Georgia’s situation is simple. Win and you’re in. The Bulldogs can’t afford to lose against Alabama in the SEC title game as they did in 2021.