Nick Saban spent Friday afternoon in Tuscaloosa, but this time he was looking at Alabama-Georgia from a different seat.
Appearing on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show with Pat McAfee, the former Crimson Tide coach and current college football analyst was on hand for the eve of Saturday night’s No. 2 Georgia vs.
No. 6 Alabama showdown.
The setting was familiar. The role wasn’t.
Instead of dialing up a game plan, Saban was offering his read on one of the biggest matchups of the season.
And he came away impressed with Georgia.
“I think Georgia is one of the most complete teams in the country,” Nick Saban told McAfee. “I know they haven’t been tested, but they haven’t been behind, they’ve dominated the competition, which that’s hard to do sometimes when you’re supposed to win and you go out and win like you’re supposed to. And they’ve been able to do that.”
That’s high praise coming from Saban, who has seen plenty of Georgia-Alabama battles up close. He beat the Bulldogs in the 2017 national title game and lost to them in the 2021 national championship game. Now he’s watching the next chapter unfold as an analyst rather than a coach.
Saban also pointed to the mindset it takes to survive a game like this, especially when the level of competition rises.
“How they’ll fare against a little better competition, look, I think teams that have success and have won championships, they’re never gonna say die,” Saban said. “They’re gonna compete in the game for 60 minutes.
There may be some adversity for them in the game, but they’re gonna keep playing. Whoever’s going to beat them is going to have to play for 60 minutes to do it with the same kind of temperament and attitude to play a complete game.”
The matchup is set for Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC, weather permitting, with Hurricane Isaias having strengthened into a Category 3 storm and potentially affecting the game in Tuscaloosa. Both teams enter unbeaten, adding even more weight to a meeting that already carries plenty of attention.
Saban has been part of enough Georgia-Alabama showdowns to know the stakes. On Friday, though, his job was simple: watch, evaluate and explain why Georgia has looked so complete so far.
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 🡒]