SEC title game features two of nation’s top defenders

Alabama’s Will Anderson wreaks more havoc in opposing backfields than any college player in the country. Georgia’s Jordan Davis anchors the best defense in college football.

They could well be the best players on the field Saturday in the Southeastern Conference Championship game when No. 1 Georgia meets the fourthranked Crimson Tide.

And that’s saying something given the talent level on these teams.

Alabama quarterback Bryce Young has re-emerged as the Heisman Trophy front-runner, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, after leading a comeback, fourovertime win over Auburn.

But Anderson and Davis are getting plenty of acclaim, too.

“I think it’s cool,” Anderson said. “Especially nowadays a lot of defensive guys, you don’t get as much attention. But I think it’s good. It’s cool. I think it’s a mutual respect, and I think it’s cool.”

Anderson is an edge rusher who leads the nation in sacks and tackles for loss for the Tide and has been an outspoken leader. “He’s done as much for our team as anybody ever has,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said.

Davis doesn’t pile up the stats from his position clogging the middle of the nation’s top defense, but he is a huge presence on the Bulldogs’ dominant defense — and even scored a touchdown.

Saban said, whatever the stats, the top thing to look for in an offense is how hard they make it for blockers.

And Davis, he said, “is really hard to block.”

That’s one thing he and Anderson have in common. Otherwise, Anderson is a former five-star recruit at a glamour position. Davis is a space-hogging lineman who only got three stars as a prospect.

Both are among the finalists for the Bronco Nagurski Trophy and Bednarik Award given to the nation’s top defensive player.

The 6-foot-4, 243-pound Anderson is the Tide’s most devastating pass rusher since the late Pro Football and College Football Hall of Famer Derrick Thomas. He has 271⁄2 tackles for loss and 131⁄2 sacks, corralling Mississippi State’s Will Rogers four times in that game.

Anderson is a five-time SEC defensive player of the week this season. He had seven sacks as a freshman despite not recording one until Game 8.

“He’s a tremendous athlete,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “He plays with so much passion and toughness and energy. When I see him play, he reminds me of (former Alabama linebacker) Rashaan Evans at times before Rashaan moved to inside ‘backer. He’s so explosive, twitchy and tough.

“He strikes people and really strikes blocks really well. He’ll be a key part of the game in terms of the way he plays and affects the game.”

The 6-6, 340-pound Davis can hardly be judged on stats alone. His 24 tackles, 31⁄2 tackles for loss and two sacks hardly tell the story of his impact on the Bulldogs defense.

“I mean, I think the guy is one of the most dominant players in college football,” Saban said.