Alabama Preview
by Chito Chibuye
Dawgs OTL Writer/ UGA Alumnus
Georgia vs. Alabama: The Dawgs’ Biggest Mental Hurdle
Over the past 5 years, there has not been a championship-contending team that has crossed paths with Georgia and not had a loss put on its record. Ohio State, Texas, Oregon, Notre Dame, LSU, Michigan, Clemson and Alabama have all been bested by Kirby and company during this recent run. We have bullied nearly every team in the country, but for the University of Georgia, the one team that has been our “Deebo”, or constant mental hurdle, has clearly been the Alabama Crimson Tide. So many teams face this dynamic at one point or another, like the Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens, unable to get to a Super Bowl because of Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Phil Mickleson trying to beat Tiger Woods for a major in the early 2000’s, or teams unable to dethrone Michael Jordan or Lebron James owning the Eastern Conference in the NBA for years. The Tennessee Volunteers (at one point had UGA’s number) are now dealing with 9-straight losses to the Dawgs. We can call it a “Saban” problem or blame the jersey selections all we want but until we start beating The Tide more regularly these narratives will continue to exist. Alabama has been the one team that has served as our kryptonite, even as Georgia has achieved Superman-like accomplishments.
Kirby Smart’s Record Against the Crimson Tide
Beating Bama in the 2021 National Championship was a moment no Dawg fan will ever forget. Although, even with that win, Kirby Smart is 1-6 vs Alabama, with all but one loss coming from THE Nick Saban. They beat us in a barn burner last year in Tuscaloosa, they beat us in the 2023 SECCG, they broke our hearts on 2nd & 26 in the 2018 National Championship, and the last time they came to Athens, Kirby was still the DC (2015) when the Tide beat us 38-10. To be blunt, this is something we just have to get over.
Talent Gap Narrows as Saban Era Ends
The talent gap has changed across the sport and neither Alabama nor Georgia, for that matter, has been able to hoard talent the way they did in the past. Nick Saban’s reign is over, and most would agree that Kirby is the best coach in the game now. There’s no magic or “aura” that this Alabama program produces now, so there’s no excuse for uncharacteristic mistakes by anxious players or coaches trying to reinvent the wheel. I don’t even want to talk about black jerseys because it’s all that cute stuff that becomes a distraction.
Athens Night Game and Homefield Advantage
A night game in Athens, GA is the best-case scenario when considering homefield advantage. 33 consecutive home victories is the longest active home winning streak in the nation, and every fan in attendance needs to be hoarse for 2 days after this game! The coaching staff that has had time to iron out the kinks should be prepared for anything Bama wants to do to be successful. Both teams were in dire need of a bye week for health reasons, and reports indicate that at least Alabama will benefit as they return 2 key pieces in DL Tim Keenan (tightrope surgery) and RB Jam Miller (who has been crucial in recent wins against UGA).
Key Alabama Players Returning From Injury
Can Georgia replicate the success FSU’s mobile QB had against Bama with Gunner Stockton? Can Alabama position Ryan Williams to take over the game like he did in 2024 or like Chris Brazzell of the Vols did a couple of weeks ago? It would also be unwise to sleep on players like LB Deontae Lawson, WR Germie Bernard, and QB Ty Simpson who Kirby confessed may be “ the hottest QB in football currently”.
Statistical Edge: Georgia’s Rushing Attack vs. Bama’s Defense
When comparing the stats between these two teams, Alabama is better in every category except for rushing yards per game. Georgia leads with 209 ypg (30th) compared to Alabama’s 124 ypg (103rd). This was an area that Kirby committed to improving in the offseason, and this is the perfect opportunity to emphasize it. If your RG and RT are healthy or productive, winning possession, keeping Bama’s offense off the field, using your QB’s legs and play action shots can win you this game offensively. Defensively, stopping the run game and making Bama pass happy will be effective, especially if we can get after Simpson with players like Chris Cole, who is a technician in pass-rushing situations. We cannot allow this WR group to get comfortable and make explosive plays on Saturday. Crowd noise, false starts, and turnovers should all work in our favor, but Alabama needs this win and they will bring their best.
Game Outlook: Old-School SEC Slugfest Awaits in Athens
This game is going to be tight, and I fully expect it to come down to the wire.
Expect Georgia to try to turn this into an old-school, physical, line-of-scrimmage, SEC-style slugfest from start to finish. How long can the Tide front 7 hold up before the Dawgs RBs start to carve out chunks of yards? Can Gunner continue his excellent play and be the reason Georgia overcomes its’ biggest mental hurdle? I don’t feel great about my pick, but I think Georgia is due and finds a way to get a FG win.
Score Prediction:
Georgia over Alabama 30-27
Go Dawgs!
