As always, I predict a 'Bama win because that is all I can do. To do otherwise would be shaming my family and weakening my conscience.
Georgia, as mentioned, faces S. Carolina and Arizona St. immediately before their encounter with us. Alabama faces W. Kentucky and Arkansas.
Luckily, for both teams, South Carolina seems to be off a bit and so does Arkansas. As we all know, South Caro. beat Georgia last year and Arkansas always gives 'Bama a scare or outright beats us.
Let's assume that South Carolina's spirit is already broken and they don't give Georgia much trouble this year.
On to Arizona State. Being their first really "big time" game of the year on Sept. 20th at Arizona State, I think Georgia rises to the occasion and brutalizes Arizona State. I'm thinking a 28 point or better victory. It will give them reason to be happy and confident of their team's ability.
Knowing Alabama, of late, we will take care of W. Kentucky pretty handily, I'll say by 21 points or something close to that. We will, of course, struggle with a weak Arkansas team but win by a good 10 points, another dirty and disappointing victory.
Overall though, 'Bama fans and the 'Bama team and coaches will feel like no matter how ugly some of our games, we have earned our four victories the hard way.
That will give us confidence, but not the same kind of confidence that the Georgia fans and team have. Their confidence will be an overflowing and arrogant confidence, a confidence born out of what they may feel is their destiny this year.
'Bama's confidence will be rooted in a hope to break out of this funk that has enveloped our team and fans these last year's. A sick and tired of the same old, same old and having a strong desire to do something about it determination type of confidence.
As I read articles this past offseason from all over the Internet, off of Georgia message boards, etc... I noticed one overriding theme. It was a theme of disregard for Alabama.
When I read threads on the Georgia board about their season, Alabama was almost always never mentioned. The same goes for articles written about their tough schedule written by national sportswriters for different papers, like the AJC or a few others. The same scenario stands true for articles written by the writers for ESPN, Yahoo, SI, etc...
It really stood out to me how Alabama was never mentioned by hardly anyone when discussing Georgia's aspirations to win it all this year.
And that is perfectly fine, that is wonderful. The win over Clemson awoke a few of the clueless, but 'Bama's performance against Tulane may have lulled them back to sleep again. Let's hope that is the case.
What would be ideal would be a continually improving and humble Alabama, with our OLine back at full strength manhandling opponents again, facing an arrogant and pompous Georgia team.
Two teams, both undefeated, separated by just under 200 miles on the map, but world's apart in perceptions and expectations.
'Bama lights up college football again and lays a 17 point victory on the Bulldogs. An Alabama team ready to shake off the doubts that years of mediocrity has placed on them turns in a shocker of a performance on the 27th of September. Part II of our amazing season will have come to a conclusion at this point. Alabama is once again a mover and a shaker in the SEC.
