FOUR KEYS TO A GEORGIA WIN

1. Keep Fromm clean

It took less than a quarter for Alabama to get Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant out of his comfort zone. The same could happen to Fromm should Georgia’s offensive front not keep him free of pressure in the pocket. Remember that Fromm, while a great athlete, isn’t as mobile as those quarterbacks who often give the Tide trouble.

2. Continue to win on first down

No team in college football is as good as Georgia when it comes to running the ball on first down. Despite defenses knowing what’s coming, the Bulldogs enter Monday night having gained 2,150 yards on 6.5 yards per carry on the opening down. The blueprint is simple: Georgia wants to get into manageable situations on second and third down to protect Fromm and keep the Tide on their heels. It’s not a stretch to say the Bulldogs will have little shot at sustaining extended drives without success running the ball against an Alabama defense that won’t be taken by surprise.

3. Force Hurts to throw

Easier said than done. But Alabama does not want to get into a situation where the offense is relying on Hurts to either move the football himself or to make up any sort of significant margin. Although it might not lead to turnovers — Hurts has just one interception this season — the Alabama offense simply isn’t built to make up ground through the air. Hurts ranks fifth in the Southeastern Conference in yards gained per pass attempt, at 8.4 yards, and that total falls to just 6.4 yards in games played away from the friendly confines of Bryant-Denny Stadium.

4. Start fast

Alabama has been here before; Georgia has not. It stands to reason that a close game eventually will favor the Tide, who know what it takes to secure a championship when the game is on the line in the fourth quarter. But Georgia can put Alabama in a real bind by taking an early lead, which plays into the Bulldogs’ favor on two fronts: one, by making the Tide’s offense rely on Hurts, and two, because it would allow Georgia’s own offense to pound away at Alabama with its deep stable of running backs.