Joel Klatt predicts winner for Alabama-Georgia matchup in Week 5

Joel Klatt weighs in on Alabama-Georgia.

Joel Klatt / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"So, do I think Alabama all of a sudden — because they looked good against Wisconsin — going to go between the hedges and beat what I think is the SEC favorite in Georgia? No, I don't think that that's going to happen." Joel Klatt's perspective is that of a realist, and the numbers back up his stance going into Saturday. Georgia owns the nation's longest active home streak — 33 straight wins in Athens dating to 2019 — and has extended it this season. The home-field advantage is huge here for Georgia according to Klatt.

"If you look at the trend of how they've [Alabama] played on the road, even dating back to last year under Kalen DeBoer, it has not been good. And in fact, it's been downright bad. It's not that they've just lost games. It's been the fashion in which they have lost those games. They played a really poor, uninspired game against Vanderbilt, and lost. They played terribly on the road in Norman against Oklahoma and lost last year. Then they went on the road to open the season this week after an entire off season to focus, create urgency, do all of those things, and they looked uninspiring and got absolutely throttled by Florida State in a game in which the score wasn't indicative of the dominance for the Seminoles."

With what Klatt said in mind, Ty Simpson and Alabama have looked markedly better since the opening loss at Florida State. In Week 3, Simpson went 24-of-29 for 382 yards and four touchdowns in a 38–14 dismantling of Wisconsin. Ryan Williams also added 165 yards and two scores. Alabama's offense generated 454 total yards and a 72% completion rate that day. The opener at Doak Campbell was a reality check — FSU 31, Alabama 17 — but even then, Simpson threw for 254 yards against what seems to be a top-10 team in the country. Klatt acknowledges how the media narrative has backed off because of the recent solid performances, but he can't trust it just yet.

Georgia's comeback win at Tennessee earlier this month is also doing a lot of the heavy lifting for them in Klatt's prediction.

"So, you're telling me that Georgia at home is facing a team that's bad on the road and they're only giving two and a half? I can take Georgia by a field goal in this? Absolutely, I'm going to take Georgia by a field goal. I think that line is way too close. I think Georgia covers the two and a half. Maybe it's a little bit high-scoring because both defenses might struggle against the opposing passing game, but I can see 38-31. I think Georgia wins and they further cement themselves as the team in the SEC and the team that everyone has to go through in the SEC."

Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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