Hello, again.

Alabama-Georgia, Round 2 of what looks like a 10-round cage match. At the rate they’re going, would it surprise anybody if these two programs met 3 times in 2020? First at Bryant-Denny, the second time in Atlanta, the third time in the Playoff.

Yes, there is that much separation between them and everybody else in the SEC.

What separates them? We’ll find out Saturday, but whoever best answers these 10 questions will win the SEC championship and accompanying Playoff spot.

1. Can Georgia keep Alabama out of the end zone on its opening drive?

Only 2 teams have — LSU and Auburn. Ten other times, Alabama scored a touchdown on its opening drive. Seven times the Tide received the opening kick and scored a touchdown. Their other three opening TDs came after forcing a punt, forcing a turnover and allowing a touchdown.

Alabama has won 25 consecutive games when it scores a TD on its opening drive.

2. Can Georgia force Tua Tagovailoa into his second 2-turnover game?

Mississippi State intercepted Tagovailoa once and recovered his fumble. That’s the only time he has committed two turnovers in the same game. That’s also the only time this season the Tide have been held to fewer than 28 points.

3. Can Alabama bust a big run?

Najee Harris and Jalen Hurts each had a 30-yard run against Georgia in last year’s championship game.

But long runs have been few and far between this season.

Alabama has just 7 runs covering 30 yards or more this season. They had 13 last year, including 8 that went for 40 or more.

Damien Harris hasn’t had a run longer than 21 yards against an SEC team since Week 4 against Texas A&M.

4. Can Alabama prevent Georgia from busting a big run?

Georgia continues to be the most explosive running team in the SEC.

Last year, the Dawgs lived on the long run. They led the SEC in runs covering 20+, 30+, 40+, 50+, 60+ and 70+ yards.

The running backs have changed, but the results have not.

Georgia again leads the SEC in every one of those categories. D’Andre Swift has breakaway speed. He has 2 rushes longer than 60 yards.

5. Can Georgia limit Alabama’s yards after the catch?

Nobody in the country is better than Tagovailoa at throwing precise passes that allow his receivers to catch and run without adjusting or breaking stride.

At the risk of hyperbole, his ball placement is Drew Brees-like. One benefit is his receivers never hesitate coming out of their break. They’re anticipating a perfect throw and more often than not get it.

LSU, in particular, did an amazing job at limiting Alabama’s yards after the catch. But LSU has four defensive backs who will play in the NFL, some as soon as next year. Jerry Jeudy, Irv Smith Jr., Henry Ruggs III and Jaylen Waddle combined to catch 20 passes against LSU, but just 2 covered more than 25 yards and the longest was 30. All four have at least 4 catches this year that have gone for 40. Jeudy, Smith and Waddle have at least 1 that has gone for 70. LSU shut that down.

Georgia’s secondary, while talented, at times features two true freshmen. This will be their biggest challenge.

6. Can Jake Fromm throw 3 TD passes?

Fromm is poised enough to resist the urge to view this as an individual battle against Tagovailoa, but the game might require a career-day or something very close.

Fromm threw 2 interceptions against Alabama last year. The first came on Georgia’s opening possession and did no real damage. The back-breaker came in the third quarter, one play after Georgia intercepted Tagovailoa, giving the Dawgs the ball at Alabama’s 39, a golden opportunity to pad their 20-7 lead.

That’s the one that likely kept Fromm awake at nights this summer.

Fromm hasn’t thrown many interceptions, just 12 in his career, but he has thrown at least one in each of his past three games against SEC West teams. In those same games — the loss to Alabama last year, the loss to LSU this year and a victory over Auburn this year — he has thrown 4 combined TD passes.

He has to be better today.

He has only thrown 3 TD passes against an SEC team three times, all this season, all vs. the East. He’s coming off a game in which he threw a career-high 4 vs. Georgia Tech.

Obviously Alabama isn’t Georgia Tech.

7. Can Georgia disguise its blitzes well enough to bother Tagovailoa?

Georgia’s pass rush hasn’t been as game-changing as last year’s attack. Sacks can be misleading, but the Dawgs only have 20. The Dawgs had 34 last year, but even more impressive, they totaled 258 lost yards. That figure was second in the SEC.

Everybody remembers the big one, the 16-yard loss that set up Tagovailoa’s life-changing touchdown throw.

It’s easy to say you’re going to send the house after Tagovailoa, but the reality is that exposes your secondary to one-on-one matchups, and it absolutely puts your OLB or safety on an island against Irv Smith.

Tagovailoa has too many weapons to blitz with reckless abandon.

Kirby Smart and Mel Tucker will have a plan.

8. Will Mecole Hardman be the best player on the field?

Hardman, remember, scored both Georgia touchdowns in the national title game against Alabama last year. One was spectacular, an 80-yard bomb from Fromm during which Hardman was strong enough to shake off a tackle and athletic enough to stay in bounds while doing so. It screamed next-level stardom.

Swift will be a Heisman candidate next year, and rightfully so, but Hardman is Georgia’s most dangerous offensive player.

9. How much will Alabama’s kicking game cost it?

It’s so lopsided, it’s not even worth discussing which team has the better kicking game. It’s more of a matter of how costly will the difference be?

Alabama has missed an astounding 8 extra points this year. Not only is that the most in the country, that’s twice as many as the rest of the SEC has missed combined.

It’s unthinkable. It’s only somewhat funny because it’s merely meant the difference in winning by 34 instead of 36.

Last year, Saban made the boldest coaching decision of his life when he turned to Tagovailoa in the second half, and stuck with him even after his interception.

Would Saban dare start going for 2 if Joseph Bulovas misses his first extra-point Saturday?

10. Can Georgia finish?

That was the offseason motivation after Alabama failed to hold on against Ohio State in the 2014 Playoff semifinal loss. Alabama led that game 21-6, but Kirby Smart’s defense couldn’t close the deal.

Fast-forward to last season. Georgia led Alabama 20-7, but Kirby Smart’s defense couldn’t close the deal.

Smart insisted, even joked, in July that he was over “2nd-and-26.” I didn’t believe him then, still don’t now. Saban would have plastered the photo of DeVonta Smith catching the game-winner across the width of the weight room. A daily reminder to finish.

If Georgia is up late again, can they finish?

If so, that will be the ultimate sign that Smart truly has brought Alabama to Athens.

MORE: Matt Hinton’s Ultimate Preview of the SEC Championship Game

SDS staff predicts who will win SEC Championship