What Alabama fans need to know about the SEC Championship Game

University of Alabama football fans have visions of receiving an early Christmas gift Saturday: The school’s 30th SEC title.

But first, the Crimson Tide will have to defeat the top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

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Here’s what you need to know about the 2023 SEC Championship Game:

The game

The SEC Championship game will kick off at 3 p.m. Central/4 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday and will be televised by CBS. Brad Nessler will handle play-by-play, Gary Danielson will have analysis and Jenny Dell will provide sideline coverage for CBS.

For fans listening on the radio, the Crimson Tide Sports Network will feature Chris Stewart on play-by-play, Tyler Watts with analysis and Roger Hoover providing sideline coverage.

The game is sold out, but tickets are available through the online resale market. According to www.seatgeek.com, tickets to the game start at around $500.

All tickets will be digital for the game; there will be no paper tickets. Tickets should be saved or downloaded and placed in a digital wallet before fans arrive at the stadium. For information about the mobile ticketing process, fans are encouraged to visit www.secsports.social/mobile.

The gates at Mercedes-Benz Stadium will open at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time (Note: All times listed from here on out will be Eastern time).

Fans will be required to pass through security screening for admission to both the game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and SEC FanFare at the Georgia World Congress Center, 285 Andrew Young International Blvd. NW.

For security purposes, only clear bags will be permitted inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.  Bags will be inspected before entry.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium has a cashless policy and will accept only credit cards, debit cards and mobile payments for transactions inside the stadium. Fans should be aware of counterfeit tickets and should use the SEC Ticket Exchange at www.secticketoffice.com to purchase verified tickets.

Fans traveling to Atlanta will definitely want to check the weather forecast. Temperatures in the 60s are expected with the possibility of rain, which could affect fans as they head to the stadium. The good news is that rain won’t affect the game since Mercedes-Benz Stadium has an enclosed roof.

For more information, go to www.mercedesbenzstadium.com/events/sec-championship.

SEC FanFare

The Dr Pepper SEC FanFare, with plenty of interactive attractions, will be held from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday in Hall B of the Georgia World Congress Center. Admission is free.

On Saturday, the SEC Network will present the "Marty & McGee" show along with "SEC Nation" live from FanFare beginning at noon.

The T-Mobile SEC Championship Concert will begin at noon, featuring Darius Rucker, the lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish whose solo hits include “Wagon Wheel,” “Alright” and “Beers and Sunshine.”

Georgia’s pregame pep rally will be at 1:15 p.m. at the SEC FanFare, while Alabama’s will be at 1:45 p.m.

Hall B is a new location for the SEC FanFare.  In past years the event has been held in Hall C of the Georgia World Congress Center. For participation in SEC FanFare activities, participants must sign a waiver and be issued a waiver wristband.

Tailgating will be allowed in The Home Depot Backyard West Lawn and M Lot.

For full parking and tailgate guidelines, go to www.mercedesbenzstadium.com/parking-tailgate-guidelines.

Reach Jasmine Hollie at JHollie@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama fans: What you need to know before the SEC Championship Game