Alabama vs. Georgia: Three Bold Predictions for Classic SEC Championship Bout

The Crimson Tide and the Bulldogs are facing off in the SEC Championship Game for the third time in five seasons.

Alabama and Georgia will face off in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Conference championship weekend in college football is off and running, and will continue in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon as Alabama is headed to the Peach State to take on Georgia in the SEC championship game.

The Crimson Tide enter this one as the No. 1 team in the conference thanks to their 7-1 SEC record and a late-September win over Georgia, and currently sit at No. 9 in the latest College Football Playoff rakings. Ty Simpson has put together a superb season as Alabama's starting quarterback and, with a win on Saturday, would officially send the Tide back to the postseason after missing the Playoff in 2024.

Georgia, meanwhile, is the No. 3-ranked team in the country heading into Saturday and has won eight straight since their aforementioned loss to Bama. While often known for their defense, the Bulldogs' offense is putting up quite a season for themselves, averaging 32.3 points per game while also pounding out 190.4 rushing yards per contest.

Like it always is, Saturday’s matchup between the Dawgs and the Tide is set up to be a heavyweight fight. Here are three bold predictions for the 2025 SEC Championship Game.

Ty Simpson will play turnover-free football for a second consecutive week

Ty Simpson has thrown 25 touchdowns to just four interceptions this season. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

As mentioned above, Simpson has been a stalwart signal caller to begin his first and only season under center for Alabama. He has the Tide scoring 33.3 points per game, is second in the SEC in touchdown passes to only Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia, and is third in passing yards to only Pavia and Tennessee's Joey Aguilar.

While Simpson had also done a great job protecting the football throughout the Tide's first 10 games—throwing 21 touchdowns to just one interception—he’s gotten a bit careless a bit of late, throwing three picks over the last three weeks.

On Saturday, however, against a Georgia defense that’s bottom six in the SEC in interceptions forced, I’m predicting Simpson to get back to putting up a clean sheet. No interceptions thrown for the 22-year-old against the Dawgs defense in this one.

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Georgia will hold Alabama to fewer than 100 yards rushing

Georgia has the second-best rush defense in the SEC. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

While Alabama’s offense as a whole has been one of the best in the conference this season, their rushing attack has struggled a bit. Through 12 games, they’ve ran for just 1,514 yards (126.2 YPG) and have tallied less than 100 on the ground five times.

On top of this, Georgia’s run defense has been downright unstoppable this year, allowing just 86.1 yards per game (second in the SEC) while also holding opponents to just over three yards per carry on the year.

The Crimson Tide were able to notch 117 yards rushing on the Dawgs in their regular season matchup, but I don’t see it happening again. Look for Georgia’s front to hold it down on Saturday night and keep Bama from passing the century mark on the ground.

Zachariah Branch will score two total touchdowns, helping Kirby Smart break his Crimson Tide curse

Zachariah Branch is one of Georgia's most versatile players. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

While his raw numbers may not show it, Bulldogs wide receiver Zachariah Branch has been one of the more dynamic players in college football over the last several seasons. Not only is the 21-year-old an elite kick and punt returner, but after transferring from USC to Georgia ahead of this season, Branch has put up career highs in receptions (68), yards (691), and touchdowns (4) in 2025.

On top of that, quarterback Gunner Stockton has been outstanding leading the Dawgs’ offense, sitting just shy of 3,000 total yards so far this season while accounting for 28 total touchdowns.

Long story short, with Georgia riding high on an eight-game win streak, I believe this is finally the time for Georgia to win a tight one over Bama—giving coach Kirby Smart just his second win over the Tide since jolting from Tuscaloosa in 2015.

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