SEC title game preview: UGA fans have no need to worry, the best of Jake Fromm is yet to come

The Georgia Bulldogs and LSU Tigers will meet in Atlanta Saturday night with the winner earning the SEC championship trophy and equally as important, an invite to the College Football Playoff semifinal series. Currently 11-1, the only team in the top four with a loss, the Bulldogs will go as far as their vaunted defense and versatile running game will take them against a Tigers team that has found a way to win games on both sides of the ball this season. The Tigers will also come to Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a stellar defense and five-star running backs to tote the rock. So what’s going to be the difference, the tie-breaker, the pebble that will shift the scales? Who will have that breakout game under te brightest of lights? Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm, that’s who.

We haven’t gotten that breakthrough Fromm performance this season and to be frank the Bulldogs haven’t really needed it. His two best statitical games of the season thus far -17-22 for 279 yards and three touchdowns against Arkansas State and 14-29 for 254 yards and four touchdowns at Georgia Tech last weekend- came during blowout wins. His worst -28-51 for 295 yards, a touchdown and season-high three interceptions (The only three he has thrown all season)- came in the loss in Columbia. Stats have never lied but you can’t measure Fromm’s contribution thsi season on just pure numbers. Arguably the best games this season have come when the Dawgs needed him most, at Florida (20-30 for 279 and a pair of touchdowns) and at Auburn (13-28 for just 110 yards and three touchdowns). Georgia needed those games to continue their run to an SEC East title and when the chips were down Fromm was up. The same will happen Saturday night. All the chips will be down on the table and the former Houson County Bears quarterback, Little League World Series champion (Google it people) and state champion baseball player (see 2015 GHSA baseball) will be at his best if history is any proof.

The team on the other sideline Saturday night will have one heck of a quarterback as well. Senior Joe Burrow, my favorite for the Heisman trophy, has had the best season by an LSU signal-caller since, well since ever. Burrow has thrown for 4,366 yards and 44 touchdowns with just six interceptions. His team is 12-0 and is coming into the SEC title game with the ultimate benefit  of the doubt, aka the “They beat Alabama’ card. If the Tigers lose to Georgia Saturday I believe there is still a good chance they are selected for the College Football Playoff. They have been that good this season and plus, what’s a championship series without at least two SEC teams? 

Georgia versus LSU. Fromm versus Burrow. All the chips are down and my bet is on Georgia and the kid from Warner Robins. 

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