Georgia Bulldogs Vs. Alabama Crimson Tide: National Championship Betting Odds, Picks, and Predictions (1/10/22)
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The College Football Playoff National Championship game features the number three Georgia Bulldogs (13-1) vs. the number one Alabama Crimson Tide (13-1, SEC Champions). This will be Georgia’s second appearance in the College Football Playoff National Championship game, they lost to Alabama in 2018. Kirby Smart hopes this trip to the CFP National Championship game ends with the Bulldogs first National Championship since 1980. Alabama will be playing for back-to-back championships; they beat Ohio State 52-24 last season to claim the CFP National Championship. Nick Saban is going for his seventh national championship as head coach of the Crimson Tide and eighth in his legendary career. The teams last met in the SEC Championship game a little over a month ago with Alabama claiming the SEC Championship with a 41-24 victory.
Georgia Bulldogs Vs. Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Odds
Georgia Bulldogs Betting Odds
Georgia is a 3-point favorite over Alabama in the CFP National Championship Game. The Bulldogs are 9-5 against the spread this season. Georgia is 0-4 against the spread in their last four games following an against the spread win. The Bulldogs are 4-0 against the spread in their last four games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game; they threw for 331 yards against the Michigan in the Orange Bowl.
Georgia’s strength is their defense. Throughout the season, they were the most dominant unit in all of college football. But, giving up 41 points to Alabama in the SEC Championship game took some of the luster off the unit. But, the 34-11 demolition of Michigan in the Orange Bowl, showed that the defense still has a bite. The Bulldogs’ defense is allowing 9.5 points per game which is number one in the country and they’re second nationally allowing 254.4 total yards per game to their opponents. Jordan Davis is the dominant force of the group. This campaign he has 30 total tackles, two sacks and four tackles for loss. Davis is the first player since Aaron Donald (2013) to win both the Bednarik Award (best defender) and Outland Trophy (best interior lineman) in a season. Butkus Award winner (most outstanding linebacker), Nakobe Dean leads the team in tackles with 68. He also has six sacks, 10.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions (including a touchdown), four passes defensed and two forced fumbles. Derion Kendrick the team leader in interceptions with four was fantastic in the Orange Bowl, as he was named the defensive MVP of the game. In the win over Michigan, he had four solo tackles, one tackle for loss and two interceptions.
Quarterback Stetson Bennett, a former walk-on leads the Georgia offense, who has consistently proved his doubters wrong. On the season he has thrown for 2,638 yards, 27 touchdowns, seven interceptions and has completed 64.4% of his passes. Bennett is a quarterback who takes care of the football, but he did have two costly interceptions in the SEC Championship game against Alabama that contributed to the loss. I did not have a lot of confidence in him heading into the CFP, but he certainly proved me wrong as he played excellent against Michigan, winning the offensive MVP award of the Orange Bowl. Against the Wolverines he threw for 313 yards, three touchdowns while completing 66.7% of his passes. The senior signal caller will have to take care of the ball and make the necessary throws for the Bulldogs to hoist the National Championship trophy.
Tight end Brock Bowers is the Bulldogs leading receiver with 52 receptions for 846: averaging 16.3 yards per catch. His 12 touchdown grabs are a single season record for a Georgia tight end. Bowers is an imposing player reminding me of NFL Pro-Bowl tight end Travis Kelce, he’s a matchup nightmare for defenses due to his precise route running and quickness. Ladd McConkey is second on the team in receiving with 30 receptions for 444 yards and five touchdowns. Injuries have affected the Georgia’s receivers this season. George Pickens returned from a torn ACL, which he suffered in the spring and played in the Bulldogs past three games: catching four passes. It’ll be interesting to see what his impact will be in the National Championship game.
The Georgia rushing attack is averaging 194.8 yards per game, ranked 30th in the country. Zamir White leads the Bulldogs in rushing (772) and touchdowns on the ground (10). In 26 career games at Georgia, White has rushed for 1,959 yards. In 14 games this season, James Cook is second on the team in rushing with 651 yards: averaging 6.1 yards per carry. He’s also added 269 receiving yards and accounted for 11 touchdowns in 2021 (seven rushing and four receiving). In the Orange Bowl, he had 4 catches for 112 yards and a touchdown: adding 32 yards on the ground.
Alabama vs Georgia Betting Picks Video
Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Odds
Defending National Champion, Alabama is a 3-point underdog to Georgia in the National Championship game. The Crimson Tide are 8-6 against the spread this season. Alabama is 4-0 against the spread in their last four neutral site games. Over is 5-1-1 in the Crimson Tide’s last seven Monday games.
Alabama is averaging 495 yards per game of total offense, sixth in the FBS and averaging 42.5 points per game this season, ranking them fourth nationally.
Quarterback and 2021 Heisman Trophy winner, Bryce Young triggers the Crimson Tide’s offense. A terrific and accurate passer, he has thrown for 4,503 yards, 46 touchdowns, completing 67.6% of his passes for a 173.5 passer rating in 14 games. The sophomore is averaging 321.6 passing yards and 3.3 touchdowns per game this season. Young is a future NFL signal caller and will have a big impact on the game. If Alabama does indeed win the National Championship, I predict Young will be the game’s MVP.
Ohio State transfer Jameson Williams leads Alabama in receiving yards with 1,507. He’s second on the team with 75 catches, averaging 20.1 yards per reception. Additionally, he leads all pass catchers on the team with 15 touchdowns. John Metchie III the Crimson Tide’s leading pass catcher with 96 and second in receiving yardage (1,142) and touchdowns (9) is out for the season after tearing his ACL in the SEC Championship game against Georgia. His production will certainly be missed in this matchup of SEC heavyweights for the National Championship. Slade Bolden is Alabama’s third leading receiver with 35 catches for 364 yards and three touchdowns. In the CFP semifinals against Cincinnati, he had a touchdown, while averaging 10.3 yards a catch.
Ranked 81st in the nation, the Alabama running game is averaging 147.1 yards per game. Brian Robinson Jr. is the team’s leading rusher, running for 1,268 yards on 248 carries and 16 total touchdowns (14 rushing and two receiving). In the CFP semifinal victory over Cincinnati, the fifth-year senior was named the game’s offensive MVP rushing for a career-high 204 yards on 26 carries: averaging 7.8 yards per carry. If he’s able to run the ball well, the Crimson Tide offense could be extremely tough for the Bulldogs to stop.
The Crimson Tide defense is allowing 304.6 total yards of offense to their opponents, which is seventh nationally and 20.2 points per game, ranking them 20th in the FBS.
Linebacker Will Anderson Jr., the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and Bronko Nagurski Award winner (most outstanding defensive player) is the dominate force on the Alabama defense. In the victory over Cincinnati in the CFP Semifinals, the sophomore was named the game’s defensive MVP with two sacks, which increased his national-leading sack total to 17.5. On the season, his 31 tackles for loss leads the team. In the last matchup against Georgia, in the SEC Championship game, he had a sack and two tackles for loss. The Bulldogs offensive line must contain him and not allow him to get his hands on Georgia quarterback, Stetson Bennett. Henry To’oto’o leads the Crimson Tide in total tackles with 105 (48 solo and 57 assists). He also has 7.5 tackles for loss and four sacks from the linebacker position. Jordan Battle is one of the leaders of the Crimson Tide’s secondary. He’s in a three-way tie for the team lead in interceptions with three (returning two for touchdowns). Battle also has made 81 total tackles while adding a tackle for loss and three passes defensed this season.
Georgia Bulldogs Vs. Alabama Crimson Tide Picks & Prediction
I like Georgia to win their first national championship in over 40 years, 31-26 (covering the three points and going over 52 combined points). Stetson Bennett will come up big for the Bulldogs and continue to prove his doubters wrong. The Georgia defense led by Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean will help control the line of scrimmage and limit Brian Robinson Jr.’s impact on the game.
My Prediction: Georgia Wins 31-26 – Georgia Covers -3 and Over 52