Two of college football’s royal programs once again will square off in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game. Both are coming off pulse-pounding seven point victories over their arch rivals this past weekend. Georgia defeated the Yellow Jackets for an eighth straight time – equaling the series record for the longest winning streak in program history – at Mercedes-Benz Stadium 16-9 last Friday to cap the regular season with an 11-1 record. Alabama topped Auburn for the sixth year in a row, beating the Tigers 27-20 at Jordan-Hare Stadium, finishing the regular season at 10-2.
Saturday’s showdown for the SEC championship and guaranteed berth in the college football playoff will be a rematch from September 27, when Alabama prevailed 24-21 in Athens, the Bulldogs lone loss thus far on the campaign.
This will be the fifth all-time meeting in the title tilt between Georgia and the Crimson Tide, equaling the second most frequent matchups in the history of the SEC Championship Game, which was first played in 1992. Georgia has also played LSU five times, while Alabama and Florida have met in 10 title games.
Alabama is making a record 16th appearance in the SEC Championship Game. Georgia will be playing in the title game for a 13th time, tied with Florida for the second most appearances.
Either Alabama or Georgia has won the SEC Championship Game in 10 of the last 11 seasons, with LSU’s 2019 win over the Bulldogs the outlier.
Kalen DeBoer, in his second season at the helm in Tuscaloosa, will be making his debut in Atlanta. Kirby Smart has taken Georgia to the SEC Championship Game eight times in the last nine seasons, with the 2020 Covid campaign (Alabama defeated Florida in Atlanta in 2020). No coach or school had ever been six times in seven years, which the Smart-led Bulldogs accomplished in 2022, a mark that has now been twice extended.
Both teams have played in a slew of tight games this season, par for the course in the ultra competitive SEC here in 2025.
Alabama has a pair of three point wins, including their September victory in Athens, two seven-point triumphs and a two point loss. Georgia has a quartet of one-score/single digit victories and the three point loss to the Tide.
These two programs have been the gold standard of college football, with the dynasties of Nick Saban, which DeBoer is attempting to carry on, and Smart. Twice in the last eight seasons, Georgia and Alabama have played for the national championship, with the Crimson Tide defeating the Bulldogs in Atlanta for the 2017 title, and Smart’s Dogs triumphing over the Bama in Indianapolis for the 2021 crown.
Both teams seem to be locks for the College Football Playoff, with the winner likely receiving one of the top four seeds and a first round bye.
For all of the incredible games in the toughest league in the land this season, and all of the title contenders, including 11-1 Texas A&M and 11-1 Ole Miss, it’s once again the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs meeting in Atlanta.