Alabama is getting ready for a Saturday night that could feel like it has a little bit of everything thrown at it.
No. 6 Alabama and No.
2 Georgia are already bringing the kind of top-10 matchup that pulls the entire college football world in. Add President Donald Trump in attendance, Nick Saban and ESPN’s College GameDay on the quad, and that’s plenty of extra noise around Bryant-Denny Stadium.
But the biggest wild card may be the one nobody can control: tropical storm Isaias, which is expected to come near the stadium over the weekend and could bring heavy rain and wind.
Inside Alabama’s building, though, the message sounds simple enough. Be ready for whatever shows up.
"I know the centers have," Lloyd said on Tuesday when asked if the team is practicing with a wet ball. "I've seen them getting the balls wet.
We're going to be ready for storms. If it rains, whatever.
We're going to be ready for anything that might come our way.
"It doesn't really affect me too much. Rain or shine, I'm doing the same thing no matter what. Plus we get to run the ball more, so that's always nice."
That same attitude was there from cornerback Zabien Brown, one of Alabama’s captains and the player who intercepted the game-sealing pass the last time Georgia came to Tuscaloosa.
"We're not worried about external factors," Brown said. "Everything in our building stays in our building. We have our routine, our system, and that's what we're rolling on.
"I don't think we're motivated at all by [College GameDay coming to Tuscaloosa]. I feel like all of our motivation comes from internal factors.
It's us vs. everybody. That's our mentality."
The football part of this game is just as loud as everything circling it. Alabama and Georgia rank first and second nationally in points per game through five weeks. Georgia’s defense has been just as imposing, allowing the 12th-fewest points per game and ranking in the top 25 percent nationally in sacks, tackles for loss, third-down conversions and a long list of other categories.
For Alabama, that means the test up front is going to be as real as it gets.
"Obviously, they're going to be super good," Lloyd said of Georgia's defensive line. "It's going to be a super good test for us.
We're excited for it. Excited to go out there and compete.
They can do it all - they're big, strong, physical - but we're excited to go out there and play... They're all legit."
The history between these teams adds another layer. Alabama leads the all-time series 45-27-4, with the first meeting coming on Nov. 2, 1895, and the latest on Dec.
6, 2025. The Crimson Tide owns a 24-13-4 record at home against Georgia and has won eight of the last 10 meetings overall.
The last time these teams met was a rough one for Alabama, which was beaten 28-7 by Georgia in the 2025-26 SEC Championship Game. The Crimson Tide finished that game with -3 rushing yards and was missing multiple key players.
Now the teams meet again with both unbeaten: No. 6 Alabama is 5-0 and 3-0 in the SEC, while No.
2 Georgia is also 5-0 and 3-0 in conference play. Kickoff is set for Saturday, Oct. 10, at 6:30 p.m. on ABC.
In Other News...
Kentucky Gets One Big Boost As LSU Test Meets Injury Trouble
Kentuckys setup for LSU got a little shakier this week, with the Wildcats preparing to play without several defensive pieces and one offensive lineman as the matchup approaches. Alex Afari, Tavion Wallace, Antwan Smith, Jaden Smith and Grant Grayton are all slated to sit out, and Abe Selm is also unavailable up front, leaving Kentucky to sort through its depth on both sides of the ball for one of the SECs tougher road tests.
There was at least one bit of good news in the availability report: long snapper Cole Marszalek is expected back, helping steady a special teams unit that cant afford any extra chaos in a game like this. Kalen Edwards, meanwhile, has been downgraded from questionable to doubtful, adding another layer of uncertainty as Kentucky looks to navigate LSU with a thinner margin for error, especially with the Tigers also missing linebacker Whit Weeks because of a leg injury. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys First LSU Availability Report Brings Relief And Real Concern
Kentuckys first official availability report under the SECs new weekly policy offered a clearer picture of where the Wildcats stand heading into their next game, and it brought a mix of comfort and concern. The update confirmed some needed good news for a few players who had been in flux, including wide receiver DJ Miller and longsnapper Cole Marszalek, both expected to be available after dealing with availability questions in recent games.
The flip side was less encouraging for a defense already trying to manage its depth. Linebackers Alex Afari Jr. and Antwan Smith were listed out, while defensive tackle Kalen Edwards landed in the doubtful category, leaving Kentucky with more uncertainty in the middle of its lineup than it would like this week. The new report format is supposed to create transparency, but for Kentucky it also underscored how much of the roster is still being sorted out before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky's LSU Shot Has Real Upset Energy For One Big Reason
Kentucky has built a pretty respectable case for itself in these high-end matchups since 2021, going 4-8 straight up against top-10 opponents while also covering in 9 of those 12 games. The Wildcats best home example came back in 2021 against Florida, and theyve since found ways to land top-10 wins in 2023, 2024 and 2026, including one against a Lane Kiffin-coached team. So even when the ranking says upset, Kentucky has at least shown it can make those nights uncomfortable.
Now comes a different kind of test at Kroger Field, because this will be the first time a top-10 team walks into the stadium in the Will Stein era. That alone gives the LSU matchup a little extra edge, since Kentuckys recent track record suggests it wont just be there to take the hit and move on. The question hanging over this one is whether that history translates into another home upset, or whether the new era starts with the Wildcats still chasing that breakthrough moment. [Read more 🡒]