Alabama will take on Georgia with coach Nick Saban on the sidelines after all in Saturday night’s SEC showdown at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The game already received plenty of attention because it pits the No. 3 Bulldogs against the No. 2 Crimson Tide, but the drama escalated when Saban tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. Alabama’s offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian planned to serve as the Tide’s acting head coach against Georgia’s Kirby Smart—Saban’s former defensive coordinator.
However, after Saban remained asymptomatic all week and registered five negative PCR tests, he was cleared on Saturday afternoon to coach against Georgia.
How to Watch:
Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV Channel: CBS
Live Stream: You can stream the game on CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports App.
The Tide outlasted another of Saban’s former assistants (Lane Kiffin) last week in its 63–48 win over Ole Miss. The focus shifts this week to a matchup that features the nation’s best offense (Alabama) vs. the nation’s best defense (Georgia).
Quarterback Mac Jones is putting up insane numbers this year for the Tide with an 80% completion rate, 13.3 yards per attempt and a Total QBR that ranks second in the country. Jones has found stud receivers like DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle as Alabama averages 385 yards per game through the air. But running back Najee Harris, who leads the nation in scoring (10 touchdowns), will also be key to the team’s success.
The Bulldogs’ defense tore up Tennessee last week in its 44–21 victory. In three games this season, Georgia has five interceptions, seven takeaways and an insane 72 quarterback pressures. On offense, quarterback Stetson Bennett’s stats aren’t quite like Jones’s, but he’s put up solid numbers since taking over in the season opener. Bennett has completed 63.1% of his passes for 689 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions.
With Saban back, Saturday night’s clash will be one of the most electric matchups of the season.
