By Heather Knight
Elmore Autauga News
Alabama Preview
The biggest college football showdown of the weekend is set as the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide (3-0) welcome the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs (3-0) to Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. The rematch of last year’s SEC Championship will take place this Saturday, September 28, 2024, at 7:30 PM ET, and will air live on ABC.
Alabama, now led by head coach Kalen DeBoer, is seeking a win against Kirby Smart’s Georgia squad. The Bulldogs come in with the best defense in the country despite losing three key players to the NFL last season. However, they’ve struggled a bit offensively in 2024 without tight end Brock Bowers.
Georgia’s quarterback, Carson Beck, has been outstanding, throwing for 2,844 yards, 15 touchdowns, and completing 72.2% of his passes. On the other side, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe has had similar success, racking up 2,072 yards and 15 touchdowns with a 65.5% completion rate against conference opponents.
For Alabama to pull off the upset, they’ll need Milroe to be more dynamic on the ground. If he can run effectively and limit passing attempts against Georgia’s elite defense, the Crimson Tide might just have the formula to win.
This game has major playoff implications, and both teams will leave it all on the field in this epic SEC battle.
Auburn Preview
Auburn faces a crucial test this Saturday as they host the Oklahoma Sooners in a game that could jeopardize their bowl game chances with a loss. Both offenses have been struggling, and Auburn (2-2) will need to regroup after a disappointing 24-14 home loss to Arkansas last week. Head coach Hugh Freeze expressed his frustration, noting that the Tigers were beaten by a lesser team, and they cannot afford another setback.
The Sooners (3-1) are set to make history with their first-ever SEC road game at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Led by head coach Brent Venables, who boasts a perfect record against Auburn from his days at Clemson, Oklahoma will be looking to rebound from a narrow conference loss last week. They’ll be starting true freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr., adding uncertainty but also potential to their offense.
Auburn, on the other hand, has had quarterback troubles of its own. Starter Payton Thorne was benched after a slow start, and backup Hank Brown struggled mightily, throwing three interceptions in the loss to Arkansas. Auburn’s inexperience in navigating the transfer portal has also added to their offensive woes, putting even more pressure on Freeze and his coaching staff to turn things around.
Defensively, Oklahoma has been strong, led by defensive linemen Gracen Halton and R Mason Thomas, who have combined for 8 tackles for loss and 6 sacks. Auburn’s offense will need to find ways to protect the ball and limit mistakes if they hope to avoid falling to 2-3 on the season.
Kickoff is set for 2:30 PM CT this Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, and the game will be televised on ABC. Auburn fans will be hoping for a turnaround, but with both teams reeling, this SEC contest could go either way.
