Alabama football is off this week, but all eyes will be on Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 28.
Kalen DeBoer will lead the Crimson Tide against Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs next week.
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It will be a matchup of Southeastern Conference supremacy implications and College Football Playoff implications. Alabama also has a freshman wide receiver that could stamp himself in the Fred Biletnikoff Award conversation with a marquee outing.
Ryan Williams, a former five-star, has a significant opportunity versus Georgia. Several notable freshmen receivers in Tide history have had breakout moments against the Bulldogs. Julio Jones started the trend in 2008 with five catches for 94 receiving yards and a touchdown at Sanford Stadium in a 41-30 victory for Alabama. Amari Cooper torched the Bulldogs’ secondary four years later in his freshman campaign in 2012.
The Miami (Fla.) native recorded eight receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown, pushing the Tide to a 32-28 victory over the ‘Dawgs in the 2012 SEC Championship Game. Calvin Ridley, a South Florida native, frustrated Georgia’s secondary in a 2015 matchup at Sanford Stadium in the rain.
He had five catches for 120 yards and a touchdown in a 38-10 victory for Alabama.
DeVonta Smith caught a game-winning, 41-yard touchdown pass in the 2018 CFP National Championship Game versus the Bulldogs, propelling the Tide to a 26-23 victory as a freshman. Jaylen Waddle was the final freshman to hurt Georgia as freshman at Alabama.
He totaled four catches for 113 yards and a touchdown in the 2018 SEC Championship Game to give the Tide a 35-28 victory.
Williams, an Alabama native, has a chance to continue the tradition.
If he is able to have a 100-yard performance next week, Williams should be in the Biletnikoff discussion. Cooper (2014), Jeudy (2018), and Smith (2020) all earned the nation’s top wide receiver award in college football during their time in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Williams has a caught a touchdown pass in each of Alabama’s first three games.
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He leads the team for receptions (10), receiving yards (285), and touchdowns (four). The 6-foot-1, 175-pounder is averaging 95 yards per game.
Georgia will try to take Williams out of the options for Jalen Milroe, but he has explosive speed and quickness.
He has great maturity as a 17-year-old, so next week will be an interesting matchup between Williams and Georgia.
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Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
