National Championship Game: 5 keys to victory for Georgia to beat Alabama
By John Buhler
4. Georgia offensive line must keep star pass-rusher Will Anderson in check
One thing the Dawgs did a phenomenal job in their Orange Bowl rout of Michigan was keeping Bennett clean. He was not sacked once vs. arguably the best pass-rushing tandem in college football in Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo. Hutchinson will go top-two in the 2022 NFL Draft. Ojabo could potentially go top-10. However, Alabama’s Will Anderson is another animal entirely.
If he were draft-eligible, Anderson would be the first player off the board over Hutchinson and Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux. While he did bring Bennett to the turf once in Atlanta a month ago, Georgia did a good job of keeping the tackle for loss superstar in check. Though Anderson may not be as impactful as Alabama his offensive counterparts, he is a total game disruptor for a reason.
3. A depleted defensive backfield must find a way to contain Jameson Williams
This is where it went to hell in a hand basket for Georgia in Atlanta. Crimson Tide wide receiver Jameson Williams ran through the Dawgs secondary like s**t through a tin horn. Because Georgia was unable to get pressure on the quarterback, it allowed Williams to get open with his blazing foot speed. Though Georgia is well-coached in the back-end of the defense, it is a weak point.
This is where coaching and adjustments will matter. Kirby Smart and his defensive staff will have to look at the tape and see what all went wrong in the previous matchup. The good news for the Dawgs is Alabama’s other star wide receiver in John Metchie III is out with a torn ACL. Georgia can let Slade Bolden and company beat them, but another monster game from Williams is bad news.
Simply put, the Dawgs are not winning this game if Williams has over 180 receiving yards again.