TUSCALOOSA, AL- Don’t tell Georgia or Alabama that Saturday night’s game in Tuscaloosa was meaningless due to the current College Football Playoff format.
After a week full of drama surrounding Hurricane Isaias and whether we would see these two teams take the field in time, fans were treated to a heavyweight showdown inside Bryant Denny Stadium on Saturday in front of a soaked crowd watching from the stands.
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We didn’t need any extra hype for this one. The theatrical films that schools show before kickoff weren’t going to do anything the Bulldogs and Tide couldn’t do when they arrived around 5:40 p.m. EST Saturday afternoon.
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It was Kirby Smart trying to turn the regular season tide against Alabama, while Kalen DeBoer looked to get his team back into the perceived national position some wanted to argue it had fallen into.
What you got was two teams trading haymakers for a first half that ended with a DeBoer touchdown run with seconds remaining, taking a 14-10 lead into the locker room.
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This happened after Georgia managed to come out of its own end twice for 10 points.
Running back EJ Crowell of the Alabama Crimson Tide gets around defensive back KJ Bolden of the Georgia Bulldogs for a touchdown during the first half at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on October 10, 2026. (Getty Images)
Hurricane didn’t spoil heavyweight fight in Tuscaloosa
A late-arriving crowd inside a foggy Bryant Denny Stadium watched two coaches try to outwit each other for four quarters, while Keelon Russell and Gunner Stockton traded shots on offense.
What more could you ask for on a day filled with so much college football drama?
Hell, just in the fourth quarter tonight, Georgia missed a field goal that would have given it the lead against Alabama, while Kentucky missed a 26-yard field goal that would have tied the game with LSU.
There were many moments in this game tonight where Georgia felt like the better team in football, in every aspect. But then, when you have a team as dynamic as Alabama that can score on you in seconds, no lead seemed safe.
We were actually watching two of the best college football teams in Tuscaloosa, and it didn’t matter that they were both from the SEC. You can add Ohio State to this list, while removing Texas at the same time.
Head coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs reacts after a penalty in the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 10, 2026, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Getty Images)
We’re getting to that point in the season where the fouls are starting to show, and there weren’t any on the field in Tuscaloosa. We can talk about Alabama and this team moving past the Saban era until we’re blue, and some still will in 10 years.
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As Georgia regained the lead with a field goal on the next drive, the officials would be part of the story at the end of the fourth quarter.
Chaos reigned on Alabama’s drive, as Georgia was not called for an obvious pass interference that would have led to the Tide extending its drive 15 yards. But, as boos reigned in the stands at Bryant Denny Stadium, there was nothing left for Alabama fans to cheer after the Bulldogs sacked Keelon Russell on the ensuing play.
At that point, coupled with a personal foul against Dijon Lee that allowed Georgia to take a knee and run out the clock, which once led to Kalen DeBoer being the most animated we’ve seen during his time at Alabama.
Georgia is the best team in college football and Kirby Smart is more dangerous
Until someone beats them, it’s the Dawgs.
Somehow, Kirby Smart has a football team that finds a way to win football games that other teams in the Southeastern Conference or sports don’t.
“I didn’t come here to lose,” Kirby Smart said after the game.
We saw a football team fight through adversity, with the world wondering if Kirby Smart would overcome some sort of perceived hump.
Head coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs reacts in the second quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium on September 28, 2024, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Getty Images)
The problem for those pushing this message: Kirby Smart really doesn’t care anymore. After the win, Smart rushed straight to the visitors’ section, tossing his visor in the air as Georgia fans and Kirby’s wife waited to hug his family.
“I’d rather make memories with my family, my team and my coaching staff…I just wanted to celebrate with my wife…She deserved a kiss for all she puts up with from me.”
We’re seeing a new Kirby Smart, who doesn’t care about trying to silence critics or whatever else is written about him.
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He is a dangerous man, who seems to be fighting more for the respect of his family and those around the Athens Football Club.
“Do I want to win championships? Hell yeah, but I have a lot more respect for them (family and players) to understand that there are much more important things in life.”
Welcome to the new era of Kirby Smart.
Gn sports
