Will this year's SEC Championship Game see another switch at quarterback?

Could history play out in reverse Saturday? If so, will Nick Saban and company be ready for it?

The last two times Alabama and Georgia have met in Atlanta, backup quarterbacks stole the show. During the 2018 national championship game, Tua Tagovailoa famously filled in for Jalen Hurts in the second half, capping off a Crimson Tide comeback with a game-winning touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith in overtime. Later that year, Hurts returned the favor, stepping in for an injured Tagovailoa to spark a fourth-quarter comeback for Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.

Although, if a backup is going to step into the spotlight during Saturday’s SEC Championship Game between No. 1 Georgia and No. 3 Alabama, he’s likely going to be wearing red and black.

Georgia is led by former walk-on Stetson Bennett, who has done an admirable job managing his team’s offense behind center this season. However, it’s hard to ignore the Bulldogs’ five-star back-up, JT Daniels, who started three of the first four games before being replaced.

Given recent history, it’s natural to wonder what would happen if Daniels ended up replacing Bennett at some point Saturday. According to Alabama head coach Nick Saban, the possible alteration wouldn’t actually bring about too many differences.

“I don't think their offense changes significantly,” Saban said when asked Thursday about preparing for both quarterbacks. “I think Stetson Bennett is very athletic. He extends plays. He's quick, fast, and has made plays with his feet probably a little more.

“But their offense doesn't change. Both guys are very talented. Both guys do a really good job of sort of executing their offense. They run the football effectively. They have a great balance. They have good play-action passes. They've got good skill guys outside. And they've got a good effective scheme when they do have to throw the ball, whether it's third down, two-minute, whatever.”

Bennett, 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, is the more mobile of the two and has picked up 240 yards and a touchdown on the ground while averaging 6.3 yards per carry this season. The senior is better known for his efficiency with his arm as he ranks second in the nation with a 188.55 passer rating and has completed 65% of his passes for 1,985 yards and 21 touchdowns with five interceptions over 11 games. He also ranks second nationally averaging 10.8 yards per completion.

“I think he's playing with a lot of confidence, and obviously the experience that he's gained through having additional starts, having more time in the offense,” Saban said. “He does a really good job of executing what they do. He doesn't make a lot of mistakes. He's accurate with the ball. He can extend plays. But I think he's really smart. He sees what the defense is going to do. He gets the ball out of his hands very quickly to the right guys for the most part.”

Bennett got the start during Georgia’s 41-24 loss at Alabama last season as Daniels was still recovering from an ACL injury. Bennett struggled on the night, completing just 18 of 40 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns while tossing three interceptions against the Tide. However, Alabama players are expecting a much different quarterback come Saturday afternoon.

“Stetson Bennett is very elusive in the pocket,” safety Jordan Battle said. “He’s creative in the pocket and he keeps his eyes downfield. That should be nothing new to us. We see Bryce Young every day in practice. He’s elusive. He makes us scramble and stay on our man, locked onto our man when he’s scrambling. Stetson Bennett is a great player.”

Despite Bennet’s efficiency, the senior has yet to throw for 300 or more yards during a game in his career. That could be a problem against an Alabama defense that ranks No. 4 against the run, allowing an average of 80.58 yards per game. Could that see Georgia turn to Daniels at some point Saturday?

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound pocket passer has appeared in just six games, completing 72.3% of his passes for 722 yards and seven touchdowns with three interceptions. His most recent outing came two weeks ago against Charleston Southern where he completed 7 of 12 passes for 73 yards and a touchdown.

“I still think that JT Daniels is going to have to play a role in there at some point,” ESPN broadcaster Chris Fowler told Paul Finebaum last month. “To come in and as good as Bennett has been, as steady as he’s been, I just feel Daniels is going to play a role somewhere whether it’s in Atlanta or the playoff or wherever.”

Regardless of who is at quarterback, Georgia will look to take advantage of an Alabama secondary that has been inconsistent in recent weeks. The Tide limited Auburn quarterback TJ Finley to completions on 17 of 26 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns with an interception last week. However, the week before that, Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson torched Alabama through the air, completing 22 of 30 passes for 326 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.

No. 3 Alabama (11-1, 7-1) and No. 1 Georgia (12-0, 8-0) will meet Saturday for a 3 p.m. CT kickoff inside of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The game will be televised on CBS.