Joel Klatt previews, predicts massive clash between Georgia and Alabama
By Jacob Moss
Published:
The massive Week 5 tilt between the fifth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs and the 17th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide is just over 24 hours away from kicking off, and the entire college football world is gearing up for what is almost sure to be another classic slugfest between 2 SEC powerhouses.
Last season’s meeting between the 2 ended up being what can only be described as an all-time classic under the lights in Tuscaloosa, and now the Dawgs and the Tide will be meeting under the lights in Sanford Stadium for Round 2.
FOX Sports’ college football analyst Joel Klatt recently dropped his preview for the heavyweight clash on Saturday night, and Klatt believes that the home-field advantage will be massive for the Dawgs as they attempt to snap a 3-game skid to the Tide.
“Much has been made about this 1-6 record that Kirby Smart has against Bama, but all 7 of those games have taken place outside of Athens,” Klatt said. “That’s something. They’ve either been neutrals or at Bama. Now, they get them in Athens, and this is an environment that, like Penn State, will be crazy.”
Georgia’s SEC record-setting 33-game home win streak has made Athens one of the most challenging road environments in the country for opposing teams to come into, and Klatt doesn’t think that the Tide, who have struggled in road games since Kalen DeBoer arrived, are going to be any different in this regard.
“So you’re telling me that Georgia at home is facing a team that is bad on the road, and they’re (oddsmakers) only giving 2.5,” Klatt said. “So, I can take Georgia by a field goal in this? Absolutely, I’m going to take Georgia by a field goal. I think that line is way too close. I think that Georgia covers the 2.5.”
Cover or no cover, the Dawgs will certainly take any win they can get over the team that has been their kryptonite more than any other over the past decade. It’s always an entertaining event when these two neighbors get together, though, so there will undoubtedly be fireworks regardless of the outcome.
