The Predictions Dept. finished with one of its worst weeks of the year; so much for ending on a high note. This week, there’s just one game, and with Alabama not a part of it, this will be one of the shortest “articles” in site history.
Last week’s record: 5-4 (55.6%)
Season record: 86-25 (77.5%)
GEORGIA vs. LOUISIANA STATE (at Atlanta, Ga.)
It’s the SEC Championship Game, and this year we get treated to one of the biggest mismatches in the history of the event. Due to Alabama’s misfortune more than anything, we get to watch Georgia face off against an LSU team that is coming off an embarrassing, listless loss to Texas A&M in the Tigers’ final game of the season, and there’s virtually no chance for LSU to upset Georgia in this game.
The Bulldogs are almost certainly locked into the College Football Playoff already, thanks to Ohio State’s disastrous blowout loss to Michigan, Clemson’s loss to South Carolina and a host of other circumstances that happened well before this week. LSU was in the process of putting together a nice finish to its season until last week’s meltdown against the Aggies, a loss that knocked LSU out of the CFP no matter what happens in this game.
As far as the nuts and bolts of this one go, both teams have good defenses, and both teams have competent passing games that come from the ability to run the football first and foremost. The difference here is that LSU’s defense probably can’t shut down Georgia often enough to pull the upset.
Georgia 34
LSU 17
Follow Jess Nicholas on Twitter at @TideFansJessN