Veteran Alabama player says Tide should be No. 1, and he relishes a shot at Texas. Alabama’s swagger is back.
Alabama lost its air of invincibility at end of Nick Saban’s tenure. It took a step toward regaining that by beating Georgia.
Alabama, Texas on collision course for SEC Championship Game, but Tennessee might interfere.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – It wasn’t just Alabama’s national titles. It was the air of invincibility.
When Nick Saban’s dynasty hummed and he established Alabama as college football’s standard, the Crimson Tide became like Tiger wearing red on Sundays. Competitors wilted at the sight.
Consider Saban’s final national championship team, the 2020 squad filled with such swagger and such firepower. That team wrecked one opponent after another en route to perfection.
Then, the dynasty finally fizzled. Alabama stopped being extraordinary, while Georgia ascended the throne.
Alabama didn’t recede from relevance in the final years of Saban’s career, but it did surrender dominance. Texas stripped away whatever veneer of invincibility remained one year ago inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Alabama took one big step Saturday night toward re-establishing supremacy – if not invincibility. The No. 4 Crimson Tide took apart No. 1 Georgia throughout three quarters before staving off the Bulldogs’ mad rally in a 41-34 triumph.
Fans inside Bryant-Denny celebrated a crimson revival.
What statement did this victory make?
“I definitely think it says we’re the top team in the country,” Alabama tight end CJ Dippre told me after contributing to Alabama’s second victory over Georgia in as many seasons. “This is the biggest game so far to happen this season, and we came out on top.”
Oh, and one more thing.
Alabama wants Texas.
Dippre does, at least. He wants a shot to atone for Alabama’s 34-24 loss to the Longhorns last September that put Texas on a path to the playoff.
“I definitely wish we could play them again,” Dippre said, “especially because they gave us a loss at home last year.”
Alabama might get that chance. The Crimson Tide won’t play Texas during the regular season, but the two teams are now on a collision course for the SEC championship game – although Tennessee could interrupt that matchup and steal a spot for itself if it were to beat Alabama next month.
Georgia can’t be thinking about Atlanta in the aftermath of this loss. It’ll need help to make it there. Heck, the Bulldogs might have their hands full even making the playoff.
Kirby Smart didn’t hammer the panic button. He repeatedly referenced the team’s four turnovers in explanation of this loss. But, Georgia’s sputter extends multiple weeks. Before facing Alabama, it flirted with disaster in a one-point escape at Kentucky.
Smart didn’t have much to offer in explanation of his 1-6 record against Alabama.
“I don’t know, what’s everybody else’s record against them, you know?” Smart said. “Has anybody got one better than 1-6 that’s played them (that many times)? I don’t think so.”
Oof, that reads like a defeated coach who expects to lose to Alabama – or, at least, he’s grown accustomed to it.
“I think they’ve got really good players,” Smart explained.
Smart’s got really good players, too, but they were overwhelmed throughout the first three quarters.
Georgia trailed 33-15 with less than 10 minutes remaining before ripping off three touchdowns in a span of just more than seven minutes to claim an improbable lead.
“The scoreboard doesn’t say it all,” Dippre said. “It was (30-7).”
And then, in a blink, it wasn’t.
The heroics of quarterback Jalen Milroe and wide receiver Ryan Williams ensured Alabama’s big party didn’t end in agony. The Crimson Tide could finally exhale after Zabien Brown intercepted Carson Beck in the end zone with less than a minute remaining. Beck had a hand in all four of Georgia’s turnovers.
Alabama’s near collapse and Georgia’s 519 yards of offense were signs that it might be a blessing Texas isn’t the Tide’s next opponent.
“I think we could’ve played, definitely, way better on both sides of the ball,” Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell said.
It wasn’t perfect, but it was good enough for one night.
Alabama dropkicked Georgia off its perch and charted a course that just might include that rematch with Texas that Dippre craves.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.
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