ATLANTA — UPDATE | The Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the University of Georgia 41-24 in the SEC Championship game on Saturday in Atlanta.
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ORIGINAL STORY | The countdown is on for the biggest game in arguably the best conference in college football to take over Atlanta.
The Georgia Bulldogs will take on the Crimson Tide for the most highly anticipated game in college football.
Due to pandemic restrictions, it's been two years since Mercedes Benz Stadium has been allowed to sell out their stadium for the SEC game but officials said they're expecting to welcome 70,000 fans on Saturday.
While tickets through the official website are already sold out, you can still find them on second-party websites like Stubhub and Ticketmaster. But experts say do be prepared to pay up. The cheapest tickets on Friday afternoon were about $300, with field-level seats going for $600.
The SEC Assistant Commissioner, Byron Hatch said he's not surprised by the demand.
"When you look at Georgia undefeated and Alabama ranked number 3 and ESPN college game day here --this is the game of the weekend," he said.
Those who are able to get a ticket, make sure you have a digital version as paper tickets won't be accepted, according to event organizers. They also recommend making parking plans ahead of time as spots in the lots closest to the stadium are already sold out.
People who are trying to avoid traffic all together are urged to take MARTA as there's a route that goes directly to the stadium.
The Atlanta Police Department is also asking that people stay aware as they plan to ramp up security measures inside and outside of the stadium.
“We have mobilized all of our divisions and patrol throughout our city. You’ll notice they’ll be a lot of police officers out to ensure we create a safe space for our citizens," Deputy Chief Timothy Peek said.
Officials are telling fans to not bring a purse, only clear bags will be allowed in on game day. Cash won't be accepted on game day either, people should be prepared to pay with credit or debit cards.
The official tailgate lots will open at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. Tailgating in the lots once the game has started is only permitted for up to 30 minutes, according to officials. Only four people can stay in one specific tailgate spot after the 30-minute period.