SEC Championship: No.4 Georgia vs No.2 LSU

The end of the season is here. The West champion takes on the East champion. Georgia takes on LSU at 3pm on CBS. In a game that has playoff implications, we’ll breakdown the path to victory for each team.

Series History

The last time these two teams played was last season in Baton Rouge. LSU jumped out to a 16-0 start and never looked back. The Bulldogs never had a chance in Death Valley.

Joe Burrow was just 50 percent through the air for 200 yards with no scores and no interceptions. His legs were the key though as was the story for several other Tigers. Burrow ran for 66 yards and two scores, Clyde Edwards-Helaire ran for 145 yards Nick Brossette went for 64 yards and a score.

LSU won the last SEC Championship game 42-10 in 2011. (Photo by cbssports.com).

Turnovers proved to be the difference as LSU picked the Bulldogs off twice as well as forced two fumbles. The LSU victory threw a wrench in then No.2 Georgia’s playoff hopes halfway through the season.

LSU leads the all-time series 17-13. They have won three of the last four putting an end to a three-game winning streak by the Bulldogs in 2009. In SEC Championship games the Tigers lead the series 2-1.

Georgia Keys To Victory

Georgia has the best defense in the SEC. They rank atop the conference in points allowed, rushing yards allowed and total yards allowed. They also rank fourth in passing yards allowed. That’s not bad, but its behind an Alabama team who allowed 393 yards to the Tigers in their game.

The Bulldogs need to find a way to stop Joe Burrow. They should be able to keep the LSU running game in check with their top-ranked rushing defense in the SEC. If the defense can force a couple of turnovers or at the very least keep Burrow under 300 yards, they’ll give themselves a fighting chance.

The Georgia offense is going to need to be the difference and beat the LSU defense through the air. Jake Fromm will have to have a career day. LSU’s defense does well against the run but is susceptible to the air raid, ranking just 9th in the SEC against the pass. If the Bulldogs can successfully move the ball downfield through the air they’ll be in a great position to win an SEC championship.

LSU Keys to Victory

LSU’s defense is a liability. They’ve done enough in games to make sure the team gets wins. But they’ll certainly benefit from a weaker Georgia offense. Georgia ranks below Alabama, Auburn and Florida in points per game and below Alabama and Auburn in total offense which should bode well for the Tigers.

Joe Burrow and LSU defeated Georgia last season 36-16. (Photo by reviewjournal.com).

The key to victory will run by a similar gameplan for the rest of the games this year. Overwhelm them with the spread. Joe Burrow has catapulted this offense into the dominant juggernaut it has been this year. If the Heisman frontrunner can do it again they should be a sure SEC Champion lock.

Joe Burrow has thrown for under 300 yards just twice this year; a limited game against Georgia Southern and a 42-28 win against Florida. Georgia’s defense allows just 186 yards per game through the air. Even better for LSU, they’re tied for last in the SEC in interceptions per game.

Outlook

LSU’s defense hasn’t been all that great. Georgia’s defense has been outstanding. At the end of the day, it comes down to offense.

LSU’s offense is just too overpowering for Georgia to slow them down enough. The Georgia offense has struggled this year in big games. In their three ranked games this season, the Bulldogs have yet to score more than 24 points. LSU has scored less than 24 points just once; a 23-20 win against Auburn

Prediction: Georgia 21, LSU 34

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