Another chapter will be added this weekend to the Alabama-Georgia rivalry.
Since Nick Saban became the head football coach of the Crimson Tide in 2007, some of the best moments have come between Alabama and Georgia. Despite suffering a 26-23 overtime loss to the Bulldogs in 2007, Saban and the Tide would win the next five contests — including a 26-23 overtime victory over Georgia in the 2018 College Football Playoff title game.
For Kirby Smart, it will be the third time he faces Saban since taking the job at Georgia in 2016.
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He was on four national championship teams as Alabama’s defensive coordinator and spent nine years on Saban’s staff from 2007 to 2015.
Smart brings his best defensive team to Bryant-Denny Stadium and after being with the Tide for 13 years, Scott Cochran enters this meeting on Smart’s staff.
Fans will be screaming in prime time as CBS will have the call on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. CT.
While emotions may run high, in what could be the game of the year, execution is key to being victorious. In honor of the matchup, yours truly of Touchdown Alabama Magazine lists the top five games from Alabama/Georgia in the Saban era.
5. Alabama vs. Georgia, 2015: “The Washout”
After a 37-43 loss to Ole Miss at home, Alabama entered Sanford Stadium (Athens, Ga.) as an underdog.
With a drenched field and rain constantly pouring in, the Crimson Tide wore Georgia down with its rushing attack and its defense created trouble from all angles. Jacob Coker only had 16 pass attempts, but that was all he needed.
As a senior, the former graduate transfer completed 11 of his attempts for 190 yards — including a 50-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Ridley.
Ridley, a true freshman then, totaled five catches for 120 yards with a score. Derrick Henry ran wild on the Bulldogs for 148 yards and one touchdown on 26 carries. Defensively, Alabama forced three interceptions (one for a touchdown) in earning a 38-10 win.
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The Tide would end up capturing an SEC Championship and a national title that season.
4. Alabama vs. Georgia, 2012 SEC Championship Game
This meeting featured two leaders at quarterback, two great rushing attacks and two strong defenses.
Momentum swung back and forth at the Georgia Dome in 2012, as neither Alabama nor Georgia wanted to give in.
The Bulldogs had a 100-yard rusher (Todd Gurley) and a 100-yard receiver (Tavarres King), while the Tide had two 100-yard rushers (Eddie Lacy, T.J. Yeldon) and a 100-yard receiver (Amari Cooper). When Alec Ogletree returned a blocked field goal 49 yards for a touchdown for Georgia, Bulldog fans thought it had seized all momentum with a 21-10 lead. Alabama stormed back with rushing scores from Yeldon and Lacy to retake the lead, but it was AJ McCarron that accounted for the biggest play.
He connected with Cooper for a 45-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
The Tide pushed to a 32-28 advantage and it won by that score. Alabama would go on to win a national championship.
3. Alabama vs. Georgia, 2008: “The Blackout”
“You want to know why they are wearing black? Cause they are going to a mother f****** funeral.”- Scott Cochran
It was one of the most controversial statements of Cochran’s career, but it got players motivated.
Alabama had lost to Georgia in the previous year at home and this time, Mark Richt and the Bulldogs were donning their all black jerseys for the game. The Tide was locked in all week at practice and Georgia got hit with a reality check quickly. Even with talents like Matthew Stafford, Knowshon Moreno and A.J. Green, Alabama’s offense and defense pushed it to a 41-30 victory.
John Parker Wilson had only three incomplete passes (13 of 16) and he tossed for 205 yards with one touchdown.
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Glenn Coffee led the running backs with two scores, while Mark Ingram (freshman) and Roy Upchurch each tallied one touchdown. Julio Jones (true freshman) had a game-high 94 yards receiving with one score on five catches.
Alabama jumped out to an early 31-0 lead on Georgia and the Bulldogs could not recover.
The game showed Coach Saban was the right hire for the program. From that victory, the Tide would capture an SEC Championship and a national title in the following season.
The win started to propel Alabama as a national power again.
2. Alabama vs. Georgia, 2018 SEC Championship Game
He was benched for Tua Tagovailoa in the second half of the 2018 CFP National Championship (2017 season), but Jalen Hurts rewrote his own story in the following season.
During the 2018 SEC title game, Georgia took an early 13-point lead (21-7) much like it did in the national title matchup.
Tagovailoa brought the Tide within seven points (28-21) of the Bulldogs in the third quarter, but an ankle injury knocked him out the game.
In getting an opportunity to bail out his teammate and snatch victory from defeat, Hurts entered the game and quickly went to work.
He helped engineer an 80-yard drive in 16 plays in the fourth quarter that resulted in a 10-yard scoring pass to Jerry Jeudy in the back of the end zone.
With the score evened at 28, Tide fans knew the momentum had swung in its favor.
Following a turnover on downs for Georgia, Hurts and Alabama got the ball back.
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The native Texan converted a third down on a pass to Irv Smith Jr. and found Jaylen Waddle for another first down.
He would then make the biggest play of his career with 1:04 left in regulation. Hurts executed a designed run to perfection and galloped 15 yards for a touchdown. The celebration was on as his teammates embraced him in the end zone. Coach Saban teared up during his post-game interview, displaying the joy he had for Hurts in generating a bounce back moment for himself.
Alabama won the game, 35-28, and returned to the CFP.
1. Alabama vs. Georgia, 2018 CFP National Championship
Tua Tagovailoa said in his documentary on Fox Sports that the 2018 CFP title game changed his life forever.
Prior to the contest, he was a simple true freshman from Hawaii trying to adjust to college at Alabama. Saban knew the talents and capabilities Tagovailoa had, but he was loyal to Jalen Hurts at quarterback. Offensively, the Tide struggled against Georgia in the first half.
It could not run the football and Hurts was not comfortable in the passing game.
The Bulldogs took a 13-0 lead into halftime at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and then Saban made the move of his career. He put the offense into the hands of a freshman in the second half.
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Tagovailoa’s quick strike attack had Georgia off guard. His first touchdown pass went to Henry Ruggs III and life was pumped into Tide fans.
He tossed another score to Calvin Ridley and Andy Pappanastos added a pair of field goals to tie the game at 20 in the fourth quarter. Pappanastos, a native of Montgomery, Ala., needed to make a 36-yard field goal to win a national title.
He pushed the kick to the left and it set up the most exciting finish in Alabama history.
After Georgia made a field goal to take a 23-20 lead, Tagovailoa was back on the field. He took a horrible sack on the first play, which caused for Saban to come unglued on the sideline. However, the Alabama head coach was about to have an emotional swing in the opposite direction.
On the next play in overtime, which happened on “2nd and 26,” Tagovailoa threw a 41-yard rainbow to DeVonta Smith down the sideline.
Smith brought the pass in, walked into the end zone and the stadium went nuts.
Saban threw his headset and hands into the air in jubilation.
He gambled with the freshman and a little Hawaiian magic gifted the coach his sixth national championship.
Alabama won, 26-23, and Tagovailoa became a household name in college football.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
