It’s only Wednesday, but with the importance of Saturday’s Georgia-Alabama showdown, it’s not too early to break down how this game might unfold. The No. 2 Bulldogs (3-0) will travel to Tuscaloosa to take on the No. 4 Crimson Tide (also 3-0), with Georgia being a slight favorite, according to Vegas Insider, by 1.5 to 2.5 points.
ESPN’s college football expert Paul Finebaum already has a sense of where he’s leaning. During his appearance on “Get Up!” on Wednesday, Finebaum revealed that he’s picking Alabama.
“I’m leaning toward Alabama based on their strong performance, while Georgia has looked inconsistent and disorganized at times,” Finebaum told host Mike Greenberg.
Georgia began its season with a win over Clemson, though they led just 6-0 at halftime before finding their rhythm. A blowout win over Tennessee Tech followed, but their offensive struggles reappeared in a narrow 13-12 victory over Kentucky last week.
On the other hand, Alabama has dominated their opponents, outscoring them 147-26 in three games, making it a strong debut for new head coach Kalen DeBoer. Finebaum emphasized how crucial this game is for DeBoer as he steps into the massive role of Nick Saban’s successor.
“This is huge, largely due to perception,” Finebaum said. “At the start of the season, I expected Georgia to be bigger favorites. But they’ve underperformed, nearly losing to Kentucky, while Alabama has been stellar. DeBoer has transitioned almost seamlessly, which is remarkable given he’s filling Nick Saban’s shoes. He’s done just about everything right.”
However, Alabama’s early success has also set high expectations for DeBoer and the team.
“Fans aren’t willing to accept that the landscape has shifted—they still believe they run college football,” Finebaum added. “I hate to break it to them, but Texas is actually No. 1 now. A loss here would be a huge shock. Mondays after an Alabama loss are unlike anything else because they’re so rare.”
