Pat McAfee made his pick, and Nick Saban and Bryce Young made him pay for it.
On College GameDay in Tuscaloosa, McAfee was the lone member of the crew to choose Georgia over Alabama for tonight’s matchup. That was enough to set off a funny, staged takedown from two of Alabama’s biggest names, with Saban and Young sending McAfee crashing to the stage floor after he backed the Bulldogs.
The moment played out like a warning shot to anyone thinking about siding with Georgia in front of an Alabama crowd. Saban and Young reacted with mock outrage, and the whole thing landed as one of those over-the-top GameDay bits that only works because everybody in the room knows exactly what’s going on.
Georgia, in effect, had to deal with two opponents on Saturday: Alabama on the field and Saban enforcing Crimson Tide pride on television. The sight of Alabama’s former coach and Heisman-winning quarterback teaming up against McAfee was especially amusing given the history between those names and the Bulldogs.
McAfee’s tumble may have been for show, but the reactions from Saban and Young looked genuinely stunned. And for Georgia fans, there’s at least a little something to enjoy here. McAfee has long had a complicated relationship with that fan base, including his rough handling of the Redcoat Band chant on GameDay in 2023.
That same year, McAfee had Georgia fans rolling their eyes when he led a Georgia chant before dropping the familiar “Give Me Alabama!” line to back the Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship Game. He later picked Georgia in last year’s SEC title game, offering a small measure of redemption.
So while McAfee lost the moment on the GameDay set, Georgia fans will be hoping he’s on the right side when the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide settle things on the field.
In Other News...
Georgia Just Got Extra Fuel Before Its Biggest Alabama Test
The buildup around Georgias showdown with Alabama got a little louder after the College GameDay crew weighed in on the matchup, and the picks leaned heavily toward the Tide. Three of the four voices on the panel, including Nick Saban and Bryce Young, selected Alabama, adding another layer of outside skepticism to a game that already carries major stakes for the SEC race and the College Football Playoff picture.
Saturday night in Athens now feels even bigger, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. EST and the winner positioned to seize a major edge in both races. Georgia does not need any extra motivation for a game of this size, but a national stage and a panel picking against the Bulldogs only sharpen the backdrop for what should be one of the seasons defining tests. [Read more 🡒]
Former Georgia Defender Lands In Ugly Oregon Controversy
Former Georgia defender Bear Alexander found himself at the center of a messy moment Saturday night in Eugene, where Oregons game with UCLA briefly tilted from routine conference football into something much more heated. Alexander, now a defensive lineman for the Ducks after stops at Georgia and USC, threw a punch at UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava during the game, but officials missed the action and no penalty was called.
Iamaleava left the field briefly with a lower-body injury that was not tied to the punch, adding another layer to an already ugly sequence. For Georgia fans who remember Alexander as part of that defensive pipeline before his transfer journey continued, the episode is another reminder of how quickly a familiar name can become part of a very different kind of headline. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Must Now Prepare For An Alabama Twist They Didn't Expect
Alabama enters Saturday nights showdown with Georgia carrying a piece of news that changes the feel of the matchup a little: tight end Josh Ford, who broke his arm last week against Mississippi State, is expected to play. Ford has been an important part of the Crimson Tides offense this season, especially as a blocker, and he also flashed earlier with a touchdown catch against South Carolina, making him more than just a physical presence on the edge.
For Georgia, that means preparing for a familiar Alabama package with one more layer of toughness attached to it at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game kicks at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC, and while the Bulldogs have plenty to sort through on their own side, Fords availability adds another wrinkle to an SEC heavyweight meeting that already had enough of them. [Read more 🡒]