Insane Stat on the Line for Georgia-Alabama in Week 5

In the biggest matchup of the young college football season, No. 2 Georgia will visit No. 4 Alabama for an SEC battle on Saturday. The two powerhouse programs last met in the 2023 SEC Championship Game, a 27-24 win by Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide.

The amount of storylines heading into the Week 5 matchup is astonishing. Georgia's loss in the conference title game put a swift end to its quest for a third consecutive national title, giving Kirby Smart's Bulldogs plenty of motivation heading into his return to Tuscaloosa. Longtime Alabama head coach Nick Saban will be on site, albeit as a host of ESPN's "College GameDay." Instead, first-year head coach Kalen DeBoer will lead the Crimson Tide in his first SEC game.

The familiarity and history of excellence between the two programs have taken center stage. But what has gone unnoticed is the incredible stat on the line in this matchup, beyond Georgia's 42-game regular season winning streak.

Georgia is the only team in the country that has yet to allow a touchdown this season. In fact, the last touchdown the Bulldogs have allowed came against Alabama in the fourth quarter of last year's SEC Championship. That is 16 consecutive quarters (4 games) without allowing a touchdown by the Dawgs' defense.

One could argue that the quality of offensive competition hasn't been notable during that span. That is true when considering UGA's games against Florida State in the Orange Bowl, the Week 2 matchup against Tennessee Tech and the previous matchup against Kentucky.

But the season opener against Clemson has taken on a different tune since Georgia routed the Tigers 34-3 in Atlanta. Clemson has put up 125 points since that game, including 59 points against NC State last week.

That said, Alabama and star quarterback Jalen Milroe will likely provide the toughest test the Bulldogs' vaunted defense has faced. The Heisman Trophy contender has already accounted for 746 yards of total offense and 14 touchdowns through three games. His ability as both a passer and ball carrier makes the Tide's offense dangerous.

Alabama currently ranks 24th in total offense and sixth in scoring offense, averaging 466 yards per game and 49 points per game, respectively. Georgia is allowing 202 yards per game (4th) and six points per game (3rd).

The battle between the Crimson Tide defense and the Carson Beck-led UGA offense is for a different story, but perhaps the greatest chess match will be Smart's defense pitted up against Milroe and DeBoer's offense.

Kickoff from Bryant-Denny Stadium is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC). Georgia is considered a 2.5-point favorite, per ESPN Bet.

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