close
close

Gottagopestcontrol

Trusted News & Timely Insights

    • Alabama football’s next focus is on Texas after humiliating Georgia
    Alabama

    Alabama football’s next focus is on Texas after humiliating Georgia

    Idris Bevan Posted on

    play

    • The veteran Alabama player says the Tide should be the No. 1 seed and he’s excited about a shot at Texas. Alabama’s swagger is back.
    • With the end of Nick Saban’s tenure, Alabama lost its air of invincibility. By beating Georgia, it was a step toward regaining that goal.
    • Alabama, Texas on collision course for SEC championship game, but Tennessee could intervene.

    TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – It wasn’t just Alabama’s national titles. It was the atmosphere of invincibility.

    As Nick Saban’s dynasty boomed and he established Alabama as the college football standard, the Crimson Tide became a Tiger that wore red on Sundays. The competitors withered at the sight.

    Consider Saban’s last national championship team, the 2020 squad, equipped with such swagger and firepower. This team has destroyed one opponent after another on the way to perfection.

    Then the dynasty finally failed. Alabama stopped being exceptional while Georgia took the throne.

    Alabama didn’t lose relevance in the final years of Saban’s career, but it did give up its dominance. Texas stripped away any veneer of invincibility at Bryant-Denny Stadium a year ago.

    Alabama took a big step toward restoring supremacy — if not invincibility — on Saturday night. The No. 4 Crimson Tide dismantled No. 1 Georgia through three quarters before holding off the Bulldogs’ great surge for a 41-34 win.

    Fans inside Bryant-Denny celebrated a Crimson Revival.

    What message did this victory make?

    “I definitely think it shows we’re the best team in the country,” Alabama tight end CJ Dippre told me after contributing to Alabama’s second win over Georgia in as many seasons. “This is the biggest game so far this season and we came out victorious.”

    Oh, and one more thing.

    Alabama wants Texas.

    FLOOD Jalen Milroe and Ryan Williams celebrate in Alabama while humiliating Georgia

    UP AND DOWN The Alabama-Georgia Classic lists Week 5’s winners and losers

    Dippre at least. He wants a shot to atone for Alabama’s 34-24 loss to the Longhorns last September, which put Texas on the path to the playoffs.

    “I definitely wish we could play them again,” Dippre said, “especially since they gave us a home loss last year.”

    Alabama could get that chance. The Crimson Tide won’t play Texas in the regular season, but the two teams are now on a collision course for the SEC Championship Game – although Tennessee could break that matchup and clinch a spot if it beats Alabama next month.

    Georgia can’t think about Atlanta after this loss. It’s going to take help to get there. Heck, the Bulldogs might have their hands full even making the playoffs.

    Kirby Smart didn’t press the panic button. As an explanation for this defeat, he repeatedly referred to the team’s four turnovers. But stuttering in Georgia lasts for several weeks. Before facing Alabama, it flirted with disaster when it managed just one point at Kentucky.

    Smart didn’t have much to offer as an explanation for his 1-6 record against Alabama.

    “I don’t know, what’s everyone else’s record against them, you know?” Smart said. “Does anyone have one better than 1-6 that has played them (so many times)? I do not believe that.”

    Oof, that reads like a defeated coach expecting to lose to Alabama – or at least he’s used to it.

    “I think they have really good players,” Smart said.

    Smart also has really good players, but they were overwhelmed in the first three quarters.

    Georgia trailed 33-15 with less than 10 minutes left before scoring three touchdowns in just over seven minutes to grab an improbable lead.

    “The scoreboard doesn’t say it all,” Dippre said. “It was (30-7).”

    And then, in an instant, it wasn’t like that anymore.

    The heroics of quarterback Jalen Milroe and wide receiver Ryan Williams ensured that Alabama’s big party didn’t end in agony. The Crimson Tide could finally breathe a sigh of relief after Zabien Brown intercepted Carson Beck in the end zone with less than a minute left. Beck was involved in all four of Georgia’s turnovers.

    Alabama’s near collapse and Georgia’s 519 yards of offense were signs that it could be a blessing that Texas is not the Tide’s next opponent.

    “I think we definitely could have played a lot better on both sides of the ball,” Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell said.

    It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough for one night.

    Alabama upset Georgia with a dropkick and set a course that may include the rematch with Texas that Dippre craves.

    Blake Toppmeyer is the national college football columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.

    Subscribe to read all his columns.

    Tagged:

    LEAVE A RESPONSE

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Idris Bevan
    View all posts

    You Might Also Like

    ads