ATHENS - Earnest Greene III didn’t need much time Monday to make clear how he feels about Georgia’s trip to Alabama.
The veteran left tackle, usually not eager to linger with the media, carried a hard edge as he talked about the No. 2 Bulldogs’ Saturday night matchup with the No.
6 Crimson Tide at 7:30 p.m. For Greene, the setting alone is enough to stir up old frustration.
“I kind of got a sour taste in my mouth, last time I was in this stadium in ’24, we got off to a slow start,” Greene said, pointing back to Alabama’s 21-0 first-quarter surge and 30-7 halftime lead before Georgia clawed all the way back and still lost 41-34 in the final minutes.
“It’s a sour taste in my mouth from that game, for sure.”
Greene knows this trip carries plenty of weight. He was part of Georgia’s 28-7 win over Alabama in last season’s SEC championship game, but he also missed the Tide’s 24-21 win in Athens because of a back injury - the game that snapped UGA’s school-record 33-game home winning streak.
What Georgia brings into this one looks different up front, and Greene was quick to point to that. Last season’s line was patched together by injuries, with the Bulldogs forced to use six different offensive line units in their first seven games. This fall, they’ve opened with the same starting five in all five games.
“Just the camaraderie, all the reps,” Greene said. “The things we’ve done together kind of adds up.”
That continuity matters in a game like this, especially with Alabama bringing pressure. The Tide rank 11th nationally in sacks per game at 3.2, and they’re coming off a five-sack outing against Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor. Georgia, meanwhile, is tied atop the SEC for fewest sacks allowed per game at 1.0.
Part of that is Gunner Stockton’s ability to move. Part of it is the confidence the line has in the quarterback. Greene made that plain when asked about playing in front of him.
“I wouldn’t go to war with anyone else in America, I truly believe that,” Greene said. “The way he prepares day in and day out for games like this, I’m just happy I get to block for a guy like that.”
Greene’s own health is in a better place, too, after injuries have followed him through his career.
“I feel good, no complaints, just trying to stay proactive on rehabbing, making sure I’m good to go,” Greene said. “Just playing the sport and the position I play, it’s hard wth the bodies and physicality this league brings, that’s kind of the name of the game.”
He’s seen enough high-level football in five years at Georgia to understand exactly what this one means. He also knows the Bulldogs haven’t won in Tuscaloosa since Matthew Stafford led the 2007 team to a 26-23 OT victory, a streak Georgia will try to end with one of its most experienced offensive linemen setting the tone.
“They’re definitely good players, you come to Georgia for games like this against guys like this,” Greene said, “so I’m looking forward to the opportunity to play against good players, and make sure we take care of what we’ve got to take care of and neutralize them.”
And for all the focus on last year’s meeting, Greene isn’t interested in treating it like a preview of what’s coming Saturday.
“That’s last year’s team, this is this year’s team, we don’t dwell on the past,” Greene said. “W’re just getting ready for this game today.”
Georgia’s offensive line has logged a more stable rotation this season, with PFF snap counts through five games showing Zykie Helton at 240, Drew Bobo at 220, Dontrell Glover at 219, Juan Gaston at 199 and Greene at 198. Ekene Ogboko has 125 snaps, followed by Jahzare Jackson with 81, Daniel Calhoun with 63, Michael Uini with 57, Malachi Toliver with 54, Cortez Smith with 51 and Marcus Harrison with 45.
Greene will once again be tasked with protecting Stockton’s blind side, and this time the backdrop is Alabama, where the memories still sting.
In Other News...
Georgia Alabama Showdown Suddenly Faces A Serious SEC Problem
A storm building in the Gulf of Mexico has put the Georgia-Alabama matchup on shaky ground, with the weather threat now hanging over one of the SECs most anticipated games. Chief meteorologist James Spann has said there is a chance the system could strengthen into a hurricane and come ashore near Mobile Bay, a development that has already prompted the league to start thinking through contingency plans.
For Georgia fans, the concern is no longer just about travel or tailgating, but whether the game stays where it is scheduled to be played at all. The SEC is weighing options that include moving the contest to another stadium or pushing it back, and a final call is expected once the weather picture becomes clearer. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Heads To Alabama With Confidence And One New Concern
Georgia heads into its trip to Alabama sounding like a team that expects to handle the moment, not be overwhelmed by it. Defensive tackle Elijah Griffin set the tone with his confidence and his sense that the group is ready to meet the challenge head-on, while Kirby Smart and the staff have kept their focus on the same old job of preparing for a road game that always carries extra weight in this rivalry.
The one wrinkle this week has nothing to do with the opponent and everything to do with the weather, as Georgias coaches are keeping an eye on a tropical storm that could alter conditions around the game. Griffin also talked about his own performance and the role he is trying to fill for the Bulldogs, adding another layer to a matchup where Georgias mindset appears settled even if the setting is not. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Just Got The Vanderbilt Boost Fans Wanted Before Alabama
Gunner Stockton gave Georgia exactly the kind of efficient, confident performance the Bulldogs were looking for against Vanderbilt, spreading the ball cleanly and keeping the offense on schedule ahead of a bigger test. The senior quarterback completed 25 of 32 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns, while also adding 29 rushing yards on seven carries, a useful reminder that Georgia can still lean on balance when the moment calls for it.
The defense and special teams helped round out the kind of all-around showing that can settle a team down before Alabama arrives. KJ Bolton led the way with seven solo tackles and earned defensive player of the game honors, while Jordon Hall delivered a momentum-shifting special teams moment by blocking a 58-yard field goal attempt in the same game. [Read more 🡒]