Opponent Preview: Alabama Crimson Tide
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Mascot: Crimson Tide. Which is confusing when a small child asks, “are we playing the elephants?”
2025 Record: 11-4 (7-1 in SEC)
Conference: SEC
Series History: Alabama leads 45-27-4
Head Coach: Kalen DeBoer. Possibly the most disliked person to win in the state of Alabama aside from Cam Newton or Bubba Wallace.
Famous Alumni: Harper Lee and Winston Groom, the latter of whom wrote Forrest Gump. Other notables: Joe Namath and Paul”Bear” Bryant who went on to later coach football at Kentucky as well as a few other stops.
Fun Fact: Is the home to the nation’s first custom-adapted tennis facility, so good on the gang in Tuscaloosa for something that for sure positively impacts those with disabilities.
2025 Recap
No matter how hard Kalen DeBoer tries, there will never, ever be any escaping Nick Saban’s shadow. It was one reason why replacing Bear Bryant was a challenge, because who wants to get that comparison every day? I’m sure there is probably someone at a BBQ joint outside Anniston that’ll point out how much more quickly Saban could arrive at the football building than DeBoer.
The past two years for DeBoer have been relatively good…who’d be mad about a combined 20 wins and two CFP showings? Your answer – Alabama fans used to not just winning, but steamrolling people. The Crimson Tide had an unbecoming loss last year to a horrendous FSU team and slogged around in a three-point win against a pedestrian Mizzou team and by a touchdown against a bad Auburn team. The flip side is that the season was salvaged early with the Georgia win. The Tide may be off of what they were…but they treat playing the Bulldogs like their Super Bowl. Will that be enough for DeBoer to keep his job…or decide to leave on his own? Stay tuned.
On Offense
The big news, of course is no Ty Simpson. The very versatile Keelon Russell looks to be the guy at quarterback, but if things go south there, don’t be stunned to see Austin Mack in play. The Washington transfer has spent two years in offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb’s system. Running game? Let’s just saw it was not very Bama-like as the ground game a year ago didn’t establish things by and large as the top three running backs were under 4.0 yards a carry. The key to improving the run game? Offensive line play, also a down-spot last year. If that does not improve, then Bama could very well have to rely on deep receiving threats such as Ryan Coleman-Williams…if that group can be consistent.
On Defense
So with an inconsistent offense, how did Alabama win 11 times last year? The answer was on defense. As Dawg fans saw in Athens, a front seven that is on point can impact things, but Bama loses all but one starter off a defensive line with sack leader Yhonzae Pierre returning…though Oregon transfers Terrance Green and Devan Thompkins should have this group pretty good up front. Look for Husky Red Morgan as well as redshirt freshman Xavier Griffin to help Kane Womack’s defense continue to attack. The secret sauce here, however, may be the secondary where All-American caliber DBs Keon Sabb, Bray Hubbard and Zabien will all line up, forcing offenses into a front-seven phone booth which may very well be what the Crimson Tide wants.
Prediction
Can Georgia beat Alabama? Yes. Should Georgia beat Alabama? Yes.
The Dawgs were able to overpower the Crimson Tide for the SEC title last year. One thing that was different in that win? The Dawgs dominating in the trenches. It was very much a ‘Man Ball” win, and it was low on style points but high on hard running and tough defense – that’s how Georgia wants to play, but not how a DeBoer team prefers – going even back to his days at Washington. As we have seen, if it’s a knockdown-drag out, Georgia likely wins. If it’s a shootout? Hang on.
Go Dawgs!
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