Two bluebloods, both of them trying hard to find their rhythm, one weekend, and one of the biggest rivalries of college football. Alabama will step in Athens this year to take on an unbeaten Georgia (barely). This is one of the season’s marquee matchups in which both teams have shown signs of uneasiness against good teams. Alabama opened with a 31-17 loss at Florida State, and Georgia just barely beat Tennessee. So, the spotlight is much more on the validation than it is on the victory.

But if we are talking about victory, Alabama is are clear favorite given the history of this rivalry. And Aaron Murray, a former (and loyal) Dawg and a vocal supporter of Kirby Smart, echoed the same sentiments while talking to Greg McElroy on ESPN College Football today. When asked about whether Georgia faces an ‘Alabama problem’, he straight up said, “I would say yes. I mean, there is an Alabama problem. Obviously, they lost to Alabama in that SEC championship game. found a way to come back and redeem it for a national championship. But Georgia’s record has just not been good against Alabama since 2008.” And that’s a fair criticism, to be honest. Georgia’s record against Alabama since 2008 is 9-1. That’s absolute dominance if there ever was any.

Murray added, “I believe they’re doing a blackout again,” talking about his first night in Athens when Alabama won 41-30 and kick-started the Crimson Tide’s supremacy. That history is also why some of the Georgia fans are strictly against doing a blackout this season. UGA Barstool and the Spike Squad have tried floating the idea, but the backlash was because of the 2008 debacle. Well, White, Red, Black, or any other colour jersey, Georgia just hasn’t been able to tip the odds in their favor at all.

And this year, there’s a Sisyphean task of not losing in front of the home crowd, too. Georgia hosts Alabama, and Murray reinforced the fear. “There’s 100% an Alabama problem.  I felt way more confident last year for Georgia going into Tuscaloosa on the road than I do now, Georgia hosting Alabama. And but I’m also nervous about Alabama. I just think that there’s a lot of unknowns about both teams.” Georgia has only managed to break through in the 2021 season’s national championship game; apart from that, the 2012, and 2018,2021 SEC title games all went to Alabama. And Alabama hasn’t played in Stanford in roughly a decade, too, so if they go for a blackout and then lose, oh boy, the headlines are gonna be tasty.

But this year also houses a lot of uncertainty. Bama is not the same anymore, and neither is Georgia. Both struggled with their quarterbacks in big matchups, and both have been underwhelming this season so far. Georgia’s sluggish starts will be magnified if they lose to Bama at home, and Bama’s wins against Wisconsin and other average teams will be discredited, citing the weakness of the opponents if they lose. So, all in all, the stakes are high for both teams.

Georgia will have the home advantage in this encounter.

Yet another thing for Georgia to consider is their 33-game home winning streak. They are also favoured by 3.5 at BetMGM. This test will blend history and pressure into the equation. The defense will be tested repeatedly. And one key Alabama player who will be pushing Georgia’s defense to the limits will be Ryan Williams. Rusty Mansel shone the spotlight on Williams and said, “What Ryan Williams did last year against Georgia… he had that game and he really has been good.” Last year, Alabama sprinted to 28-0 before the dogs clawed their way back to 34-33, but then Williams put it to rest with a 75-yard strike from Jalen Milroe.

But Georgia also has their home crowd on their side. Jake Rowe said, “So far, for sure, nobody benefits from a home crowd more than a defensive front. Georgia needs to get as much as they possibly can out of that, both from stopping the run and rushing the passer… I don’t see them rolling into Athens and winning this game if they can’t really run the football.”

Moreover, Alabama’s record away from Tuscaloosa has been really uneven under Kalen DeBoer, which is yet another element to consider. This brawl is every bit on the path of being epic and nothing below that.