For the ninth time since its inception, Florida and Alabama will go head to head in the SEC Championship Game.

Alabama, the top-ranked team in college football, enters Saturday’s matchup as the overwhelming favorite and seemingly on another national-title run.

RELATED: 5 reasons Florida can stun Alabama in SEC title game

The Gators are looking to avenge last year’s 29-15 loss to the Crimson Tide and will have to play their best game of the season to do so.

Here are five reasons Alabama will win its third consecutive SEC championship.

1. Alabama’s defense can shut down Florida’s offense: Alabama’s greatest strength is its suffocating, opportunistic defense. Any team hoping to compete against the Crimson Tide must overcome their greatest strength, which has proven too difficult for 12 teams this season.

Florida doesn’t figure to fare any better Saturday. Last year’s Alabama defense held the Gators to 180 total yards, including just 15 rushing yards. This year, the Crimson Tide are even harder to run the ball against, and the Gators no longer have Kelvin Taylor as the lead back. Running the ball will likely prove to be ineffective against Alabama, forcing Florida to become one-dimensional.

If the Gators are forced to throw often, they are playing right into the Crimson Tide’s hands. Alabama is allowing 178 yards per game through the air, despite most of its opponents playing catch-up for much of the game. It also leads the SEC in defensive touchdowns and sacks.

Florida doesn’t have the type of passing attack that would give Alabama problems, either. The Crimson Tide can be prone to explosive plays, but the Gators have only 33 such plays through the air this season.

2. A more versatile offense: The Crimson Tide had a simple game plan last year against Florida: Give Derrick Henry the football. Henry carried it a whopping 44 times for 189 yards and a touchdown. The Gators largely knew what was coming, but still struggled to stop the Heisman Trophy winner.

This year’s Alabama offense is an entirely different animal. With a plethora of options at running back and a dual-threat quarterback in Jalen Hurts, the Crimson Tide now have the ability to run a read-option offense to devastating effect. Factor in ArDarius Stewart’s success on jet sweeps, and Alabama’s run game is no longer based on a down-hill philosophy that relies on better players and up-front execution.

Oct 8, 2016; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts (2) hands off to running back Damien Harris (34) during the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Alabama defeated Arkansas 49-30. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Not only do the Gators have to worry about a more diverse run game, but they will still need to defend Hurts’ ability to throw the ball. One of college football’s best freshmen, Hurts has had a fantastic season and only continues to progress. The Crimson Tide are second in the SEC in explosive pass plays, with 47, and proved capable of beating Florida’s outstanding secondary last year.

3. Florida has a lot of injuries: Even a Florida squad at full strength would not likely fare well against Alabama, but the Gators are nowhere near full strength. According to the team’s latest injury report, Florida will be without seven starters.

Nearly all of the injured players were defensive starters, which is the only aspect of the Gators’ team that could be compared to the Crimson Tide. Injuries have affected every level of Florida’s defense, so there will likely be matchup advantages all over the field for Alabama.

4. Alabama is a more disciplined team: For any team hoping to pull an upset, there needs to be at least a little help from the team that is favored. Very rarely does an underdog emerge victorious without there being a letdown or mistake-riddled game from its opponent.

The Crimson Tide are unlikely to help out the Gators on Saturday. With only an average of 41.5 penalty yards per game, Alabama is one of the teams least likely to hurt itself in the SEC. In contrast, Florida has the most penalty yards per game, averaging a total of 58.6.

Alabama has only committed 19 turnovers, too, just two more than Florida. And, of course, the Tide has forced 21, the same as the Gators. So there’s virtually no advantage there for the Gators.

5. The Crimson Tide have confidence and focus: Alabama’s stay among college football’s best is remarkable.

On a Monday conference call, senior defensive lineman Jonathan Allen displayed the same high level of focus that has become synonymous with Alabama. He said his team was not looking ahead to the Playoff and that their focus lay on the game ahead. Saban had the same message earlier that day, saying that it was not OK to lose any game and that they were intent on winning in Atlanta.

The Crimson Tide have beaten seven ranked teams this season and look convincingly like the best team in America. Although some teams might already be focused on a championship run, Alabama has shown time and again they won’t think about that until an SEC trophy is in hand.

William McFadden covers the University of Georgia and the University of Alabama for Saturday Down South. For insight on these two SEC powerhouses, follow him on Twitter @willmcfadden.