The number eight Alabama Crimson Tide alights in the ATL on Saturday to square off with the No.1 Georgia Bulldogs in what will assuredly be a riveting SEC Championship Game. The Tide will need to win and get help if they want to advance to the Playoff. And that’s a tall order against the two-time defending national champions.

S is 4-1 against Kirby in head to head matchups with victories in the 2017 season National Championship Game, the historic Tua to Devonta 2nd and 29 TD pass for the National Championship winning score (26-23), two SEC championship games, 2018 and 2021, and a 2021 victory at Bryant-Denny. S has had Kirby’s number for the most part, though the great Smart won the latest matchup in the 2021 season national championship game, 33-18. But if Jameson Williams hadn’t gotten injured in that game, there could have been a different outcome. Williams was un-guardable until he was injured in the second quarter.

This is the Crimson Tide’s opportunity to make the playoff with a victory over the two-time defending national champion, which has also won an SEC record 29 games in a row. It’s Jalen Milroe versus Carson Beck, the Alabama offensive line, which has been dominating during these last several games, versus the Dawgs’ defense. The Georgia defense may not be as prolific as the last two have been, particularly the one two years ago, but it’s plenty talented. Then you have the Alabama skilled players, running backs Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams, and maybe the emerging Jam Miller, along with the great Jermaine Burton, and the hero of last Saturday’s improbable and majestic victory over the Auburn Tigers, Isaiah Bond, or “IB” as the team calls him. Milroe had all day to throw the ball, and threw a beauty that IB leapt up and pulled in while getting both feet in bounds for the electric game winner. Wow, what a game. The Tigers defensive decision on that play has been questioned as they only rushed two defenders with nine back in coverage. You would think Coach Freeze and defensive coordinator Ron Roberts might have put another guy up front to rush Milroe, but they opted for the ultimate prevent. The way the Alabama O line was protecting Milroe, it may not have mattered anyway if the Tigers rushed three or four. What a spectacle that game was. There is magic for the home team like no other when the Tigers host the Crimson Tide at Jordan-Hare, but the last two times the Tide has escaped with the victory in improbable and majestic fashion. In 2021, the Tide escaped with a 24-22 victory in 4 overtimes. Bryce Young led the Tide on a 99-yard TD drive with the game tying touchdown (along with the extra point) on a 28 yard TD pass to Ja’Corey Brooks with 24 seconds left. The Tide went on to outlast the Tigers in quadruple OT.

Can the Tide keep the magic going against Beck, the incomparable Brock Bowers, who has been slowed by an ankle injury suffered back in October at Vanderblit, but will play and be an ultimate weapon, as always, that stable of receivers, and the extremely talented running back duo of Kendall Milton and Dijon Edwards, along with a stellar O Line. This game promises to deliver.

The SEC Championship Game and the other championship contests, with everything on the line for the four playoff spots, will commence this Friday and Saturday. The Selection Show is Sunday at 11 AM CT on ESPN.

Here’s a look at this weekend’s riveting slate along with predictions.

Last Week, 13-1, Overall: 188-44, 81%

ATS, 5-8, 108-119, 48%

No.8 Alabama (11-1, 8-0, SEC) vs No.1 Georgia (12-0, 8-0)

Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, 75,000

3 PM CT

CBS

Brad, Gary, Jenny. Brad and Gary’s last SEC game as ESPN will be taking over. next season. Will miss those guys. They’ve been stellar. They’ll move over to the Big Ten.

Georgia by 6

The Crimson Tide is going to have to take care of business in Mercedes-Benz, which is a monumental task against Kirby Smart and his phenomenal team, and hope for some help. Can they do it? Yes. Will they do it? The Crimson Tide is always a superb underdog. Versus Miami back in the 1992 national championship game as a double digit underdog. And I’ll go way back to Bear Bryant and the Crimson Tide in 1971 when they went out to L.A. and knocked off the No.1 ranked USC Trojans as the great Bear unveiled the Wishbone attack which became a forever part of Crimson Tide lore and won Alabama a lot of football games and several national championships under Coach Bryant. Alabama did it two years ago in the 2021 SEC Championship Game as a seven point underdog to Georgia. This is the kind of stuff Alabama does, and Saban is terrific at getting his team ready for the big moments, the big contests. It’ll be an extremely hard fought game, and the Dawgs may stay in the top four regardless. The Crimson Tide will need a good bit of help even if the knock off Georgia. I like them to do that on Saturday.

Alabama 31, Georgia 30

ACC Championship Game

No. 4 Florida State (12-0, 8-0) vs. No. 14 Louiville (10-2, 7-1)

Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, 74,867

7 PM CT

ABC

Tess, Jess, Katie

FSU by 2 1/2

Even without their leader and stud quarterback, Jordan Travis, out for the season with a knee injury, I like Tate Rodemaker to do enough at QB and the tremendous athletes of the Seminoles to be a better than the Cardinals. Some are picking an upset here. I’m not in that camp.

Florida State 28, Louisville 21

Friday

PAC-12 Championship Game

No. 5 Oregon (11-1, 8-1) vs. No.3 Washington (12-0, 9-0)

Allegiant Stadium, Vegas, 65,000

7 PM CT

ABC

Chris Fowler, Herbstreit, Holly

Ducks by 9 1/2

Dan Lanning and Kalen DeBoer were hired in 2021, the same year the two blockbuster hires of Lincoln Riley at USC and Brian Kelly at LSU transpired. Pat Forde of SI.com wrote a column today on the wildly successful tenures of Lanning and DeBoer so far versus the OK performances of Riley and Kelly. These two coaches are superstars in the profession and their teams are prolific. Oregon is a heavy favorite, but I like DeBoer, Michael Pennix Jr and the Huskies to keep it close with Bo Nix and the Ducks. I’ll take the Ducks, but it’ll be a classic. Nix will clinch the Heisman in this game. His numbers are off the charts great with a 78.6% completion rate, 315-of-401, for 3,906 yards, 37 TDs against 2 ints. One of his main competitors is Pennix Jr., but Bo barely outlasts him in this game and in the Heisman Trophy award. There is a lot of chatter about LSU’s Jayden Daniels, who completed 72% of his passes, 236-of-327, for 3,812 yards, 40 TDs against only 4 ints. He also rushed for 10 more. Those are astoundingly good numbers, but his team was 9-3, so I gotta go with Nix there as well. Pennix Jr. completed 65% of his passes for 3,899 yards, 32 TDs against 8 ints, but he fell off some after the Oregon victory at Seattle. But that takes nothing away from the season he and his team have produced. They’ll be a New Year’s Six team in most likely the Fiesta Bowl. The Rose Bowl and the Sugar Bowl are the sites for the Playoff games on Monday January 1st, with the Rose Bowl at 4 PM CT and the Sugar Bowl at 7:45 PM. May need to take half a day off on Tuesday. Or take a whole day off, why the heck not.

Oregon 31, Washington 28

Back to Saturday

Big 12 Championship

No. 18 Oklahoma State (9-3, 7-2) vs. No.7 Texas (11-1, 8-1)

AT&T Stadium (Sugar Magnolia Country), 90,000

11 AM CT

ABC

Sean, Gregory, Molly

Horns by 15 1/2

The Horns are going to make a statement here and make a strong case for inclusion in the Playoff. They’ll need help like the Crimson Tide will. Sark has done a masterful job in Austin and could very well be coach of the year. Coach Saban has done a terrific job, too, as has Lanning and DeBoer. Stiff competition there. I’d say the winner of the PAC-12 Championship will get it, and I’m predicting that’ll be Oregon and Lanning. But that takes nothing away from the job Sark has done. Texas is back and they could be competing for something more important than coach of the year in Sark’s eyes if things go their way.

Texas 42, Oklahoma State 21

Big Ten Championship Game

No.2 Michigan (12-0, 8-0) vs No. 16 Iowa?? (10-2, 7-2)

Lucas Oil Stadium, Indy, 70,000

7 PM CT

FOX

Gus, Joel, Jenny

Wolverines by 21 1/2

Why are they even playing this game? The Big Ten Champion was coronated last Saturday at the Big House when the Wolverines defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes, 30-24. What a job Sherrone Moore did in Jim Harbaugh’s place going 3-0 during Harbaugh’s absence and defeating the Buckeyes and an experienced coach in Ryan Day. Day is now 1-3 against Michigan, so the natives are getting restless in Columbus. Now Harbaugh is back and the Wolverines are hungry to show the country that they’re the best team in 2023. I’m not saying they are yet. The teams I’ve written about above can definitely knock them off. But Iowa is out-punting their coverage in this one.

Michigan 28, Iowa 3

Other Championship Scores

American Championship Game

Tulane 30, SMU 24

Yulman Stadium, N’Awlins

3 PM

ABC

Green Wave by 3 1/2

The Green Wave clinch another trip to a New Year’s Six Bowl, probably back to the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta once again where they defeated USC last season, 46-45 in an epic. What a job Willie Fritz does at Tulane. He has been talked about for other jobs, but he seems like a loyal guy who loves it in New Orleans and loves his team, which is refreshing. He’s 63, making good money with more to come I’m sure, and is taking his team to New Year’s Six Bowls. That’s about as good as it gets. Tulane finishes the regular season and the championship game at 12-1 and awaits for their name to be called on Sunday.

Sun Belt Championship Game

Troy 28, Appalachian State 27

Veterans Memorial Stadium, Troy

3 PM CT

ESPN

Troy by 6

Troy head coach Jon Sumrall, the 41 year old Huntsville native, led his team to a 12-2 record last season and will be 11-2 with a victory Saturday in Troy. What a job Sumrall has done. He’s a hot commodity in the coaching profession, but maybe he’ll want to stay at Troy a couple of more years. You can win big at Troy. The program has a great tradition. I do think App State will give Troy everything they want. App State is a legendary giant killer that went to undefeated and ranked James Madison on Saturday, Nov. 18th and knocked the Dukes off 26-23 in overtime.

Friday

Liberty 28, New Mexico State 21

Williams Stadium, Lynchburg, VA.

6 PM

CBS Sports Network

Liberty by 11 1/2

Jamey Chadwell, wow, what a job he’s done this season as Liberty. He is 12-0 to go along with the major success he had at Coastal Carolina. Another coach on the rise at 46 years old. Coach Freeze left him a very good team as well. But New Mexico State went to Auburn and won 31-10. Cagey veteran coach Jerry Kill and his team, which is 9-3, will keep it close, but the Flames will escape with the victory and move on to a solid bowl. But it won’t be easy.

My Playoff teams Sunday will be:

1. Michigan (13-0)

2. Florida State (13-0)

3. Oregon (12-1)

4. Texas (12-1)

I just don’t see how the Crimson Tide can jump these teams even with a victory over Georgia. That would be the best victory of 2023 along with Texas’ 34-24 victory over Alabama in Tuscaloosa back in early September. But these teams are all ahead of the Crimson Tide, so I don’t see it as possible.

Maybe the committee will decide on the four best teams. If it’s the four best teams, I would go with: 1.Michigan 2. Alabama, 3.Georgia and 4. Oregon. If that were the case, the Texas and Florida State fan base would be outraged. So, the former scenario is more likely.

Regardless, it will be a stellar Saturday in Mercedes-Benz Stadium and an equally electric Friday and Saturday throughout the country during Championship weekend.

The Tide is “heading east,” and with that said, here’s the signature song from the band that made that moniker famous. A 1975 hit by this great cast of characters.