ESPN College GameDay will have a familiar face making picks in Alabama this weekend.
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young said on the Pat McAfee Show that he’ll serve as the guest picker for Saturday’s show ahead of the Georgia-Alabama matchup. The game brings together No.
6 Georgia and No. 2 Alabama, with all eyes on the showdown in Alabama.
Young’s selection fits the setting. He won the Heisman Trophy at Alabama in 2021 as a sophomore, when he was in his first full season as the starter.
That year, he threw for 4,872 yards with 47 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. Now in the NFL, Young leads the league in passing through four weeks with 1,268 yards and has established himself as the Panthers’ franchise quarterback.
The game itself is also dealing with uncertainty. Hurricane Isaias is threatening the matchup, and while Georgia is currently preparing to face Alabama in the state, there has been discussion about the game possibly being postponed or moved.
If it goes on as scheduled, weather could shape it into a throwback kind of contest. Wind and rain are expected to be factors, and that should put even more pressure on both offenses. Georgia enters with the stronger run game, led by Nate Frazier, who will be a major focus for Alabama’s defense.
Georgia did get a setback Wednesday night when Chauncy Bowen was ruled out. Bowen has 124 yards and six touchdowns this season.
For Alabama, Daniel Hill leads the way on the ground with 247 yards and four touchdowns.
In Other News...
Alabama Could Get A Needed Offensive Boost For Georgia
Alabamas offense may be getting a timely lift just in time for the Georgia game, with tight end Josh Ford expected to be available after missing time with a broken arm and subsequent surgery. Ford practiced during the week, and coach Kalen DeBoer sounded encouraged about where things stood as the Tide worked through their final preparations for one of the biggest matchups on the schedule.
For an Alabama attack that could use every available option against Georgia, Fords presence would add another layer to the game plan and another body defenses have to account for. The injury picture around the SEC is still shifting, with Georgia expecting running back Nate Frazier back from bruised ribs while Chauney Bowens remains out, and other teams dealing with their own uncertainty as Floridas Vernell Brown III and Tennessee quarterback George MacIntyre head into the week with bigger questions of their own. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Gets Its Biggest Chance Yet To Prove It Belongs
Alabamas fast start has turned Saturday in Tuscaloosa into the kind of measuring stick that can tell you plenty about where a team really stands. The Crimson Tide and Georgia arrive unbeaten at 5-0, and with both already looking like serious College Football Playoff factors, this matchup carries the feel of more than just an early-season showcase. Alabama has put together a promising opening stretch and now gets a home chance to back up the idea that it belongs in the national title conversation.
The game should come down to the details that usually decide heavyweight meetings, especially quarterback play and turnover margin. Georgia brings the sort of challenge that has a way of exposing any soft spots, while Alabama is looking for proof that its early momentum can hold up against an opponent built to test every phase. If the Tide can manage the pressure and avoid giving away possessions, it would go a long way toward turning a strong start into something even more convincing. [Read more 🡒]
Pat McAfee Put Alabama Fans Through A Brutal GameDay Moment
Week 6 of College GameDay delivered one of those scenes Alabama fans will remember for a while, as Sam and Mason took part in Pat McAfees field goal contest on the set. Mason had a real chance to turn the moment into a massive payday, only to miss twice at winning more than $500,000, leaving the crowd with that mix of agony and disbelief that only live TV can produce.
McAfee still turned the segment into something meaningful for the Alabama area, pledging to donate $500,000 to hurricane relief efforts. It was a rough ending for the fans who lined up for the kick, but the Crimson Tide now move on to a far bigger stage, with Georgia coming to town for an upcoming SEC showdown that will command plenty of attention of its own. [Read more 🡒]