Saturday, Sept. 27
7:30 p.m. Eastern, 4:30 p.m. Pacific
ABC
The SEC football season has two massive games on Saturday. LSU and Ole Miss get the mid-afternoon time slot. Then, in prime time, Alabama goes to Georgia in a game loaded with conference title and College Football Playoff pressure.
Georgia has already passed one big SEC test this season, rallying late to beat Tennessee on the road in overtime. If Georgia can win this game, its chances of going back to the SEC Championship Game to defend its 2024 conference title will rise considerably.
Alabama has already lost to Florida State, meaning that if the Crimson Tide fall here in Athens, they will have two losses before the start of October. They will be on the ropes in the playoff chase. Given that Bama missed the playoff last season, coach Kalen DeBoer really needs to find a way to outsmart Kirby and Georgia in this contest.
Alabama faces massive pressure in Athens
Crimson Tide must go Between the Hedges and win on the road
The reality of the SEC schedule means that at least one or two losses will be part of most seasons. Given that Alabama already lost to Florida State in a nonconference game, the Tide probably have to go through the SEC football season with no more than one loss to feel safe for the College Football Playoff. If Alabama does lose here, the Tide would likely have to run the table the rest of the way. The margins are already small for Bama. They will be microscopic if they can’t find a way past Georgia, at night, on the road. Alabama has painted itself into a corner. Can the Tide find a way out?
Alabama Crimson Tide-Georgia Bulldogs Odds
Hear TJ Rives and Jason Powers break down this game on the 3Dog Thursday Podcast by clicking Play below:
Spread: Alabama +3 (-110), Georgia -3 (-110)
Total: 52.5 (Over -110, Under -110)
Underdog moneyline: Alabama +130
Proving ground for Kalen DeBoer, Ty Simpson
The brilliance of Kalen DeBoer as a football coach emerged in full when he coached Michael Penix, first as a coordinator at Indiana, then a few years later when the two men reunited at Washington and reached the national championship game. DeBoer fell flat on his face with Jalen Milroe last season at Alabama. He could not get the most out of a very athletic signal-caller with speed and muscle.
Kalen DeBoer gets a second chance this season at Alabama with new quarterback Ty Simpson. If DeBoer — whose team was bullied by Florida State — can’t deliver a strong effort against Georgia and gets wiped off the map, it will be hard to deny the notion that DeBoer had a unique relationship with Penix and could simply not thrive in other situations and other quarterback pairings. DeBoer and Ty Simpson have to prove they are for real. It’s as simple as that.
From a pure betting perspective, teams and coaches who don’t deserve the benefit of the doubt should be bet against until they prove they can get it done. Go with Georgia at home.