CFP National Championship: #3 Georgia v. #1 Alabama

Who will WIN the championship?

#3 Georgia Bulldogs (13-1)

#1 Alabama Crimson Tide (13-1)

Current odds:

Georgia Bulldogs: (-144)

Alabama Crimson Tide: (+134)

• The line for this game is Georgia by 3 points.

• The All-SEC rematch that not everybody wanted to see will be on the big stage Monday night when No. 1 Alabama faces No. 3 Georgia in the College Football Playoff title game at Indianapolis. Alabama feasted on the Bulldogs 41-24 in last month’s SEC title game and the one-sided nature of the contest dulled excitement over a possible second meeting.

• Alabama (13-1) knocked off Cincinnati 27-6 in its CFP semifinal and Georgia (13-1) trampled Michigan 34-11 to set up the rematch. Anybody suspecting another easy victory hasn’t run the subject by Crimson Tide star linebacker Will Anderson Jr.

• All Kirby Smart has seen during his coaching stint at Georgia is losses to Alabama — he is 0-4 against former boss Nick Saban. And Smart isn’t fond of being reminded of his team’s shortfalls against the Crimson Tide.

• The Crimson Tide are defending champions and are looking for their fourth title in eight seasons under the CFP format. Coach Nick Saban has won six national crowns at Alabama and seven overall. One of the CFP titles was a 26-23 overtime victory over Georgia in the 2017 championship contest. That was in Smart’s second season at the helm after his stint as Saban’s defensive coordinator at Alabama.

• The Crimson Tide’s victory in the SEC title game was stunning in that the Bulldogs hadn’t allowed more than 17 points all season. But Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young passed for 421 yards and three touchdowns and Jameson Williams had seven receptions for 184 yards and two scores as Alabama easily dissected the vaunted Georgia defense.

• The Georgia defense was back in form in the victory over Michigan. The Bulldogs controlled the contest and the Wolverines scored their lone touchdown with 4:25 remaining.

• Georgia has held eight opponents to seven or fewer points this season and the performance against Michigan led to the Bulldogs being installed as slight favorites against Alabama.

• That is just fine with Crimson Tide star running back Brian Robinson Jr. who rushed for a career-best 204 yards in the victory over Cincinnati.

• Even with performers like Young (4,503 passing yards, 46 touchdowns), Robinson (1,275 rushing yards, 14 scores), Williams (75 receptions for 1,507 yards and 15 touchdowns) and Anderson (17.5 sacks), there were times when Alabama looked in danger of missing the playoffs.

• A comeback 24-22 quadruple-overtime win over Auburn on Nov. 27 was a lifesaver one week prior to the SEC title game. But the one loss — 41-38 to Texas A&M on Oct. 9 — stands out in Saban’s mind as the season’s pivotal moment.

• Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett displayed some impressive traits in a big outing against Michigan with 313 yards and three touchdowns. However, he was picked off twice in the loss to Alabama and expects to see similar defensive tendencies from the Crimson Tide in the rematch.

• Georgia is looking to win the title for the first time since Herschel Walker led the 1980 team to an undefeated 12-0 season.