Tuscaloosa will be the center of the college football world for Alabama football's SEC opener Saturday night.

No. 4 Alabama will host No. 1 Georgia at 6:30 p.m. Saturday on ABC at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Crimson Tide has not faced the Bulldogs during the regular season since 2020. But Alabama has played Georgia in each of the past three seasons in either the SEC championship or the College Football Playoff National Championship.

Both Alabama and Georgia are coming off idle weeks. The Crimson Tide have wins against Western Kentucky, South Florida and Wisconsin to begin 2024, while the Bulldogs beat Clemson, Tennessee Tech and Kentucky.

Here's our scouting report of the Bulldogs and how they stack up with the Crimson Tide along with an Alabama-Georgia score prediction.

Georgia football players to know

• Georgia QB Carson Beck: The Georgia quarterback was one of the top signal-callers in the SEC in 2023, leading the league in pass attempts, completions and passing yards. Beck is off to a slower start in 2024 for an offense that is still trying to find its footing. But his efficiency and ability to not turn the ball over already has Alabama's attention defensively.

• Georgia DL Mykel Williams: Georgia's premier edge rusher's status for the Alabama game remains in question after he left the Bulldogs' Week 1 win against Clemson with an ankle sprain. Williams was listed as questionable in the Georgia's first injury report ahead of Saturday's game. But if Williams is able to play, it will give Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor his toughest task yet and a matchup that will determine how efficient Jalen Milroe and the Crimson Tide offense can be against the Georgia defense.

• Georgia RB Trevor Etienne: With Tate Ratledge out at right guard, will Georgia be able to establish the run game against the Crimson Tide? Etienne, a Florida transfer and former SEC All-Freshman, is still looking for his first score of the season despite leading the Bulldogs in carries and rushing yards. Branson Robinson, Nate Frazier and Cash Jones each of rushing touchdowns. But if the Bulldogs get Etienne rolling, Georgia's offensive plan against Alabama should be well in motion.

Alabama vs Georgia football history

In 73 prior meetings, Alabama has 43 wins against Georgia including their most recent meeting: the 2023 SEC Championship game.

The Crimson Tide has won eight of its past nine games against the Bulldogs. Alabama's only loss since 2008 to Georgia was in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship.

Alabama-Georgia football history: What are the most memorable Crimson Tide vs Bulldogs games?

Saturday's game against Georgia will be Kalen DeBoer's first meeting against the Bulldogs. DeBoer is still looking for his win against an SEC program as a college football coach.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart, a former Alabama defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator, is 1-5 against the Crimson Tide.

How Alabama-Georgia stack up on offense

3rd down conversion percentage

• Alabama: 52.5% (No. 14 nationally)

• Georgia: 39.4% (No. 74)

Passing offense

• Alabama: 228.7 passing yards per game (No. 69)

• Georgia: 256.7 passing yards per game (No. 48)

'Age is real': What makes Alabama football freshman Ryan Williams 'different'

Red zone offense

• Alabama: 81.8% (No. 90 - tied)

• Georgia: 100% (No. 1 - tied)

Sacks allowed

• Alabama: 2 per game (No. 80 - tied)

• Georgia: 0.67 per game (No. 11 - tied)

Scoring offense

• Alabama: 49 points per game (No. 6)

• Georgia: 31.7 points per game (No. 58)

How Alabama-Georgia stack up on defense

Third-down defense

• Alabama: 16.3% (No. 1)

• Georgia: 39% (No. 81 - tied)

Passing yards allowed

• Alabama: 115.7 yards per game (No. 7)

• Georgia: 91.3 yards per game (No. 1)

Alabama football defense goes to the tape to prepare for Georgia, but not the video you'd think

Red zone defense

• Alabama: 71.4% (No. 27 - tied)

• Georgia: 75% (No. 36 - tied)

Rushing defense

• Alabama: 132.3 yards per game (No. 68)

• Georgia: 110.7 yards per game (No. 42)

Sacks

• Alabama: 2.33 sacks per game (No. 41 - tied)

• Georgia: 2.67 sacks per game (No. 30 - tied)

Scoring defense

• Alabama: 8.67 points per game (No. 6)

• Georgia: 6 points per game (No. 3)

Alabama vs Georgia spread

Note: Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Wednesday, Sept. 25

• Spread: Alabama +1.5

• O/U: 48.5 points

Alabama vs Georgia score prediction

Georgia 27, Alabama 24: DeBoer's first meeting with Georgia will look a lot like Nick Saban's first game against the Bulldogs in 2007. Facing a bend-but-don't-break defense that lives and dies by the turnover margin, Beck and Georgia won't give the Crimson Tide many mistakes to take advantage of. And while Milroe and the offense will have their share of moments under the lights, it won't be enough to give Alabama its first SEC win of 2024.

Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football vs Georgia: Score prediction, scouting report