One of the biggest games of the 2024 college football season is in tap as No. 2 Georgia travels to No. 4 Alabama on Saturday. The results of this clash will reverberate not just through the SEC but also on a national scale with major College Football Playoff implications in hanging in the balance.
The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide are used to throwing down with plenty on the line. Though this will be the first regular-season matchup between the two since 2020, they have played at least once in each of the past three seasons. Two of those were in the SEC Championship Game, while the third was on Jan. 10, 2022 in the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Alabama is 2-1 in those contests, though Georgia got the better of the Tide to win its first of two consecutive national titles from 2021-22. That was Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart’s only win in six games against Nick Saban, his former mentor and the now retired Alabama coach.
Saban was 8-2 overall against the Bulldogs and only lost to them once in the regular season — that being in 2007, his first year with the Tide. Though Saban isn’t roaming the sidelines anymore, that certainly doesn’t decrease the magnitude of Saturday’s game. It’s a huge opportunity for first-year Alabama boss Kalen DeBoer to make an impression and earn a cornerstone win early in his tenure.
How to watch Alabama vs. Georgia live
Date: Saturday, Sept. 28 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Bryant-Denny Stadium — Tuscaloosa, Alabama
TV: ABC | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
Alabama vs. Georgia: Players to watch
Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama: Milroe is one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in America, and he’s flourishing thus far under DeBoer, who has an established track record developing the position. The second-year starter has taken a huge step in the consistency department with a 73% completion percentage and no interceptions through his first three games. He’s also rushed for at least two touchdowns in every game thus far this season and has already reached half of his full-season total (12) from a year ago.
Ryan Williams, WR, Alabama: In a year filled with freshman superstars, Williams might be shining the brightest. He quickly emerged as a go-to target for Milroe — despite the presence of many veteran options — and had two catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns in his Alabama debut against Western Kentucky. He’s had at least one touchdown catch in each game since and leads all freshman wide receivers with 285 yards. His 28.5 yards per catch is also absurd.
Carson Beck, QB, Georgia: Beck may not be as big of a rushing threat as Milroe, but he is one of the best pure passers in the nation. The fifth-year senior had seven touchdowns passing through Georgia’s first two games. What will be interesting to see, though, is how he bounces back from a lackluster Week 3 performance against Kentucky in which he failed to throw for at least 200 yards in a single game for the first time as a starter since Nov. 25, 2023’s win against Georgia Tech. He also had a career-low 62.5% completion percentage.
Malaki Starks, DB, Georgia: Starks is the latest in a long string of elite defensive backs for the Bulldogs. He’s an eraser at safety with the ability to both cover an entire half of the field and come down and dominate in run support. He’ll be crucial in Georgia’s defensive game plan against Alabama since the Crimson Tide love to take shots downfield and have plenty of weapons to do so.
Alabama vs. Georgia prediction, pick
Saban might be gone, but the result we’re used to could very well be the same. It’s an extremely narrow 2-point line in Georgia’s favor, and that’s factoring in that it’s a home game for Alabama. I’ve made it a point not to bet against Smart and the Bulldogs, but I’m going against my own grain here. The Crimson Tide match up well against Georgia — on paper, at least. If there have been weaknesses for Georgia’s defense this year, it’s been against rushing quarterbacks and the opposing team’s rushing attack, as a whole. Alabama excels in both of those areas offensively. Plus, Georgia’s last road game didn’t inspire a ton of confidence. It’s going to be a heavyweight battle between two titans, and the Bulldogs have yet to lose off of a bye week under Kirby Smart, but I’m rolling with the Tide. Pick: Alabama +2
