Score Predictions: Georgia vs LSU
Georgia will be appearing in its fifth SEC Championship game in seven seasons under Kirby Smart on Saturday against the LSU Tigers. These two teams have a good bit of history with one another in this game, most recently back in 2019 when the Tigers marched their way through the Bulldogs and on to a national title.
This time, however, Georgia is considered the favorite to take home the SEC title. The Bulldogs are currently listed as a 17.5-point favorite. A win this weekend for Georgia would lock up the top seed in the playoffs for them and allow them to play their semifinal game in the Peach Bowl in Georgia at Mercedes-Benz stadium.
Here is how the staff sees this weekend's game playing out:
Brooks Austin: Georgia 34, LSU 10
When I think of what great coaching and coordinating looks like I boil it down to this; how often do you capitalize on the things that your opponent is bad at. Smart and his staffs have a history of taking the flaws in an opponent, and putting them on display for four quarters. This LSU football team cannot run the football, Georgia led the SEC in rushing yards allowed for the three consecutive season. LSU has a problem stopping the run, having allowed 100+ yards on the ground in all but 3 games, giving up 200+ three times. Georgia on the other hand is fresh off a football game in which they ran for 6.5 yards per attempt. This is 2019 LSU vs Georgia in the inverse, or should be.
Jonathan Williams: Georgia 34, LSU 13
LSU's biggest asset on offense this season has been quarterback Jayden Daniels and his ability to use his legs to escape pressure, but he has been dealing with a foot injury this week which I think might limit his mobility. The Tigers have also allowed 41 sacks this season which averages out to almost four per game. Georgia also has a good history of shutting mobile quarterbacks down this season so I don't think Daniels' running ability should threaten the Bulldogs.
I think Georgia maintains LSU's offense and the Bulldogs rely on their run game yet again this week to help capture the team's second SEC title under Kirby Smart and keep them in a good position heading into the playoffs.
Christian Kirby II: Georgia 30, LSU 10
Texas A&M outlined a really good blueprint as to how to go about dominating this LSU team last week. Run right at the defense and make Harold Perkins a non factor. Georgia has a more than capable running game to do the same this Saturday. The Bulldogs have however, struggled mightily to score touchdowns when in the redzone these past few games. Look for that to become a factor early in the game.
LSU and Jayden Daniels are quite literally limping into this game. The Tigers have struggled to protect Daniels for much of the season and will most likely have more of the same issues against this vaunt Georgia defense. Barring disastrous turnovers for the Bulldogs. I don't see a path for LSU to reach 25 points.
Joseph Griffin: Georgia 35, LSU 14
Both teams are coming into Saturday, it would seem, with two completely different mindsets. One took their 3rd loss of the season to a Texas A&M. A team who struggled to score all year and allowed them to score 38 points in their 15-point defeat. Whereas the other team is treating this game like a business deal.
Georgia is coming into this game and looking to win for more than one reason. An SEC championship would be nice but the #1 seed and the chance to play the first playoff game, essentially at home, is better. Georgia has seemed to come out of the gate slow at times this year. Although when the stage has been the brightest, they’ve shown up and shown out. Look for Georgia to come out of the box quickly and get up early against LSU. Who may still be licking its wounds from last Saturday. Big day for Kenny McIntosh incoming.
Christian Goeckel: Georgia 41 - LSU 10
For the first time since 2016, a 3-loss team is playing in the SEC Championship. That Florida Gators team was trounced by undefeated No. 1 Alabama 54-16. For Alabama, there was no look-ahead to the playoff, no slow start, no playing to their opponent's level. There was just a slaughter. The Crimson Tide understood that, even though their ultimate goal was a national title, an SEC Championship is incredibly tough to come by.
Kirby Smart has echoed that sentiment all week. This Georgia team has a national title, but no player on the roster has an SEC Championship. Saturday is a chance for Georgia to prove they're the best team in the best conference. LSU is the lowest ranked team to make the SEC Championship since that 2016 Florida team. Expect a similar result.
