College Football Playoff National Championship – Alabama vs. Georgia Spread, Line, Odds, Predictions, Picks, and Betting Preview

A month after Alabama knocked off previously undefeated Georgia in dominant fashion in the SEC Championship Game, the two will meet again with the College Football Playoff National Championship on the line.

It’s been a long, storied journey for former Nick Saban assistants trying to knock him off the pedestal. The first meeting between these two was yet another humbling experience for a Saban assistant against their former boss, as Kirby Smart’s Georgia team was routed despite entering as a touchdown favorite.

One thing evident in that first matchup is that Alabam can win in multiple ways, whereas Georgia is much more limited. The Tide played a near-perfect game, and Bryce Young had an out-of-body experience eluding pressure and tossing for over 400 yards. There’s still going to be a wide gap between quarterbacks in this game, and for that reason alone, the Tide have more paths to victory.

Georgia was thrown off their game in the first meeting and must avoid that from happening again if they hope to come away victorious. Stetson Bennett has filled in admirably at quarterback, but going shot-for-shot with Bryce Young can only end one way, and it’s not the way that Bulldog fans hope. 

Georgia’s vaunted defense will need to get pressure on Young after coming away with an astonishing zero sacks in the first meeting. Two Alabama starting linemen left the playoff game against Cincinnati and did not return, so there’s a chance Georgia gets home to Young the second time around.

The run game should be somewhat of a wash. The Tide ran the ball surprisingly well in the first meeting, but that was an outlier performance for this mediocre offensive line. Plus, now there are injuries to worry about. Alabama still has the edge in the passing game, but things will narrow if Georgia can bring more pressure. It’s also of concern that star receiver John Metchie is unavailable this time around, as are both of Alabama’s starting cornerbacks. 

Things are too close for us to give an official prediction against the spread. While we’re bullish on Georgia’s chances this time around, we’d feel foolish betting against Saban as the underdog when they have more paths to victory. 

Our official play will be the first half under set at 26.5, as we believe Georgia will be able to find more pressure this time around. Alabama was able to throw Georgia off balance thanks to playing at an unusually high tempo in the first matchup, but Georgia will be ready this time around. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, will look to avoid making this a shootout at all costs.

Pick: First Half Under 26.5

All CFB game predictions and picks are courtesy of SportsGrid

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