ATLANTA — Yes, you read that headline right.
Georgia hasn't defeated Alabama since 2007. We were on the first generation of the iPhone and Matthew Stafford was the victorious quarterback in that game.
Since then, Georgia and Alabama have squared off just five times. Two of those were SEC Championship games and one was a national championship game. Alabama won all of them.
But this year, it's Georgia that has looked like the unbeatable, dominant program. Nevertheless, they take on an Alabama team in Saturday's SEC title game with a Heisman favorite at quarterback and one of the best head coaches in college football history.
On Friday's Locked On Today podcast, Daniel Monroe of the Locked On Bulldogs podcast joined Peter Bukowski to preview Saturday's momentous matchup between Georgia and Alabama.
SUBSCRIBE: The Locked On Today podcast hosted by Peter Bukowski gets you caught up each morning on the biggest stories in sports without taking up your free time. Listen here.
While former Nick Saban assistant Jimbo Fisher got the upset win over Alabama earlier this year with Texas A&M, Monroe said on Locked On Today this will be different for Kirby Smart.
"This is Kirby Smart, the true Nick Saban apprentice looking not to just beat him, but to beat him for the first time in the SEC title game in a long, long, long time since Alabama has gone to one of those and lost," Monroe said. "LSU has beaten them, Auburn has beaten them, but nobody from the SEC East has beaten them since way back when under Urban Meyer. This is Kirby Smart looking to do something and assert himself in the conversation of SEC balance of power and college football balance of power."
Georgia is a 6.5-point favorite to win the game. If they win, Alabama will more than likely lose out on a chance to make the College Football Playoff, as it would be their second loss this season.
"Under Kirby Smart, Georgia has been out-recruiting Alabama, that's why Georgia's in this position," Monroe said. "Georgia's not the underdog because Georgia has the most talent on the field...If you're Georgia, you don't need to win this game for recruiting, you need to win this game to validate that recruiting. You need to win this game to take that next step in that dynasty-building that Kirby Smart is trying to do."
Georgia's defense has been the biggest story in college football all season, allowing just 79 rushing yards per game. They have the best pass efficiency defense in the country and they lead the country in total defense. it’s the best in the nation in pass efficiency defense, No. 2 in pass D, and it leads the country in total defense.
Meanwhile, Alabama's offense is top 10 in the country in yards per game and points per game.
Check out the preview shows from the Locked On Bulldogs podcast and the Locked On Bama podcast to get you ready for Saturday's showdown.