Alabama football vs. Georgia is nothing new. There have been plenty of high-stakes matchups over the past decade especially. But the game has a new feeling to it this year because Kalen DeBoer now runs the Crimson Tide.
It’s no longer Georgia coach Kirby Smart against his former boss Nick Saban. It’s Smart against a new Alabama.
DeBoer has never faced Smart, but he’s about to coach against him; No. 4 Alabama is set to face No. 1/2 Georgia on Saturday, Sept. 28 (6:30 p.m. CT, ESPN) at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
“I think the main thing is, this is for us our first conference game,” DeBoer said Wednesday on the SEC coaches teleconference. “It’s against an opponent (ranked) No. 1. Maybe No. 2 depending on where you look. A top-ranked team you know brings it each and every Saturday. Is going to be extremely well coached. We know it’s going to be a great test for us. It’s really about the game. There isn’t any past history with us competing against each other. Certainly understand everything Coach Smart’s done for this program throughout the many years he put in helping us and our program grow.”
DeBoer is not new to college football, so he’s well aware of Smart. And even though they haven’t coached against each other, DeBoer has had a chance to get to know Smart some through coaches meetings in the offseason.
“You see from afar what he’s done, not just at Georgia but throughout his career, and it’s been so impressive,” DeBoer said. “He’s just one of those that does everything he can to help make the game better.”
Before the two teams play, both have an open weekend. Alabama is fresh off a dominant victory over Wisconsin on the road while Georgia outlasted Kentucky on the road.
Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.
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