For anyone complaining about an all-SEC National Championship, hop off.  You’re not a real college football fan.

It’s not about whether your favorite team got cut from the Playoff, or whether your conference wasn’t represented, or whether an undefeated team didn’t make it.  The committee selected the four best teams and let the rest play out.

Sure, it’s okay to be pissed.  That’s what being a fan is.  But there comes a time where you have to be realistic and look at the whole picture.

Let’s give a resume of the two teams remanning:

Alabama

• Has a top five defense
• Has a two-headed monster at running back
• Had one loss
• Completely dominated the team we collectively agreed was the best in the country in the Playoff despite being ranked three spots below them

Georgia

• Has a top two defense
• Has a two-headed monster at running back
• Has a quarterback who can make a big throw if needed
• Had one loss
• Came back from down 17 against the best offense in the country, which was led by the Heisman trophy winner, in the Playoff when nobody picked them to win

Yeah, I’d say these teams are still pretty good.

No.4 Alabama vs. No.3 Georgia 

As the resumes show above, these teams are pretty equally matched.

Defenses, specifically athletic guys on the edge, and running backs could cancel each other out in this game.  The Bulldogs struggled at first against Oklahoma, due to Rodney Anderson worm-like running and Baker Mayfield simply carving them up.  But halftime adjustments flipped the script, and in the 2nd half the Bulldogs got pressure on Mayfield and used their linebackers more creativity, sealing gaps and stopping the Oklahoma offense.

The Crimson Tide don’t present nearly that much to deal with on offense.  Jalen Hurts still doesn’t have my confidence despite picking him against Clemson; that game wasn’t gonna come down to him and it didn’t.

Georgia simply has to stop the run, which they are very, very capable of.  Put J.R. Reed on Calvin Ridley, and trust the athleticism on the end and the guys up front.  Damien Harris and Bo Scarborough are hard to stop, but they’re not slippery like Anderson.  They aren’t gonna be juking out these Georgia defenders.

Georgia’s backs are just as good, yet possess different skills.  Sony Michel is a smooth, shifty like back who can breakaway at any moment.  Nick Chubb is the opposite:  A big, powerful back who can run dudes over.  Chubb is the type of running back Alabama’s been accustom to having over the years.

But just like Georgia, the Bama defense took care of business in the playoff.  Sure, Kelly Bryant isn’t Baker Mayfield, but the Crimson Tide dominated what was a pretty good offense on New Year’s Day.  The Tigers offensive line couldn’t block anyone, and the longest pass allowed by Alabama went 19 yards.

It goes both ways.  Both of these teams have great running backs, but both defenses are more than equipped to stop them.

It’s not coming down to who out-rushes the other.

If I’m an Alabama fan, I’m gonna be terrified of whenever Jalen Hurts drops back to throw.  He’s best on the run, making plays with his legs or escaping the pocket and letting something develop downfield.  But both of those options aren’t gonna be there.  The Bulldogs are too athletic on the ends, and won’t let him run or get outside the pocket.  He’s gonna have to hang in and make the throws.  I don’t have confidence in him doing that.

Maybe he’ll prove me wrong, but my trust is much higher in Jake Fromm, who despite only completing 145 passes, has an arm and can sling it when needed.

If tonight comes down to the pass, this could be a breakout game for Fromm.  Obviously he’s well known already from being featured in QB1, but I’m talking from a “Holy crap, he’s amazing” point of view.  I think he’s got a lot of potential; we could be looking at the best quarterback in the country in two years.

Fromm is able to stay in the pocket and make tight throws.  Sure, the Alabama secondary is top-notch, with Minkah Fitzpatrick most notably, but even if Fromm has to dump the ball off, the Bulldogs have guys who can make plays with their legs after the catch.

This game is gonna be tight, and it’s gonna come down to who can get those extra bit of yards.  I trust Georgia to get them, because they can do it through the air.  As good as Alabama is, it still comes down to the quarterback.  Who do you want with the game on the line?

Prediction: Georgia-24  Alabama-21