With the title game just a few hours away, it\u2019s time for a Buffalo Wins preview and prediction. \u00a0I don\u2019t think this game will rate very highly unless you live in the southeast part of the country. \u00a0I don\u2019t think it was any sort of SEC bias, but I do understand people not loving a team that didn\u2019t even win it\u2019s division, less its own conference be in the playoff. \u00a0Before you jump on the 8-team playoff bandwagon, I think you are sorely mistaken for asking for that. \u00a0Consider that if we went to eight teams, even with putting UCF in on some weird group of 5 rule, Auburn would\u2019ve made the playoff as well. \u00a0Expanding the playoff won\u2019t mean it\u2019s less likely to get inter-conference games for the title, it means it will be more likely. \u00a0It also means it will increase the chances of non-conference champs from winning the title. \u00a0I\u2019m just telling you folks to be careful what you wish for.<\/p>\n
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Let\u2019s start with Georgia in this preview. \u00a0While I know people immediately think of Chubb and Michel, Georgia is first and foremost led by it\u2019s defense. \u00a0Roquan Smith really showed his worth against Oklahoma and an every down linebacker. \u00a0He can stop the run and cover athletic backs in the passing game. \u00a0He is a top 10 pick waiting to happen, and in today\u2019s NFL, he is exactly the type of linebacker you want and need. \u00a0Georgia\u2019s D line should also be able to make some plays against Bama\u2019s OL. \u00a0This is probably Bama\u2019s weakest OL of this Saban run. \u00a0Georgia hasn\u2019t really been beaten in the air this season, but Calvin Ridley is the best WR they will have tried to cover. \u00a0On offense. I continue to be impressed by Jake Fromm. \u00a0While UGA hasn\u2019t won any games because of him, I think he\u2019s perfectly capable of winning a game if asked. \u00a0This kid will be the #1 pick of the 2020 draft. \u00a0UGA also has 2 day 2 running backs in Chubb and Michel. \u00a0While they are different backs, the thing that is really impressive, is UGA can run their full offense regardless of which RB is in the game. \u00a0This fact makes them much more unpredictable.<\/p>\n
As for Bama, I think Jalen Hurts is one of the most underrated players in the game. \u00a0He gets crushed for not being a great passer. \u00a0He still completes over 60% of his passes and has run for over 800 yards this season. \u00a0He is a true dual threat guy, who makes defending at the collegiate level so difficult. \u00a0If you somehow manage to cover Ridley (who will be the first WR taken in the draft this year), he can still takeoff and make a big play with his feet. \u00a0While Fromm can do this, he\u2019s not the athlete Hurts is. \u00a0While Bama has no true #1 back like previous years, they do have a stable of guys they can run out there on any given play without really having to change their offense. \u00a0On D, Minkah Fitzpatrick is a likely top 5 pick, but seems a bit banged up still. \u00a0I will be curious to see how UGA attacks Da\u2019Ron Payne. \u00a0UGA\u2019s OL was expected to be a weakness, but has overachieved all season. \u00a0Payne is a true run stopper, and if he limits UGA running the ball, it will be a long day for UGA. \u00a0Rashaan Evans is another first rounder at LB for Bama who can make plays should they get through the line. \u00a0It\u2019s amazing that Bama has a first rounder at each level of the defense.<\/p>\n
As for a prediction, I really have been going back and forth on this pick all week. \u00a0Early in the week, I really favored UGA. \u00a0As the week as progressed, I\u2019ve found myself back towards Bama. \u00a0I think these teams are almost mirror images of each other, and I certainly don\u2019t expect a blow-out. \u00a0It comes down to these two things for me however: 1) Bama has been here before and I think experience matters 2) Bama is truly led by mostly upperclassmen, while UGA is a bit younger still. \u00a0I 100% expect UGA to breakthrough soon, I just don\u2019t think it\u2019s this year. \u00a0It is just so hard to pick against Nick Saban and Alabama. \u00a0Bama 24 Georgia 20<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" With the title game just a few hours away, it\u2019s time for a Buffalo Wins preview and prediction. \u00a0I don\u2019t…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":783323,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9423519,1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n