Alabama vs. Georgia score prediction: Picks against the spread for SEC championship game

The culmination of the SEC’s 2023 college football season all comes down to Saturday’s conference title game.

Naturally, it’s between No. 1 Georgia (12-0, 8-0 in SEC play) and No. 8 Alabama (11-1, 7-1). The Kirby Smart-led Bulldogs and Nick Saban-led Crimson Tide will meet yet again with the SEC title on the line, with both previous meetings in Atlanta going in the direction of the Tide in 2018 and 2021.

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There’s more to Saturday’s meeting than conference supremacy of even the relationship between Saban and Smart: a potential College Football Playoff appearance is on the line as well. The Crimson Tide must beat Georgia to even have a chance at making the CFP (a tall task in and of itself) but even then likely needs both of Florida State and Texas to lose in the ACC and Big 12 title games, respectively.

One could argue two-time defending national champion Georgia, riding a 29-game win streak into Atlanta, has already punched its ticket to the College Football Playoff. But the Bulldogs will want to erase all doubt as to its status as the No. 1 team in the country.

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Before we get into picks, here is how our experts have fared through this part of the season.

(Note: experts are ranked in order of overall record, followed by straight-up record the previous week; record against the spread; and record against the spread last week).

And here’s how they are picking the SEC championship game between Georgia and Alabama to play out, including straight up and against the spread:

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Tuesday, Nov. 28

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No. 1 Georgia (-5.5) vs. No. 8 Alabama (Atlanta)

• Kevin Brockway, The Gainesville Sun: Georgia wins 35-20 and covers the spread
• Emily Adams, Greenville News: Georgia wins 31-23 and covers the spread
• Richard Silva, The Montgomery Advertiser: Alabama wins 31-28 in an upset
• Calum McAndrew, Columbia Daily Tribune: Georgia wins 35-21 and covers the spread
• Ryan Black, The Courier Journal: Georgia wins 37-31 and covers the spread
• Jackson Fuller, Southwest Times Record: Georgia wins 27-20 and covers the spread
• Stefan Krajisnik, Clarion Ledger: Georgia wins 31-27 but doesn’t cover the spread
• Adam Sparks, Knoxville News Sentinel: Georgia wins 31-20 and covers the spread
• David Eckert, Clarion Ledger: Georgia wins 34-20 and covers the spread.
• Marc Weiszer, Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia wins 31-24 and covers the spread
• Koki Riley, The Daily Advertiser: Georgia wins 31-14 and covers the spread
• Nick Kelly, Tuscaloosa News: Georgia wins 27-23 but doesn’t cover the spread
• Aria Gerson, Tennessean: Georgia wins 33-24 and covers the spread