The latest edition of the Bulldogs-Crimson Tide rivalry is Saturday night — if the weather holds up.
As No. 2 Georgia heads to No. 6 Alabama for a highly anticipated Southeastern Conference showdown, plenty of questions remain about the status of the game with Hurricane Isaias set to make landfall on Friday night. College football fans — and President Donald Trump, who is set to attend — are left waiting for clarity as contingency plans have yet to be
made public.
Both Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer and Georgia's Kirby Smart emphasized that the conditions are out of their control, and the focus remains on game preparation.
Alabama said Wednesday night that the safety of all parties is the highest priority and that kickoff remains scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday.
And if kickoff time stands, there is no shortage of things to watch.
Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton is no stranger to Alabama. Saturday marks his third meeting with the Crimson Tide as QB1, and he enters it playing some of the best football of his career.
“We’ve seen Gunner Stockton now a number of times, but he keeps getting better,” DeBoer said Monday.
Stockton is coming off what Smart called his most complete performance of the season, throwing for 295 yards and three touchdowns against Vanderbilt.
Georgia has outscored its opponents by a combined 190 points this season.
Alabama’s defense fared well against Stockton last year, holding him to fewer than 160 passing yards in both outings — something that happened only three times last season.
The Georgia quarterback is 1-1 against Alabama, bouncing back from a regular-season 24-21 loss with a 28-7 SEC championship game victory.
Georgia’s defense has forced 10 turnovers through five games. The Bulldogs' plus-6 turnover margin is the second-best in the SEC behind, of course, Alabama.
Raylen Wilson leads Georgia with 27 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles, while Chris Cole has 22 tackles and two fumble recoveries. Cornerback Ellis Robinson IV has three pass breakups and an interception, the latter coming against Vanderbilt last week.
Georgia used the same 11 defensive starters through its first four games before adding lineman Joseph Jonah-Ajonye and safety Rasean Dinkins against Vanderbilt.
“Disciplined, sound, multiple in what they do," Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said about Georgia's defensive unit. "Physical up front, they get vertical, and they do a great job. They're well-coached. They got good players. They play hard. It'll be a huge test.”
Alabama sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell has impressed in his first year as a starter, leading the Crimson Tide to a 5-0 start while completing 71.2% of passes for 1,414 yards, 11 touchdowns and rushing for 184 yards and four scores.
Ryan Coleman-Williams has emerged as a top target with 20 catches for 376 yards and four touchdowns, while Daniel Hill and Trae’shawn Brown lead the rushing attack.
Alabama is the only FBS team to score at least 45 points in every game this season, outscoring opponents by 144 points.
“Quarterback is playing amazing for them,” Smart said about Russell. “Guy is really talented, fun to watch, and you’ve seen the growth just from the first game all the way through. The talent this guy has is pretty incredible, and they have a great scheme around him.”
Georgia will get running back Nate Frazier back after he missed the Oklahoma game and played limited snaps last week. Running back Chauncey Bowens, who took much of the load with Frazier sidelined, is now out according to the SEC's injury report. Receiver Isiah Canion remains questionable for Georgia.
Despite undergoing surgery for a broken arm on Sunday, DeBoer thinks Alabama tight end Josh Ford could play. Right tackle Jayvin James is not on the initial availability report after missing the Mississippi State game, indicating a possible return. Edge rushers Justin Hill and Desmond Umeozulu are expected to miss another game.
The SEC championship race has run through Athens or Tuscaloosa for much of the past decade. Either Georgia or Alabama has won 11 of the past 12 conference titles, with a stacked 2019 LSU team being the lone exception.
Saturday is the 76th meeting between the teams and the 13th with both ranked in the top 10. At this point, the stakes are almost routine: The SEC standings and College Football Playoff picture are often altered when Georgia and Alabama meet.
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