Play.
Alabama is embracing being the favorite.
Alabama isn't afraid of being the favorite against Georgia, according to Marty Smith. The song is called "2:24."
8:03 PM
Alabama players downplayed any role the Tide's dominance in the series would have in the College Football Playoff national championship game.
Alabama beat Georgia in the SEC championship game a month ago and then beat the Dawgs in the national championship game. Alabama has won seven in a row against Georgia, and Kirby Smart is 0-4 against Nick Saban.
Georgia is going to play their hardest game. Henry To'oTo'o said that he doesn't think the team has any mental or mental block that would prevent them from winning. Georgia is going to play hard, fast and physical as usual. They are going to play their game. It's up to us to answer the bell, how we respond, how we execute, how we play. We are excited for the challenge.
After transferring from Tennessee a year ago, To'oTo'o knows what to expect from the Dawgs.
To'oTo'o, Alabama's leading tackler with 106 total stops, said to try to punch you in the mouth every single down. Being able to answer the bell is a huge challenge for us. I'm excited to play them again. It's always one of the games I mark on my calendar to be able to execute. I have to put my best foot forward. That's every single game, but Georgia's got that extra fight in them, that dog in them that they're never going to back down and always keep punching.
Alabama senior defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis shrugged off any talk that Alabama might be in Georgia's head.
"They come to play their best game, and we do too," he said. I don't think about the past. I'm aware of what's in front of us. I can't speak on the past things we've done against them. It's the new year and we're playing a new team.
Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams had seven catches for 187 yards and two touchdown in the SEC championship game win over a Georgia team that had given up just seven touchdown total on defense in its 12 regular-season games.
... "I feel like there's a lot of pressure on both teams," Williams said. There's a lot of pressure on those guys. There's a lot of pressure on us to beat a team twice.
Alabama and Georgia each have 52 quarterback sacks. In the first game, the Dawgs didn't sack Young, but he finished with
Bill O'Brien, Alabama's offensive coordinator, said that he thought Bryce did a good job of understanding and processing, but it was a different ball game on Monday. It's a huge challenge. Coach Smart, Coach Lanning, Coach Muschamp, and those guys are at the top of their game when it comes to defensive coaching, and then they have the players to make it happen.
In the first game, Alabama's defense forced three turnovers and one of them was returned for a touchdown by Jordan Battle. Pete Golding, Alabama's defensive coordinator, said that a second chance isn't necessarily an advantage or disadvantage for either side of the ball. Both sides would make changes, but not completely.
"I think the biggest thing is that a quarterback doesn't see what they need to see to get every snap," Golding said. Once he's got the ball in his hand, I think you're trying to make him make a decision about what coverage it is, what front it is, what pressure is it. I think the key is in a pre-snap read, he thinks he's getting this look and then the ball turns over and it's a different coverage or it's a different pressure. He has to think now.
