Georgia Listed as Favorite Over Alabama Again, Why?

Vegas decided to list Georgia as the opening favorite for their game against Alabama in the national championship, why?

Georgia and Alabama will meet for the fifth time in the Kirby Smart era. To this point, Kirby Smart's former boss Nick Saban has yet to lose to his former defensive coordinator in their four previous matchups. The last two matchups featured the largest point differential, seeing Georgia lose by 17 points (41-24) in back-to-back seasons. 

The two straight 17-point victories for Alabama now begs the question of how can Kirby Smart and Georgia close the gap and get it back to a one-possession game like it was in the 2017-18 national championship game and the SEC Championship the following season. 

The latest victory came as a real shock to everyone, especially Georgia fans; Alabama rolled in Atlanta, listed by Vegas as a 6.5 point underdog. It was the first time since the 2015 season that Alabama was an underdog in a game, the last time also being in a game with Georgia. Yet, both times Alabama (somewhat) shocked the world and beat Georgia decisively. 

Pair that with the fact that the last time Georgia beat Alabama was in 2007 when current starting quarterback Stetson Bennett was eight; the starting quarterback then for Georgia was Matthew Stafford. The narrative that Kirby Smart has yet to beat his former boss isn't a problem that is unique to himself; it also is a fact for many of Saban's former assistants, the only former assistant to have beaten the legendary coach was Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher, and it was this year. Fisher's win over Saban snapped a 25-game winning streak for Saban versus his former coaches. 

All of this makes it puzzling why Vegas decided yet again to pick Georgia as a favorite over the No. 1 ranked Tide. This time Alabama is a 2.5 point underdog to No. 3 Georgia, even after beating this same Georgia team almost a month ago.

There are a few possible reasons for this decision, one of them being Georgia's return to form in their win over Michigan in their CFP semifinal game, another one being the absence of star wide receiver John Metchie, who suffered a torn ACL in the SEC Championship Game, that was after Metchie helped torched Georgia's secondary for 96-yards and a touchdown on six catches, most of which coming on pivotal third downs. 

Metchie's absence is a notable one, but the Crimson Tide still boasts former Ohio State transfer Jameson Williams and a host of other playmakers offensively.

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