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LEXINGTON, Kentucky – Three weeks into the regular season, the SEC Championship Game is already scheduled. This is a rematch of the match for last season's national title: Georgia will face Alabama in Atlanta on December 1st.
Georgia (# 6) was the first to win on Saturday, winning its second consecutive league title in the SEC East Division with a 34-17 victory over Kentucky (# 9) at Kroger Field, while now intact his hopes in the college football playoffs.
Alabama, who ranks first, was victorious in front of the West with a 29-0 win at LSU # 3 on Saturday night.
The match in Atlanta will mark only the second time the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide have met for the league title since the launch of the championship game in 1992. No. 2, Alabama beat No. 3 Georgia 32-28 in 2012 and then defeated Notre Dame at the BCS National Championship.
This season, Georgia (8-1, 6-1 SEC) has more than a game to play in the SEC – Nov. 10 against Auburn – and then no-conference games against UMass and Georgia Tech to conclude the regular season. Alabama (9-0, 6-0 SEC) still has two conference matches against Mississippi State and Auburn, with a visit from the FCS The Citadel team sandwiched between.
The Bulldogs will look for their second consecutive title after beating Auburn last season.
"It's huge," said Georgia coach Kirby Smart, at the conclusion of his team's victory. "It's not been easy, it's never easy, I think people are spoiled when we win, good programs, good teams." [in the SEC East]. Let's give our children a lot of credit because their backs were against the wall two weeks in a row and they fought. "
Smart was referring to his team's last two victories, against rivals Florida and 9 Saturday and Kentucky, after questions and criticism surrounded the Bulldogs after their only defeat, a 36-16 loss to LSU on 13 October.
After an appearance in the national championship game last season – where Georgia sank against Alabama – expectations are high for the Bulldogs despite their youth. They are the SEC's youngest team, with 68.2% of first-year or second-year students.
Georgia toppled Kentucky (7-2, 5-2) on Saturday, thanks in part to a record-breaking performance of the season. The Bulldogs racked up 331 rushing yards, a team-high this season and the largest number of wins in defeat against the Kentucky defense. The Wildcats had not allowed a team to run 200 meters against them this season, and they were the only FBS team that did not allow an opponent to score 21 points.
Two Georgian defenders have passed the mark of the century: Sophomore D & # 39; Andre Swift finished with 156 yards and Junior Elijah Holyfield had 115 points. Despite an offensive line that continues to hurt injuries, two players started Saturday's game – center Lamont Gaillard and right guard Cade Mays – both leaving the game with aches.
"They did a great job of crushing those guys forward," quarterback Jake Fromm said of the offensive line. "[Kentucky] was physical and big too. Even with our guys coming out and getting hurt, it did not matter, the next man. That's what I like about this team. "
Georgia's defense, which combined for 445 yards for LSU and Florida, was also criticized. But after limiting SEC leader Benny Snell to just 73 yards in 20 races and the Wildcats to just 310 total yards, the Bulldogs said they answered some questions.
"[We were] hungry, "defensive end Jonathan Ledbetter said. "All we have heard is that" Georgia does not stop the race. Georgia does not have an efficient pass. Their finish line has no bag. "It's just a lack of respect, and we got fed up with it."
Earlier this week, Georgia made its sixth-place debut in the 2018 playoff committee, allowing it to control its playoff fate. The Bulldogs are unbeaten against their opponents from SEC East for the second consecutive season.
Even though they won the division title, Smart is not worried that his team is resting on its laurels, especially with his next rival.
"As for Auburn, you know how it's going, they do not like us," said Smart. "We understand, they have a very good football team, we respect Auburn, we know we're going to have a big game."
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