No. 2 Georgia (3-0, 1-0 SEC) will face No. 4 Alabama (3-0) this Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.
Last season, the Crimson Tide and dual-threat quarterback Jalen Milroe spoiled the Bulldogs’ plans at making the College Football Playoff with a 27-24 win in the 2023 SEC Championship game.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and his players will hope for a better result this time around. Smart complimented Milroe, saying he’s seen him improve vastly since the last time the Bulldogs faced him.
“It’s a considerable jump as a natural pocket passer. You see [Milroe] make more throws now that are rhythm throws, on-time throws, RPO (run-pass option) throws,” Smart said. “You could tell he’s become more comfortable with those things.
“Still, some of his best and most exciting plays are when things break down, or he runs the ball by design. Either one is very dangerous, but you can see him as a deep ball passer, the vertical passing game, the shots, the rhythm throws, the outs, the timing throws, the RPO throws. He’s improved immensely at that part of his game, but he’s always been good at the athletic part.”
Milroe’s dual-threat ability gave Georgia’s defense fits in last season’s SEC Championship game. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound junior quarterback extended plays with his fit and hit several deep balls.
Smart believes Milroe’s athleticism is one of his biggest strengths and respects how well he can improvise.
“Do you look at last year’s game? Well, you always look at things like that from a personnel standpoint, matchup,” Smart said. “You see guys in that game that overlap. “But the challenges are immense with him because he’s an incredible football player. There is no design to a play that you can draw up and then say, ‘Well, I’m pretty sure this is going to happen on this play.’ because with him you don’t know what will happen. Sometimes, the worst thing you can do is cover everybody with him, and sometimes, the best thing you can do is cover everybody. It just depends.”
Georgia linebacker Smael Mondon remembers how dynamic Milroe was in last year’s contest in Atlanta.
“[It’s] just how explosive he is. He’s a dynamic athlete, but he’s also a good quarterback, throwing the ball,” Mondon said. “He throws a really good deep ball, and he’s really explosive with his feet.”
In 2024, Milroe has passed for 590 yards and eight touchdowns. He’s also rushed for 156 yards and six scores.
Offensively, Alabama is ranked sixth nationally in scoring offense, averaging 49.0 points per game, about 417 yards per game, and 7.41 yards per play.
Milroe is a huge reason why the Tide’s offense has been so successful this season. However, he will face a Georgia defensive unit that has not yet given up a touchdown through its first three games.
“He is as different a football player in college football as I’ve played against in a long time because people think he’s just a runner, and that’s not the case,” Smart said. “He has a tremendous arm and can do things that others can’t. He can reach spots on the field and get it there faster than you can brake on it, better than most arm-talent people. So, it’s a tremendous challenge to defend a guy like him.”