Tag: bama football

Why the Georgia Bulldogs fans should cheer against Alabama

Why Georgia fans should be cheering against the Alabama Crimson Tide

The Georgia Bulldogs did great work to potentially clinch a playoff spot this past weekend with their 31-17 win over Tennessee. That win also kept them alive for a SEC championship game berth.

Unfortunately, Georgia faces stiff competition for the final spot: Alabama, Ole Miss, Tennessee have two SEC losses, and the loser of the Texas/Texas A&M matchup will likely have two SEC losses. Assuming the Texas-Texas A&M winner clinches a spot in the SEC championship, the only tiebreaker that would be appropriate, according to the SEC’s tie-breaking procedure, would be the winning percentage of conference opponents from each team.

If every favored team wins, here’s what the winning percentage of conference opponents would look like:

  1. Alabama Crimson Tide (.500)
  2. Georgia Bulldogs (.469)
  3. Texas A&M Aggies (.453)
  4. Ole Miss Rebels (.375)
  5. Tennessee Volunteers (.359)

Even if one of Georgia’s past opponents wins, like the Mississippi State Bulldogs winning against the Missouri Tigers, and Georgia and Alabama end up tied in winning percentage, the Crimson Tide would win based on head-to-head tiebreaker. Alabama beat Georgia in Week 5.

Therefore, the Bulldogs must hope Alabama loses a game in the final two weeks if they want to make the SEC championship.

Alabama plays Oklahoma on Saturday. While Oklahoma was ranked at one point in the season, starting 3-0, that ranking was a mirage. Oklahoma is 5-5 and has beaten just two Power Four teams all season. The Sooners still have an 18.5% chance of winning against Alabama.

The Auburn Tigers have an even smaller chance of beating Alabama, a 9.1% chance according to ESPN. One of the biggest reasons is the Tigers are playing in Tuscaloosa.

However, there have been some insanely close matchups in the Iron Bowl that could’ve gone Auburn’s way in the end. Last year, Alabama converted an insane fourth-and-31 to win the game (against a 6-5 Auburn team). Three years ago, Alabama needed three overtimes to win. Five years ago, Alabama lost. It feels like anything can happen in this game. Georgia fans will surely be wishing for an upset.

College football fans stunned after No. 1 Alabama’s upset loss to Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt gets their first win against No. 1 Alabama in over two decades years.

Well, well, well. A week after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs and claiming the top spot in the AP poll, the Alabama Crimson Tide were looking for an easy victory over the non-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores. Instead, the Commodores caught fire, stunningly beating Alabama 40-35.

The Vanderbilt offense was ultra-efficient in this one, gaining 418 yards and 26 first downs with no turnovers. Diego Pavia threw for 252 passing yards and two touchdowns on just 20 attempts.

Overall, though, it was the running game that piloted the offense, with 166 yards on a whopping 54 attempts. While that amounts to just 3.1 yards per attempt, it was absolutely crucial in Vanderbilt winning the time of possession battle. Overall, the Commodores earned 42 minutes of possession in this one.

Alabama tried to keep pace with them offensively, with Jalen Milroe throwing for 312 yards on 25 attempts, but a pick-six in the first quarter and a fumble late in the 4th sealed the loss.

This is the first time Vanderbilt has beaten a top five team, and the first time they’ve beaten Alabama in 23 years.

Here are some of the best college football fan reactions to the upset loss:

 

 

 

 

Stetson Bennett loses bet on Georgia-Alabama game

Former Georgia football quarterback Stetson Bennett faced embarrassing consequences after losing a bet on the Georgia-Alabama game

Former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett lost a bet with former Alabama Crimson Tide tight end Miller Forristall. Bennett bet that Georgia would defeat Alabama, but the Crimson Tide prevailed in a thrilling 41-34 win.

Bennett and Forristall are teammates on the Los Angeles Rams. In the aftermath of Georgia’s loss, Bennett was forced to wear Alabama attire to the Rams’ facility.

Bennett wore an Alabama hat and collared shirt. There’s honestly been more embarrassing punishments than this one, but Stetson Bennett does not want to wear any Alabama gear.

The Crimson Tide were the final team to beat Bennett in his college career (2021 SEC championship game). The good news for Bennett is he gained revenge on Alabama in the 2021 national championship and went on to win the 2022 national championship (he did not play the Crimson Tide in 2022).

Forristall posted Bennett’s payoff via social media to add to the former Georgia quarterback’s embarrassment.

Bennett remains on the Rams’ 53-man roster after missing most of his rookie season.

Photos from Georgia’s wild 41-34 loss at Alabama

Georgia football almost overcame a 28 point deficit against Alabama, but almost does not get you much in college football

The Georgia Bulldogs nearly completed their largest comeback in school history against the Alabama Crimson Tide. Georgia, who trailed 28-0 in the first half, outscored the Crimson Tide 34-14 after the Dawgs’ brutal start. However, it was not enough, but at least UGA made a blowout entertaining in their 41-34 defeat.

Georgia falls to 3-1 and had its 42 game regular season winning streak snapped along with several other impressive streaks. Alabama moves to 4-0 and is looking like a College Football Playoff lock unless disaster strikes for the Crimson Tide.

The game was a tale of two halves. Georgia looked like frauds in the first half. The Dawgs came out and looked much sharper in the second half. Georgia switched up its defense to be a little more conservatie and was no longer getting gashed.

It is remarkable Georgia and quarterback Carson Beck were able to make it close. Alabama and Jalen Milroe looked unstoppable in the first half, but that changed and suddenly it was a one score game in the fourth quarter.

In the end, Carson Beck’s fourth turnover doomed the Bulldogs. Georgia made a bunch of mistakes, but was able persevere and keep chipping away at Alabama’s lead thanks to five fourth down conversions. We’d love to see Georgia and Alabama play again later in the season after this one.

 

 

5 reasons why Alabama will beat Georgia football

Here’s five reasons why the Alabama Crimson Tide will beat the Georgia Bulldogs again

The Alabama Crimson Tide enter Week 5’s game of the week against the Georgia Bulldogs with a variety of edges over Georgia. The Crimson Tide looked much better than Georgia when the both teams last played two weeks ago. Alabama cruised to a 42-10 win at Wisconsin while Georgia struggled in an ugly 13-12 win at Kentucky.

Both teams have had a bye week to prepare for each other. Both teams should be very motivated, but we think Alabama has several distinct edges over Georgia entering the Georgia-Alabama game.

Here’s five reasons why Alabama will beat Georgia

1. Quarterback Jalen Milroe is the best offensive playmaker on either team

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe is a dynamic playmaker that defenses have to account for as a rusher and as a passer. Milroe is Alabama’s leading passer and has the most rushing touchdowns of any player on the Crimson Tide.

“It’s extremely challenging against Alabama because every play is a ticking time bomb,” said Georgia head coach Kirby Smart on limiting explosive plays against the Crimson Tide.

Milroe, who has 14 total touchdowns and no interceptions this season, is a big reason why Alabama is averaging 49 points per game. Georgia’s offense won’t be able to match Alabama’s level of production.

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2. Georgia is beat up along the defensive line

One of the only ways to beat Alabama is with a strong pass rush. Unfortunately, Georgia may be without a multiple key pieces along the defensive line.

“I feel good about Warren (Brinson),” said Smart. “Mykel (Williams’) going to be close. Jordan (Hall) is still trying to get into practice.”

Georgia recorded four sacks in the 2023 SEC championship game, but even that was not enough to knock off the Crimson Tide.

3. Alabama wins in the trenches

Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Tate Ratledge is out against Alabama. Tanner Pearson-Imagn Images

Alabama has three preseason All-SEC offensive linemen in Tyler Booker, Kadyn Proctor, and Parker Brailsford. The Crimson Tide won in the trenches in the 2023 SEC championship and will outrush Georgia again in 2024.

The Kentucky Wildcats outrushed Georgia in UGA’s most recent game. We don’t see the advantage in the trenches changing with Georgia’s top offensive lineman, Tate Ratledge, out.

4. Alabama has the mental edge

Alabama enters the Georgia game with experience of recently beating the Bulldogs. Additionally, the Crimson Tide are home underdogs for the first time since 2007.

Kirby Smart (1-5 career record against Alabama) and Georgia have been unable to get over the hump in countless big moments against the Crimson Tide.

5. Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams is too good

Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Ryan Williams is one of the top freshmen in college football. Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

True freshman Ryan Williams, a former five-star recruit, is Alabama’s top playmaker on the perimeter. Williams looks like Alabama’s latest elite wide receiver.

“He’s in the same line with the guys they’ve had in the past,” said Kirby Smart. “Super quick, talented, confident with the ball, great ball skills, great quickness.”

Williams has more than double the receiving yardage of any other Alabama receiver. The big play threat has 10 receptions for 285 yards and four touchdowns. He burns Georgia for multiple explosive plays in this one.

4-star OL Mason Short names top schools

Four-star in-state offensive line recruit Mason Short is projected to commit to Georgia football

Four-star offensive line recruit Mason Short, who recently decommitted from the Alabama Crimson Tide, has named his top schools. The Crimson Tide did not make the cut of Short’s latest top schools. Short decommitted from Alabama after visiting the University of Georgia and a few days after Nick Saban retired.

Short’s top schools are Georgia, Clemson, Kentucky, and Ohio State. Short is currently projected to commit to the Georgia Bulldogs.

Georgia offered a scholarship to Mason Short in April 2022 and have continued to heavily recruit the talented in-state offensive lineman. The 6-foot-6, 305-pound interior offensive lineman is ranked as the No. 161 player in the class of 2025. Short is considered the seventh-ranked interior offensive lineman and the No. 22 recruit in Georgia, per 247Sports.

Mason Short plays high school football for Evans High School in Evans, Georgia. Short is a member of the class of 2025 and is a junior.

The talented offensive line prospect announced his top schools via social media:

The talented offensive line recruit was previously committed to Alabama from April 2023-Jan. 2024.

4-star OT Mason Short decommits from Alabama after visiting UGA

Four-star in-state offensive line recruit Mason Short has decommitted from the Alabama Crimson Tide

Four-star offensive line recruit Mason Short has decommitted from the Alabama Crimson Tide. Short decommitted from Alabama after visiting the University of Georgia and several days after Nick Saban retired. Short was part of a massive recruiting weekend for the Bulldogs.

The Georgia Bulldogs and head coach Kirby Smart have been aggressively recruiting against Alabama since Nick Saban’s retirement. The Bulldogs have already gained a commitment from Alabama transfer Jake Pope. Additionally, Georgia plucked Alabama’s cornerbacks coach away from their staff.

Georgia offered a scholarship to Mason Short in April 2022 and have continued to actively pursue the talented in-state offensive lineman. The 6-foot-6, 305-pound interior offensive lineman is ranked as the No. 159 player in the class of 2025. Short is considered the No. 8 interior offensive lineman and the No. 20 player in Georgia, per 247Sports.

Mason Short plays high school football for Evans High School in Evans, Georgia. Short is a member of the class of 2025 and is a junior.

The talented offensive tackle announced his decommitment from Alabama via social media:

The talented offensive line recruit had been committed to Alabama since April of 2023. Georgia is looking to take advantage of Nick Saban’s departure on the recruiting trail and so far, so good for the Dawgs.

4-star safety Peyton Woodyard flips to Alabama

Peyton Woodyard, a four-star safety, has flipped his commitment from UGA to Alabama

Four-star safety recruit Peyton Woodyard had been committed to the Georgia Bulldogs since January 2023. Now, Woodyard has flipped to the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The four-star safety is the No. 6 player at his position and the No. 81 overall prospect in the class of 2024, per 247Sports. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound defensive back is the ninth-ranked recruit in California.

Peyton Woodyard, who is a member of the class of 2024, plays football for St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, California. St. John Bosco beat national powerhouse Mater Dei during the 2022 high school season to win a division title.

Kirby Smart and company have commitments from 26 players in the class of 2024. Georgia has the top ranked class of 2024 in the country. However, Georgia needs to add a few commitments at defensive back. Georgia recently lost a commitment from four-star safety Jaylen Heyward. Additionally, the Dawgs missed on five-star KJ Bolden.

Woodyard detailed why he flipped from Georgia to Alabama to ON3.

I feel like at the end of the day it was a no-brainer with the DB pedigree they have over there at Alabama.

Woodyard announced his decision to flip his commitment from Georgia to Alabama via social media:

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Is Texas QB Maalik Murphy being courted by other teams?

One analyst implies schools are probably already tampering to court Maalik Murphy.

Texas quarterback Maalik Murphy set the field ablaze with a strong spring game performance on Saturday. One college football analyst thinks he could already be seeing attention from other schools despite not being in the transfer portal.

Late Kick podcast host Josh Pate said the following after Murphy’s impressive showing.

(Murphy) opened some people’s eyes yesterday… I don’t just think in Austin, Texas. I think if you probably check his most recent followers on (social media), you’ll find staffers from all different sorts of schools following him. Now, I am not suggesting that anyone would ever preemptively tamper with anybody’s roster out there for a position like quarterback… except that I am.

Texas fans should be well aware of the tampering that goes on in college football. Last offseason saw the team fend off schools who tried to poach wide receiver Xavier Worthy and nickelback Jahdae Barron.

There are a handful of programs who have shown a penchant for doing whatever it takes to field a winning college football program. For that reason, it’s likely Murphy has already seen some interest from other schools. As to whether or not those efforts will go anywhere is still to be seen.

For now, it appears evident that Murphy is locked in with the school and coach that believed in him. Presently, he looks to be next in line to start following Quinn Ewers at Texas.

2025 4-star OT Mason Short makes commitment

Four-star in-state offensive tackle Mason Short has committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide

Four-star class of 2025 offensive tackle recruit Mason Short has committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The Georgia Bulldogs offered a scholarship to the massive in-state offensive tackle in April 2022 and were in the mix for Short. The 6-foot-7, 290-pound offensive lineman is ranked as the No. 70 player in the class of 2025. Short is considered the No. 6 offensive tackle and the No. 8 player in Georgia.

The four-star has an upcoming visit planned to Alabama on April 15. He recently visited Florida State and Florida.

Short plays high school football for Evans High School in Evans, Georgia. Short is a member of the class of 2025 and is a sophomore.

Nick Saban and Alabama have commitments from two recruits in the class of 2025. The Crimson Tide have the second-ranked class of 2025 in the country behind the Georgia Bulldogs. It is still very early in the process for the 2025 recruiting cycle.

The talented offensive tackle announced his commitment to Alabama via Twitter:

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