How Georgia can flip the script and beat Alabama

For the second time since Kirby Smart took over at Georgia, the Bulldogs will meet his former boss, Nick Saban, and Alabama for the national championship.

Not only did Saban win that first title matchup in dramatic fashion thanks to Tua Tagovailoa's 41-yard overtime touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith, but the Crimson Tide also took this year's SEC title game over the Bulldogs with a 41-24 triumph.

Despite that, Georgia enters the contest as a slight favorite over its SEC opponent.

Here are three things the Bulldogs must do differently to finally topple Saban and win their first national title in 41 years.

Get pressure on Bryce Young

Alabama's offensive line is a talented group, but the unit has struggled to keep Bryce Young off the turf. The Crimson Tide ranked 102nd nationally in sacks allowed per game this season at 2.71. While Auburn couldn't complete the upset in the Iron Bowl rivalry game, the Tigers offered the blueprint in how to slow down the explosive Crimson Tide offense.

Auburn sacked Young seven times and pressured him on countless other dropbacks, holding the Crimson Tide to three points over the first 58 minutes of game action. Of course, Young likely sealed the Heisman trophy with a game-tying 97-yard drive and subsequent overtime victory, but the Tigers' recipe to stopping Alabama's usually explosive offense was simple - get pressure in the backfield.

Despite having one of the best defensive fronts in the country, Georgia couldn't do that in the SEC title game, finishing with zero sacks. That has to change this time around if the Bulldogs are going to flip the script and win the national championship.

Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien devised a quick-strike passing game for the first matchup with Georgia, getting the ball out of Young's hands early. That strategy took any bite out of the nation's ninth-ranked pass rush. It'll be on Kirby Smart and defensive coordinator Dan Lanning to figure out a way to combat that Monday.

Limit Jameson Williams

While Jameson Williams wasn't exactly hiding from the college football world, the speedy Alabama wideout really announced himself earlier this season with his incredible performance against Georgia.

The Ohio State transfer torched the Bulldogs' secondary with seven catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns. His two scores of 67 and 55 yards showed off his big-play ability and blew the game open. Plus, Williams ranks sixth in the country at over 20 yards per catch.

Without John Metchie in this contest, the Bulldogs can focus on limiting Williams and making Slade Bolden and Ja'Corey Brooks - who've combined for 44 catches this season - beat them.

It's probably not possible to eliminate a player of Williams' ability altogether, but the Bulldogs must hold him to marginal gains if they have any chance of winning Monday.

Protect the football

Stetson Bennett may not be the country's flashiest quarterback, but there's no question the former walk-on is the man who drives Georgia's offense. The Bulldogs may run the ball 57% of the time, but that's mostly because they've led in the second half of every single game this season, outside of the Alabama loss. The offense cooks when Bennett spreads the ball around the field.

Bennett kept Georgia in the SEC title game against Alabama with 340 yards passing and three touchdowns, but his two back-breaking interceptions were also a major reason for his team's demise. The senior passer had thrown a whopping 48 times by the end of that contest, 18 more than his second-highest total of the season. That can't be the case Monday if Smart hopes to take down Saban.

It'll be difficult to run the ball against Alabama's second-ranked rush defense, something that was clear in the first meeting as Georgia averaged just 3.6 yards per carry. This will force the Bulldogs to put Bennett in low-risk passing situations so he can move the ball and limit turnovers versus the Crimson Tide. If Bennett can do that, the 23-year-old will likely walk off the field in his final collegiate game as a champion.