College Football Championship 2022: Georgia vs. Alabama Odds, Projected Winner
Nobody knew it at the time, but this season's SEC Championship Game was a preview of the College Football Playoff National Championship. Will the rematch produce a similar result?
Georgia will be hoping not, as it's aiming to win its first national crown since the 1980 season. But if the Bulldogs are going to end that title drought, they'll have to conquer Alabama. And that's never easy to do, as their opponents know well.
The Crimson Tide have won each of their past seven meetings with the Bulldogs, including the CFP National Championship at the end of the 2017 season and three matchups in the SEC Championship Game.
Here's everything else you need to know heading into Monday's CFP National Championship.
CFP National Championship Odds
Spread: Georgia -3
Over/Under: 52 total points
Moneyline: Georgia -145 (bet $145 to win $100); Alabama +125 (bet $100 to win $125)
Preview, Projected Winner
Georgia and Alabama had no trouble progressing beyond the semifinals of the College Football Playoff to make it to this point. The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide were the favorites for those matchups, and they went out and proved why on Dec. 31.
In the Orange Bowl, Georgia bounced back from its SEC Championship Game loss by routing Michigan 34-11. The Bulldogs' dominant defense got back on track, as they didn't let the Wolverines get into the end zone until there was only four minutes and 25 seconds remaining.
In the Cotton Bowl, Alabama cruised to a 27-6 win over Cincinnati, which was the first Group of Five school to make a CFP appearance since the system was introduced in 2014. The Tide relied on their rushing attack and three touchdown passes from Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Bryce Young to roll to victory.
Now, it's time to see whether Alabama can beat Georgia for a second time. And just like last month's SEC Championship Game, the Crimson Tide will be the betting underdog for the matchup.
It's not often that Alabama is the underdog, and it rewarded bettors who picked the Crimson Tide the last time it happened. Alabama became the only team to have success against the Georgia defense when it notched a 41-24 victory to capture the SEC title.
The Crimson Tide had the Bulldogs' number on Dec. 4 in Atlanta. Is that going to be the case again when the two teams meet Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis?
The prediction here is that Alabama is going to continue its dominance over Georgia, as Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban will again lead his team to victory over his Bulldogs counterpart and former assistant, Kirby Smart. The Tide may be the underdog, but they never actually perform like one.
Young is the best offensive player in the country, and he will pose challenges to Georgia's defense that it doesn't face when taking on other teams. Even though the Tide's receiving corps is missing John Metchie III (torn ACL), there's plenty of talent surrounding the quarterback on their offense.
It's unlikely Alabama will have as much success on the ground as it did in the Cotton Bowl, when Brian Robinson accounted for 204 of the team's 301 rushing yards against Cincinnati. But that won't be an issue for the Crimson Tide.
Alabama will let Young lead the way, and its defense is likely going to make things difficult on Georgia's offense. When these teams played last month, the Crimson Tide notched a pair of interceptions against Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see them force some more turnovers this time.
While this game could be competitive, it's hard to pick against this talented, experienced Alabama squad. So, it will be the Crimson Tide pulling out a victory and celebrating a national championship for the second year in a row.
Prediction: Alabama 30, Georgia 20
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