LSU vs. Georgia: Preview and Predictions For SEC Championship 2022
The Georgia Bulldogs have ascended to the top of college football in the last few years, but there is one thing missing from their trophy case in that run.
Georgia has not won the SEC Championship Game since 2017.
The Bulldogs lost last year to the Alabama Crimson Tide and then avenged that loss in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
Kirby Smart led his team to five of the last six SEC Championship Games, but he has a 1-4 record in those contests. Georgia is on a four-game losing streak in the conference title game.
The LSU Tigers appeared to be a strong challenger to Georgia’s undefeated record until last week, when they were upset on the road against the Texas A&M Aggies.
LSU has no path to the playoff as a three-loss team, and its roster’s inexperience at the conference championship level could show inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Georgia reached the double-digit win mark in five of the last six seasons, but it only has one SEC Championship Game win on its resume from that time.
The 2017 triumph over the Auburn Tigers was the only title game win by the SEC East victor since 2009.
Georgia has fallen victim to the SEC West’s dominance in Atlanta four straight times. Three of those losses were against the Alabama Crimson Tide and one occurred versus LSU.
UGA should be motivated by last season’s failure in Atlanta to finish off an undefeated record going into the playoff.
Georgia rarely faced significant challenges in the regular season. The Missouri Tigers were the only team to hang with UGA for four quarters.
Stetson Bennett and Co. obliterated the Tennessee Volunteers in their biggest game on November 5.
Bennett led the UGA offense to over 30 points in nine of 12 games and only once did that unit score under 20 points.
UGA’s defense held its last four opponents under 20 points and only three teams eclipsed that threshold in the regular season.
The only thing that could hurt Georgia on Saturday is a slow start. The Bulldogs produced 19 points in the first half of their last two games.
Georgia was able to overcome that with strong defense and a great finish. LSU may try to pounce fast on the UGA defense, but it has been hard for opponents to break open leads on the top-ranked team in the country.
LSU suffered one of the season’s biggest letdowns last week when it lost to Texas A&M as the No. 5 team in the country.
The Tigers had a chance to win that game and come into Atlanta with a chance to win and get into the playoff. That scenario is now off the table.
The 14th-ranked Tigers performed well after their other SEC loss by beating the Florida Gators 45-35 on October 15.
Responding in a positive manner against UGA’s defense is a different kind of task. Jayden Daniels needs to lead the Tigers on a few drives of decent length in the first half to avoid being overrun by the Bulldogs.
LSU’s defense conceded 21.5 points per game and 144 rushing yards per game, so it may be able to contain UGA in some instances, but doing that for the whole game will be tough.
After all, this is a defense that allowed A&M to score 38 points with one of the worst offenses in the FBS.
LSU’s path to staying with UGA consists of not settling for field goals on offense and holding the SEC East winner to three points on its drives.
If LSU can follow that path, it may have a chance to spring an upset in the second half.
Georgia 30, LSU 13
Georgia displayed few flaws during its 12 wins this season.
The Bulldogs are the better overall team, and they have found ways to pull away against most SEC teams this season through defensive stops and timely big plays on offense.
UGA does not need extra motivation, but the previous shortcomings in the SEC Championship Game may be the driving force behind this victory.
A win on Saturday would also clinch the No. 1 seed in the playoff and another de facto home game in Atlanta in the Peach Bowl on New Years’ Eve.
