Georgia and Alabama are waiting on the weather as Tropical Storm Isaias keeps the forecast for Saturday’s game in flux.
For coaches, that kind of uncertainty is a nuisance. Kirby Smart made clear Wednesday that there’s only so much planning that can be done when a storm is moving through the Gulf and the timing could affect the 6:30 p.m. CT kickoff in Tuscaloosa.
“It’s uncertainty beyond my control,” Smart said on the SEC coaches teleconference. “So, we as coaches, game plan multiple situations, you know, weather conditions when they’re there.
We had the same rep last week with a threat of those things. So doesn’t change a lot about practice.”
The National Hurricane Center updated the situation Wednesday morning, and the forecasts could still shift. Meteorologist James Spann told AL.com on Tuesday that there would be more information Wednesday, which would help those making decisions about how to handle a storm that could hit Tuscaloosa near game time.
Smart said he was not included in the discussions between school and conference officials as they sort through the possible outcomes.
For now, he’s focused on football.
“You have to practice good on good,” Smart said. “You’ve got to practice for the long term of the season, not just the week.
You can’t really practice conditions. You can’t simulate them.
So you’re much better off to educate, learn from the past of other people who have played in them and prepare your team to play and not make it about that.”
In Other News...
Alabama-Georgia GameDay Plans Just Changed Because Of The Weather
With Hurricane Isaias approaching, Alabamas biggest pregame stage is getting a change of scenery. ESPNs College GameDay will still roll into Tuscaloosa for the matchup with Georgia, but the shows set is being moved inside Coleman Coliseum instead of its usual outdoor spot, turning a familiar Saturday tradition into something a little less predictable.
James Spann, the longtime Alabama weatherman, is scheduled to join the broadcast early with an update on the conditions that forced the move. The show begins at 8 a.m. CT on ESPN, and former Alabama player Bryce Young will handle guest picker duties, giving the Tide crowd plenty to watch before kickoff even arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Herbstreit Sees A Different Alabama Team Ahead Of Georgia Showdown
Kirk Herbstreit sees a version of Alabama that looks different from the one fans got used to during the Nick Saban era, and the changes he pointed to are the kinds that matter most in October. Under Kalen DeBoer, the Crimson Tide have opened the 2026 season 5-0, and Herbstreit said the team has looked healthier, more balanced in the running game and sturdier on both lines of scrimmage while the defense has also taken a step forward.
With Georgia next, the conversation around Alabama is shifting from adjustment to proof point, and Herbstreit praised DeBoer for sticking with his own coaching style even with the pressure that comes with the job. The bigger question now is whether this altered version of the Tide can carry those improvements into a game that will say a lot about just how real the early surge has been. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Backcourt Depth Already Facing An Early Concern
Alabamas backcourt depth took an early hit this week when Nate Oats said guard Anderson Diaz will be sidelined for about a month after suffering an elbow injury. The good news for the Crimson Tide is that surgery wont be needed, and the plan now shifts to rehab as the staff works to get him back by early November.
Diaz is a recent addition to Alabamas 2026-27 roster after reclassifying, so the setback comes before he has even had a chance to settle into the programs future plans. It is not a long-term issue, but it is still an unwelcome one for a team that values guard depth and wants to keep building continuity in the backcourt. [Read more 🡒]