Can Kalen DeBoer get another much-needed marquee win over Georgia? Can Kirby Smart ameliorate a surprisingly bad 1-6 all-time record against Alabama?
These are two of the big questions that loom over Saturday night’s game between No. 17 Alabama and No. 5 Georgia. Alabama already has one loss from its season opener against Florida State and would love to start its challenging SEC slate with a win. Georgia is fortunate to be 3-0 after a close-call 44-41 overtime win against Tennessee in its SEC opener. Both teams start quarterbacks who patiently waited their time — Ty Simpson in Tuscaloosa, Gunner Stockton in Athens — and possess defenses that haven’t been nearly as good as you’d expect based on the names on the front of the jersey.
These two teams have a tendency to deliver classics whenever they meet on the field. You have the famous second-and-26 walk-off touchdown pass in the 2018 national championship game. Then, the wild comeback the following season when Jalen Hurts took over and beat Georgia in the SEC Championship. And also, the 2022 national championship when Smart beat his mentor Nick Saban for his first title as the Bulldogs coach.
And then there was last year when Ryan Williams delivered one of the greatest plays you’ll ever see on an acrobatic catch and run for a game-winning 75-yard touchdown.
If this year’s edition comes even close to matching last year’s thriller in Tuscaloosa, we’re in store for one of the games of the season.
Alabama vs. Georgia: Need to know
How does Alabama attack Georgia’s defense: A year ago, Kalen DeBoer and then-offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan put together a masterful first-half offensive gameplan that had Georgia befuddled and overwhelmed. That fast start where QB Jalen Milroe looked unstoppable was critical given the furious rally the Bulldogs unleashed in the second half. Can DeBoer and new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb cook up some new concepts that Smart and UGA defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann haven’t seen before? Tide starting QB Ty Simpson doesn’t give you quite the versatility from a running standpoint that Milroe did, but he’s a better passer and he’s been on a heater coming into this one. Georgia’s defense, which hasn’t looked great so far this season, could have its hands full Saturday.
Georgia should take some shots downfield: Georgia’s offensive line struggled against Tennessee, giving up four sacks, which can make a program skittish about trying to be aggressive with its vertical passing game. But going up against an Alabama defense that hasn’t fared well in pressuring the quarterback, the Bulldogs could benefit from unleashing Zachariah Branch downfield for some big play chances. If this one is anything like last year’s Georgia is going to need to keep pace offensively in what could be a high-scoring affair. Trusting the offensive line to give Stockton the time to do so is risky, but this may be the matchup to do it.
Tide need to get run game going: There are multiple reasons behind the struggles — from an offensive line that hasn’t lived up to the hype yet to the lack of a dominant running back — but there’s no question that Alabama’s run game hasn’t delivered this season. The Tide rank 103rd nationally, averaging only 123.67 rushing yards per game. That was especially a problem against Florida State when the Tide managed only 87 rushing yards, looked one-dimensional offensively and managed to convert only 6 of 17 third downs. Getting running back Jam Miller back should provide a boost, but Alabama may need to be creative to get its running game going early.
Where to watch Alabama vs. Georgia live
Date: Saturday, Sept. 27 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Sanford Stadium — Athens, Georgia
TV: ABC | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Alabama vs. Georgia prediction, picks
Maybe this is a sucker pick to assume the scoring will be anywhere close to what it was a year ago, but neither defense particularly impresses me and think both could be ripe to be exploited. I think Georgia wins but I like taking the points more than anything. Pick: Over 52.5 points
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