Week 5 of the 2024 Faculty Soccer Season has a lot of High-25 matchups on the slate. Issues get rolling early within the day when No. 20 Oklahoma State takes on No. 23 Kansas State, and different video games embrace No. 15 Louisville visiting No. 13 Notre Dame, and No. 19 Illinois visiting No. 9 Penn State.
However the greatest of all of them is Saturday night time, when No. 2 Georgia travels to Tuscaloosa to tackle No. 4 Alabama. This early-season rematch of the SEC Championship Recreation from a yr in the past has large implications, is simply the fifth time {that a} pair of groups ranked within the prime 4 have met earlier than October, and the primary since then-No. 1 Alabama beat then-No. 3 Florida State 24-7 again in 2017.
Right here is how, and what, to observe for.
How one can watch
- Gameday: Saturday, September twenty eighth. 2024
- Recreation time: 7:30 pm ET
- TV: ABC
- Broadcast Crew: Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit
- Location: Bryant-Denny Stadium (Tuscaloosa, Alabama)
- Streaming: Dwell stream on fuboTV
What to observe for
Jalen Milroe’s night time within the highlight
The final time Alabama QB Jalen Milroe confronted off towards the Bulldogs, he threw two touchdowns because the Crimson Tide knocked off their rivals within the SEC Championship recreation. A lot has modified in regards to the Tide since that recreation, however so has Milroe. His whole EPA has improved massively in comparison with the primary few video games of 2023, as has his completion proportion and sack price. He’s enjoying with way more management and appears composed in head coach Kalen DeBoer’s offense. He faces his greatest take a look at of the yr with the uber proficient Bulldogs protection and a face off with Georgia QB Carson Beck. This could possibly be Milroe’s second—let’s see if he takes it.
Can the Georgia offense get again on observe?
The Bulldogs started the yr with a pair of blowout victories. They throttled Clemson 34-3 within the Aflac Kickoff recreation, after which blew out Tennessee Tech 48-3 thanks largely to 5 touchdowns passes from Beck.
Final week towards Kentucky, nonetheless, was a a lot completely different story.
Georgia’s offense appeared out of sync all night time, with Kentucky’s bodily play holding the Bulldogs to simply 13 factors in Georgia’s 13-12 victory. “They’re a bodily workforce and there’s a number of respect there, however we had been in a position to pull it out,” mentioned Beck after the sport, which noticed him take a lot of pictures and left him with a banged-up shoulder. “A win is a win, and I’m actually happy with the blokes.”
Now they face a protection that’s fifth within the nation in passing effectivity.
Getting their offense again on observe, maybe through the bottom recreation, is an enormous storyline heading into Saturday night time.
Which defensive unit stands up: Georgia’s defensive position or Alabama’s secondary?
The non-QB place gamers for each groups are going to be the primary occasion for this heavyweight conflict, with the 2 main standouts being the Georgia cross rush and Alabama’s secondary. The Dawgs are nonetheless nasty up entrance. The highest identify for Georgia is EDGE Mykel Williams, who missed the final two Georgia video games with an ankle damage. Nonetheless, many have stepped up in his place, specifically hybrid participant Jalon Walker and defensive lineman Nazir Stackhouse. Going up towards an improved Alabama entrance that’ll take a look at their cross rush will probably be a serious problem, even when Williams is ready to play.
On the opposite facet of the ball, Alabama’s secondary is battle examined and enjoying at a really excessive stage. The Tide are fourth in EPA per cross allowed this season, first in Optimistic Play Fee allowed and have led this unit to a extremely sturdy begin this season. Georgia’s offense won’t throw it all around the yard, however they’ve some actually proficient guys in that receiving room and a QB who can ship the ball with pinpoint accuracy. Search for CBs Keon Sabb and Malachi Moore to play huge roles.
Kirby Good versus Alabama
Kirby Good has constructed one of the crucial spectacular head teaching resumes in faculty soccer, even when it a bit quick. In spite of everything, Georgia is his first cease as a head coach, however in his time in Athens he has a pair of Nationwide Championships below his belt.
One Achilles’ heel, nonetheless?
Alabama.
Good is simply 1-4 towards Alabama over his profession at Georgia. Definitely that one win stands out, because it got here in a Nationwide Championship Recreation. However he has 4 losses to the Crimson Tide throughout his teaching tenure at Georgia, and would like to keep away from a fifth. Now, these first 5 video games got here towards Nick Saban, who is not going to be prowling the other sideline on Saturday night time in Tuscaloosa …
Kalen DeBoer’s first huge take a look at
As a substitute, it will likely be Kalen DeBoer.
DeBoer is off to a 3-0 begin since filling these large footwear Saban left behind. However all three victories got here outdoors of the convention.
Now for his first SEC recreation as a head coach he will get to welcome the No. 2 workforce within the nation to city.
Fairly the best way to begin your convention schedule. How DeBoer handles this recreation is one other large storyline heading into Saturday night time.
However with the 12-team playoff, not an elimination recreation
The addition of the 12-team playoff makes this recreation way more fascinating. Whereas the winner definitely catapults themselves to the highest of the AP ballot, the loser doesn’t actually lose as a lot as they might if this had been a four-team playoff. With at-large bids being given out to different P4 faculties primarily based on their file and place within the remaining AP ballot and this being the SEC, the loser of this doesn’t essentially get rid of themselves from the (barely smaller) Large Dance.
Alabama nonetheless has ranked matchups towards Tennessee, Missouri, LSU and Oklahoma on their schedule, whereas Georgia attracts Texas, Ole Miss and Tennessee. The street to the CFP remains to be large open for each of those groups—however they’ll’t afford to get blown out in any of those video games, together with the one on Saturday. Type factors matter to this committee, and a detailed, tightly contested recreation between these two heavyweights would possibly preserve the loser within the CFP race.
