Receivers hope to get opportunities

Crimson Tide’s Ridley, Bulldogs’ wideouts make big plays when needed.

touches I’ll make it happen.”

The three receivers enter the t itle game with two ATLANTA — Alabama receiver 100-yard receiving games Calvin Ridley is likely a between them, both cour- first-round NFL draft pick tesy of Ridley. Thirty FBS regarded as one of the players have 1,000 receivnation’s best at his posiing yards, and none of them tion, but you might not have will be in this game. Ridley noticed watching the fourthis one deep ball away from ranked Crimson Tide’s last joining them with 935 yards couple of games. and four touchdowns. He’s

A run-oriented offense regarded by some analysts with a scrambling quarteras the top receiving prospect back doesn’t always throw in the upcoming NFL draft. the ball his way with the same “He’s a great receiver,” regularity that other offenses Alabama quarterback Jalen target their best receivers Hurts said. “He makes plays, going into the national cham- he knows how to get open, pionship game tonight at and he’s a really good player Mercedes-Benz Stadium. and a hard player to stop.”

Georgia’s Javon Wims and Ridley hasn’t been tarTerry Godwin are in a simigeted much in the past two lar situation, even if they’re games, tallying just seven not as heralded. catches for 77 yards and no And none are complaining. touchdowns. Still, he’s the “I play for a championship unquestioned go-to guy when every year,” Ridley said. “I’m Alabama’s passing game is very happy at this school. clicking. Ridley leads the I know what I’m capable team with 59 catches, while of and once I do get those no other wideout has more than 13.

The other top options are mostly a trio of freshmen: Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III and DeVonta Smith.

Ridley has the confident mind-set of any star receiver.

“You just want to make plays and be able to dominate the game,” he said. “I want to make it look good, do good and go out there and put fear in people’s heart.”

Georgia defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, a former Alabama assistant, is well aware of what Ridley can do when given the chance.

“He’s very explosive,” Tucker said. “He’s gotten better and better every season. So he runs excellent routes, he’s got great bal- ance and body control, he can stop and start, he can make all the catches, he can win outside, he can go across the middle, he can go deep, he does a really good job blocking, he’s very competitive as a blocker.”

Georgia has a more balanced passing attack among its receivers, though the big- gest offensive weapons for QB Jake Fromm are the tailbacks. Wims, a junior college transfer who has gone from 17 catches as a junior to 44 this season, leads the way with 704 yards but Godwin isn’t far behind with 591. Mecole Hardman has 338.

“They both want to catch more balls as all of our wide receivers do,” Georgia offensive coordinator Jim Chaney said of Wims and Godwin.

Wims said he’s not worried about trying to match Ridley in the game.

Georgia relies heavily on the nation’s eighth-ranked running game led by Nick Chubb and Sony Michel.

Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick said the Tide defenders aren’t forgetting about Fromm and Georgia’s receivers, though.

“They set you up with the run game,” Fitzpatrick said. “A lot of people sleep on ... Jake Fromm, his arm . ....

“He does his job and he gets the ball to his receivers downfield. And he has great receivers on the outside. So, we’re not sleeping on it at all.”