It didn’t take long for Alabama offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan to watch tape of Georgia opponents hitting explosive plays against the Bulldogs defense this season. Kentucky produced only one two weeks ago, an 18-yard completion in the first quarter. Before then, Clemson and Tennessee Tech also struggled to create big opportunities. Explosive plays —rushes of 12-plus yards and passes of 16-plus — are prime currency in college football. Georgia’s defense is among the best at preventing them, No. 2 in the country (5.2 percent) behind only Tennessee, per TruMedia. The Bulldogs have allowed only nine such plays this season. Georgia is also the only team in college football this year to not allow a touchdown.

On the other side of Saturday’s top-five matchup, Alabama is averaging about 12 explosive plays per game at a rate of 18 percent of its plays, per TruMedia, eighth in the FBS. It has the most touchdowns of 20-plus yards in the country this season (13).

Unstoppable force, meet immovable object.

“They have quality players, I think at all three levels,” Sheridan said.“Long, fast, explosive players. And then on top of that, I think the coaching staff up there does an excellent job. They’re excellent coaches. They have a great system in place, they have years together running that system. So it’s a great challenge.”

Ready to Roll! 😤
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— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) September 25, 2024

It’s a challenge that’s new to some in Alabama’s program, like Sheridan and head coach Kalen DeBoer, but familiar to several returning starters who were a part of Georgia’s last loss, in December 2023. There are elements to take away from that game, but the emphasis this week has been that both teams are new. That is fair considering it’s a new scheme offensively for Alabama. But history gives an indication of what’s needed to best a Georgia defense. Outside of the obvious need to execute, what’s the blueprint?

The first benchmark: 30. Georgia has allowed 30 points just 14 times in coach Kirby Smart’s nine-year tenure, and is 3-11 in those games. Those losses are the vast majority of Smart’s 16 losses at Georgia. That number historically hasn’t applied to Alabama. The Tide own three of the five wins against Smart in which the team scores under 30 points (2017 national championship, 2018 SEC championship, 2023 SEC championship), but it’s the mark the offense should be striving for. Alabama is sixth nationally in scoring at 49 points per game. Georgia is allowing just 6 points per game (No. 3 nationally).

Let’s take a deeper look at teams that have crossed that 30-point threshold. Here are several notable teams to do it, regardless of win or loss:

2017: Georgia 54, Oklahoma 48

2018: Alabama 35, Georgia 28

2019: LSU 37, Georgia 10

2020: Alabama 41, Georgia 24

2020: Florida 44, Georgia 28

2021: Alabama 41, Georgia 24

2022: Georgia 42, Ohio State 41

What did these teams have in common? Elite personnel at basically every position. Every team listed above was led by a quarterback selected in the first or second round in an NFL Draft. Beyond that, there are 22 skill players drafted within the first three rounds on these teams and several first-round offensive linemen. In the above games, teams averaged 10.1 explosive plays per game.

How does 2024 Alabama compare? At quarterback, Jalen Milroe can improve his positioning for the 2025 NFL Draft with a strong performance Saturday. Through the first month of the season, he’s recorded 14 touchdowns and just one turnover.

“He is as different a football player in college football as I’ve played against in a long time,” Smart said Monday.

The Tide don’t have the same skill player talent as the noted teams, part of which is the actual personnel and another part youth. Wide receiver Ryan Williams’ trajectory suggests he’ll be a high pick at some point, but for now it’s a group that doesn’t carry the same cachet. That said, they’ve been productive in limited opportunities this year. Of the regular playing rotation of wide receivers and tight ends, five players average at least 15 yards per catch.

Where any skill player questions offset, and what Alabama learned from its 2023 matchup, is that it does have the requisite offensive line play to create push in the run game and set up the pass. The interior of Alabama’s offensive line is arguably the best in the conference, with Tyler Booker, Parker Brailsford and Jaeden Roberts. If there is anything tangible to take away from Georgia’s 13-12 rock fight with Kentucky, it’s that there are chances in the run game. Alabama’s new-look offense under DeBoer has diversified the rush offense with Milroe being a consistent threat now. He and running backs Justice Haynes and Jam Miller combine to average 7.4 yards per carry with 11 total touchdowns.

“There’s a few ways (to exploit Georgia’s defense),” Miller said. “The main one being inside zone (runs). Of course we have to move Georgia’s defensive line. Then whatever happens, happens.”

Capitalizing on good run plays, particularly on early downs, is critical for success. For as good as Georgia’s defense has been, its one blemish this season is third-down defense (81st nationally, 39 percent).

Sustaining drives and feeding off the home crowd is an important yet underrated detail in Saturday’s game for Alabama. Of the 14 times Georgia’s given up 30 points under Smart, all but one has been away from Athens. Defense travels, but Georgia is more susceptible when it’s away from home.

And if/when Alabama generates momentum Saturday, expect aggressiveness in the play calling. That’s who DeBeor is by nature. It was on display against Wisconsin two weeks ago when he elected to push the ball 70-plus yards downfield with under 30 seconds to play in the first half.  It ended up resulting in a two-play touchdown drive. But that philosophy is what’s needed against this Georgia defense.

How will the Georgia defense approach a second meeting against Milroe? Will it drop back and spy him as it did in December, and hope for better results, or adopt the approach Michigan had in the Rose Bowl by bringing relentless pressure? Georgia holds the ninth-highest blitz rate in the country (45.7 percent of dropbacks) and is second nationally in pressure rate (42.7 percent), per TruMedia.

Whichever way, there’s no secret to how Alabama will try to find success against Georgia’s defense.

“The mentality for our group is attack,” Milroe said. “That’s going to be so important through this game, and acknowledging it’s going to take 60 minutes and embracing the challenge. As a group, we have the mindset that we’re starving, just trying to maximize every rep. That’s the message this week.”

 (Photo of Alabama QB Jalen Milore: Perry McIntyre / ISI Photos / Getty Images)

It has been far from a perfect start for Georgia Tech Football this season, but one of the brightest spots has been the play of quarterback Haynes King. So far this season, King ranks 1st in the ACC in completion percentage (73.9%), 2nd in passing yards behind Miami’s Cam Ward, and leads ACC Quarterbacks in rushing with 216 yards on the ground. he has been a versatile threat all year and with the Yellow Jackets running game struggling right now, King has had to do a lot for the offense and he has responded.

Not only do the stats back up that King has been one of the top quarterbacks in the ACC so far this year but so do the PFF (Pro Football Focus) Numbers. Currently on PFF, King is the No. 13 rated passer when it comes to offensive grades and he has a 90.3 grade through five games. King has an 89.1 grade on passing and a 71.5 in rushing. His 89.1 grade through the air is No. 9 in the country right now and third highest in the ACC behind Ward and Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik. After leading the ACC in interceptions a year ago, King has only thrown one so far this year.

King moved into Georgia Tech’s all-time top 10 for total offense in a career on Saturday vs Louisville. With 370 yards of total offense (312 passing, 58 rushing) in the game, King moved into 10th place in program history with 5,069 yards of total offense in just 18 games as a Yellow Jacket. He is also just the 10th player in Georgia Tech history to amass 5,000 yards of total offense as a Yellow Jacket. King’s 300-yard passing game was his first of the season and fourth in 18 games at Georgia Tech. With four 300-yard games as a Yellow Jacket, he moves along into third place in program history behind only Joe Hamilton (7 – 1996-99) and George Godsey (6 – 1998-2001).

Georgia Tech is sitting at 3-2 on their first bye week of the season and there are certainly ways you could point out how they need to be better, but King is performing well this season and improved upon his turnovers and accuracy. He is certainly playing at an All-ACC level this year.

Georgia enters the game against Alabama football as the favorite, but the Bulldogs are the ones looking for revenge.

In the most recent matchup, the Crimson Tide beat out Georgia for the SEC Championship Game in 2023. That sent Alabama to the College Football Playoff while keeping the Bulldogs on the outside.

“Last year’s (Alabama) team was really built to beat ‘em,” said Greg McElroy, the former Alabama quarterback. “That’s why they played so well against them and had no problems in the matchup the last time they played. This year is a little different. Georgia has kind of counter-punched a little this year now. Georgia has now, because of Alabama’s impressive showing last year in the SEC title with just brute force, I think Georgia has countered now to become more athletic and more disruptive on the defensive side to make life difficult for those really big offensive linemen and for the big defensive tackles.”

The Bulldogs will face some of the same players from a season ago, but the system is quite different. Kirby Smart remains Georgia’s coach, but Alabama has a new boss in Kalen DeBoer.

The two coaches will face off this weekend as No. 4 Alabama (3-0) battles No. 1/2 Georgia on Saturday (6:30 p.m. CT, ABC) at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Ahead of the matchup with SEC and CFP implications, McElroy and former Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray, both now ESPN analysts, shared their thoughts with AL.com on the matchup and what Alabama must do to win.

X-factor matchups for Alabama football vs. Georgia

Pass catchers vs. defensive backs, for both teams, is what Murray will be watching.

“Georgia needs to throw the football,” Murray said. “Alabama needs to figure out the back end. Which of the weaknesses is actually going to go out there and have a good game?”

For the second combination, Murray sees unproven elements of the Alabama receivers and the Georgia defensive backs. He thinks Ryan Williams is “super talented” but …

“I still think this receiving core is just good,” Murray said. “I don’t think it’s great. I think it’s good.”

Murray thinks the Alabama receivers have to be better and create more separation.

“They have to win their one-on-ones (against Georgia),” Murray said. “They have to be able to take the top off at times.”

On the other side of the ball, Murray thinks the Georgia secondary “is pretty darn good” but unproven.

“Malaki (Starks) is an absolute beast back there,” Murray said. “I think the guys they have are good, but they just haven’t really been tested so you just don’t know yet.”

Can Alabama’s receivers be elite? And just how good are the Georgia defensive backs?

“That’s the matchup you’re going to be looking for on that side,” Murray said.

What Alabama must do to beat Georgia

Win the one-on-one matchups. That’s McElroy’s message.

“It’s an NFL game,” McElroy said. “Those two teams force you to play a very NFL style. It’s really all about matchups. So for instance, if I’m Bama and there’s a matchup I really like in the secondary, then I need to do whatever I can do to make sure I have Ryan Williams working against that vulnerable coverage defender. I need to make sure that I identify a scenario, whether it’s situationally, ‘hey on third down they play this. Well hey I can get my back out on a wheel route against that coverage on third down.’”

McElroy also anticipates tendency breakers, which are essentially changes in your actions from what film shows you typically do. An open week like Alabama and Georgia had this past week allowed for self-scouting to illuminate those tendencies.

“They’ll say. “Alright, traditionally in third-and-7, I play man (coverage),’” McElroy said. “Guess what I’m going to play in third-and-7 next week? I’m going to play zone (coverage).’ I think that’s one thing that will absolutely happen.”

Keys for Alabama offense

1. Alabama must protect Jalen Milroe. “If you don’t protect, you’re in big trouble,” McElroy said.

2. Get Milroe going early on the ground. Murray said that will be key in forcing Georgia to be more aggressive on defense and put a safety in the box. “From there, DeBoer will scheme something up. One on one from the slot. One on one on the outside. See if you can take some shots downfield after that.”

3. Take shots over Georgia’s heads. The Bulldogs won’t give many freebies underneath, McElroy said. “Force you to hit the low-percentage throws down the field.”

Alabama’s offense has been filled with explosive plays this season, and that type of offense will have to continue most likely for the Crimson Tide to beat the Bulldogs. This isn’t the game for efficient, methodical offense.

“If I can manufacture chunk yardage against Georgia and I can snap less and hopefully produce bigger plays, then I’m great with that,” McElroy said. “I just don’t think Georgia is a team where you can just line up and say, “Alright today boys, we’re going to have four 12-plus play drives and that’s how we’re going to beat them.’”

Keys for Alabama defense

Kentucky won the line of scrimmage against Georgia, and that’s why the Wildcats kept it so close in the Bulldogs’ most recent game, per Murray.

Alabama would be wise to replicate Kentucky’s efforts.

“Carson got hit early and often, and it threw off the rhythm of the offense,” Murray said. “For Alabama, it’s going to be loud, it’s going to be a night game. Can you just get after it? Can you get Georgia in third-and-long situations where you can tee off?”

McElroy echoed Murray that getting pressure on Beck is the path to a win, if not the only path. McElroy doesn’t think there’s a simple answer to stopping the Bulldogs on offense. He sees many ways Georgia can counter the way you try to defend. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo also calls the game based off the defense’s tendencies.

If he expects you to run man coverage, he will call a play that is designed to beat man coverage. Same goes for zone. Beck can also adjust.

“Carson is really smart at the line of scrimmage,” McElroy said. “You have to hope they guess wrong a couple times and disguise your coverage because they’re really good at identifying what you’re in and how to exploit it.”

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.