For the second year in a row, Alabama and Florida will square off for the SEC championship in Atlanta.

There are plenty of similarities in this year’s matchup and a lot of familiar faces. Alabama is once again a clear-cut favorite with a dominant defense and an intimidating offense, while Florida is led by a stout defense but has questions on offense.

On paper, this is yet another game the Crimson Tide should win easily. Rematches can be tricky things, however, and last year left a sour taste in the mouths of some Gators.

“I remember just last year, just how fast those guys were and how quick they were and how strong they were,” Florida cornerback Teez Tabor said about Alabama wide receivers ArDarius Stewart and Calvin Ridley during a teleconference on Monday. “When they got the ball, it was a little tougher than it normally is in the SEC.

“I was like, when we see these guys next year in the Championship, make sure my preparation and my whole off-season is going to be just as good, if not better than theirs. So when we see them again, it’s going to be a little different story.”

The matchup of Tabor and fellow corner Quincy Wilson against Stewart and Ridley may be the best head-to-head battle of the afternoon.

Stewart has proven to be a matchup nightmare who can beat a defense in a variety of ways, while Ridley burned Florida for 102 yards on eight catches in last year’s SEC Championship Game.

Florida’s corners have emerged as one of the best tandems in college football. Combining for seven interceptions and 11 passes defended, Tabor and Wilson have proven capable of shutting down opposing passing attacks. For this game, they have added motivation to do so.

There will be future Sunday stars all over the field at the Georgia Dome during this clash that Florida quarterback Austin Appleby fittingly referred to as “a minor-league NFL game.”

The Gators best bet in this one might be to slow the game down and rely on their defense while looking for a few explosive plays on offense. This year’s Florida offense is similar to last year’s, but Alabama’s defense might be even better than the one that limited the Gators to 180 yards and one touchdown.

The Crimson Tide has become an opportune defense, with nine defensive touchdowns, including two from star defensive lineman Jonathan Allen (below).

Oct 22, 2016; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jonathan Allen (93) returns a fumble for a touchdown against the Texas A&M Aggies during the third quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Allen was projected to go in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, but decided to return to Alabama for another national title run. He’s played a vital role on a defense that many have compared to some of the Crimson Tide’s best, including the one he was a part of last season.

“I feel like we do a lot of things better,” Allen said about this year’s defense on Monday’s teleconference. “We probably don’t do some things as well, but it’s so hard to compare. We have different players, different coaches. But this is definitely a special unit and probably one of my favorite defenses I’ve ever been a part of.”

The 2016 Alabama defense has some remarkable similarities to the one Nick Saban built in 2011, which is considered among the best in college football history.

In 2011, the Crimson Tide allowed only 12 touchdowns all season and kept opponents out of the end zone five times. This year, Alabama has allowed 13 touchdowns but limited foes to field goals or nothing seven times, including the past four games.

Despite the resemblance, Allen says his team isn’t focusing on competing against that historic defensive unit. The Crimson Tide is focused on the task at hand.

“Personally, we really don’t focus on that, to be honest with you,” he said on Monday’s teleconference. “I know it sounds a little boring. We just try to go with the mindset of control what we can control.

“Throughout the whole week of practice, we try to eliminate the distractions and just go out there and play good football Monday through Thursday, because we feel that’s what makes us play good on Saturday.”

Many believe Florida’s defense is the one part of the SEC East that can match up with the West. If that is truly the case, then it is the weapon the Gators must employ most effectively in Atlanta.

Alabama’s offense has several new dynamics from the one Florida saw last year. Jalen Hurts has become a lethal quarterback during his freshman campaign and Damien Harris, Bo Scarbrough and Joshua Jacobs form a three-headed monster at running back.

Still, if Tabor and Wilson have been waiting for this shot all season long and can take away Stewart and Ridley, then things become much simpler for the rest of the Gators’ defense.

But that’s just one foothold for Florida on this mountain of a challenge. Even if the Gators can slow down Alabama’s multi-faceted offense, they will need to find a way to score.

This Crimson Tide defense is in many ways better than last year’s. They are focused on only one legacy, and it’s one that they can continue to forge on Saturday.

“When we go out there Saturday, we just try to dominate,” Allen said. “Just do your job and just dominate the opposing offense. That’s the legacy. That’s all we can focus on because we feel our legacy is dependent on how we finish the season. That’s kind of what we’re focused on right now, just finishing the season the right way.”

Florida can try to make this game a defensive battle, but it might be playing right into the hands of Allen and the rest of Alabama’s defenders.

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.