National Championship Preview – Alabama vs. Georgia

On Monday, January 8, 2018 the Georgia Bulldogs will face the Alabama Crimson Tide for the National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

Georgia defeated #2 Oklahoma 54-48 in double-overtime at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California on January 1. Alabama defeated #1 Clemson 24-6 at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana in the final semifinal game. Here are facts leading up to this all-SEC National Championship:

• This is the first time a No. 3 seed (Georgia) has made it to the National Championship in the 4 year history of the College Football Playoff.

• This will also be the first 3-seed vs 4-seed matchup for the National Championship in the Playoff era.

• The last all-SEC National Championship was 2011 when Alabama defeated LSU 21-0 in New Orleans.

• Georgia is trying to win a National Championship in their home state. The last team to win a National Championship in their home state was the 2008 Florida Gators, beating Oklahoma 24-14 in Miami.

• Again, Jake Fromm is trying to become the 2nd true freshman QB to win a National Championship after Jamelle Holieway did for Oklahoma in 1985.

• It’s been 113 pass attempts since an Alabama quarterback threw an interception (Hurts 95, Tagovailoa 18: 10/21/17 against Tennessee when Daniel Bituli returned Tagovailoa’s pass 97 yards for a Vols touchdown).

• #34 Damien Harris needs 17 yards to reach 1,000 for the season, which would mark the 3rd straight season an Alabama running back has done so.

• Jake Fromm needs two touchdown passes to set the school record for a freshman. Aaron Murray threw for 24 TD’s in 2010.

• Jake Fromm can be the first Georgia QB to throw a touchdown pass in each game of the season this century. Eric Zeier is the only UGA QB to accomplish this (1994).

• Nick Saban is trying to win his 6th National Championship to tie legendary coach Bear Bryant.

• Kirby Smart will try to become the first former assistant coach to beat Nick Saban, who is 11-0 against his former assistants.

• With an Alabama win, every Nick Saban recruiting class will have won at least one National Championship since his first class at LSU in 2000. Even his final class at LSU, in 2004, won the 2007 National Championship as seniors under Les Miles.

• With one Dominick Sanders interception, he will set the school record at UGA for interceptions with 17, passing Jake Scott and Bacarri Rambo.

• Sony Michel can tie Garrison Hearst (1992) for rushing touchdowns in a season if he matches his three-touchdown performance at the Rose Bowl. Michel has 16 touchdowns. 19 total will tie the SEC record or 20 will break it.

Prediction: Georgia’s magical season culminates with their first National Championship since 1980. Georgia 24, Alabama 21.