🏈 AL.com All-Access: Why wouldn't Alabama play Georgia for the SEC title?

[Kevin Scarbinsky |]

That's the pick in the 71st annual AL.com/Birmingham News SEC Preseason Football Report. Is that the smart choice or just the obvious one?

The AL.com/Birmingham News SEC Preseason Football Report is a tradition unlike any other. Hey, we've done it 71 times, and it started long before Al Gore invented the Internet.

Part of that tradition is having the schools' football sports information directors predict the order of finish for the upcoming season.

Picking the SEC West has become routine since Alabama's reached the SEC Championship Game three straight years and four times in the last five years. The Crimson Tide is the choice again.

Picking the East has become a dice roll. No one wants to give Jim McElwain and Florida the respect they deserve, despite two straight trips to Atlanta, which means Kirby Smart and Georgia are the selection this year.

If it comes to pass, the Smart vs. Nick Saban storylines will be rich. Smart will take one giant step toward becoming the Saban protege most likely to succeed like his mentor. He'll also gain some support as the coach Alabama fans would like to see succeed Saban in Tuscaloosa.

Fun fact: Alabama vs. Georgia would be the fourth straight SEC Championship Game in which Saban has faced either a former assistant or a former college teammate (see Gary Pinkel) for the conference title.

We know why an Alabama-Georgia matchup could happen for the first time since their classic 2012 meeting. Each team has a sophomore quarterback on the rise, although Jacob Eason has to improve considerably to accomplish what Jalen Hurts already has. Each team has a deep and talented running game that could be the best in the league and maybe the nation.

What could happen to prevent Alabama, Georgia or both from winning their divisions? Jarrett Stidham as the real deal at Auburn? Malik Zaire as the real deal at Florida? Key injuries in T-town or Athens? Another Kick Six or Prayer in Jordan-Hare?

You tell me. Is Alabama-Georgia the smart pick or just the obvious one?


Continue reading...

 

[Max]

He'll also gain some support as the coach Alabama fans would like to see succeed Saban in Tuscaloosa.

Why mention such a small segment of Bama fans?

Is Alabama-Georgia the smart pick or just the obvious one?

Neither.

 

[TUSKtimes]

I for one believe you overlook McElwain at your own peril. After two divisions and a victory against LSU in Death Valley, I'm a believer. The purple tigers wanted that one like Bama was coming to town. Florida was not much more than a mash unit and they kept clawing and fighting for 4 quarters. And that goal-line stand was all heart. I haven't seen Georgia play a game like that and until they do I'll take attitude over talent.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

.[/URL]

Well...hard to pick against Bama......favorable schedule....loaded on O...with RBs...Receivers...Oline....QB....
Some??? On D....but solid....can they kick an extra point or FG??????
UGA....lots of ?????....TN was obvious choice last year n they tanked...finished with 9-10 wins...but should have been a 6-6 team...AU luck saved them..

Smart ever to Bama...a UGA alumi at UGA.....never hatche... 7-10 years down the line hard to say who Bama will look to...hopefully wont be a bunch of knotheads that we had when BEAR stepped down...(although I still believe Perkins wasn't a bad choice...Curry was awful...Bowden was the obvious and right choice)....

Got my FSU tickets and getting ready for the s ason...RollTide

 

[50+yeartidefan]

I for one believe you overlook McElwain at your own peril. After two divisions and a victory against LSU in Death Valley, I'm a believer. The purple tigers wanted that one like Bama was coming to town. Florida was not much more than a mash unit and they kept clawing and fighting for 4 quarters. And that goal-line stand was all heart. I haven't seen Georgia play a game like that and until they do I'll take attitude over talent.

Have to go with you on this one...would love to see KY flex some muscles....and get up with UGA and Florida......but.....well...they are KY...

 

[sean]

i must say that if Coach Saban keeps putting out assistant coaches like he does championships, the SEC will be know as the Saban Elite Conference.

and to me, there's no better compliment than for a former student (i.e., assistant) to beat you. it just means you were a good teacher. and i'm definitely speaking of when Coach Stallings beat Coach Bryant and Coach Bryant picked him up after the game to congratulate him.

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