UGA’s defense against the Bama offense was the featured matchup in January’s national title game, but as the two programs prep for the 2022 campaign on a collision course toward a rematch, Nick Kayal believes we may see a role reversal this postseason.
Heading into the National Championship game back in January, the matchup was billed as a high-powered Alabama offense facing off against a historically great Georgia defense. Sealing the deal with a pick-six, the Dawgs' top unit prevailed as the program captured its first title since 1980.
Many expect the two SEC powerhouses to start the 2022 season on a collision course toward the conference title game and perhaps the CFB Playoff, but with five first-rounders gone from that vaunted UGA defense and several weapons no longer at Bryce Young’s disposal, Nick Kayal believes we could see a bit of a role reversal when the postseason rolls around.
While both the Georgia defense and the Alabama offense, led by the Heisman trophy winner, will still both be formidable, Kayal says the headliners may be swapped in the coming months.
“It might be the Alabama defense and it might be the Georgia offense…Alabama is going to have Will Anderson coming off the edge, DJ Dale as their stout defensive tackle, Henry To'oto'o—the transfer from Tennessee who has been with Bama for multiple years, and safety Jordan Battle. Bama’s defense could the ones that are really great this year.”
Kayal continued to say, “it could be the Georgia offense that is really great with Stetson Bennett, Kendal Milton, Kearis Jackson, Adonai Mitchell, Ladd McConkey, Brock Bowers, Arik Gilbert, Darnell Washington.”
Anderson, the top defensive player heading into the season, joined Dukes & Bell on 92.9 The Game Friday and shared that Bama isn’t dwelling on the 33-18 loss to the Dawgs in 2022 but did say they’ve learned from it. Take a listen to Anderson, here:
The countdown to college football season is on and Georgia will begin their title defense against Oregon at Mercedes Benz Stadium on September 3rd while the Tide opens up at home against Utah State.