Bryce Young, Nick Saban, ESPN's College GameDay Make Picks For Alabama-Georgia

ESPN's College GameDay chose Tuscaloosa to host this week's pregame show as No. 6 Alabama is facing No. 2 Georgia at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC.

The analysts on College GameDay closed the three-hour morning show from Coleman Coliseum by picking the winner of this top-10 SEC showdown. Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban is one of the analysts, alongside Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Kirk Herbstreit and host Rece Davis. They are also joined by a celebrity guest each week, with Saturday's being former Alabama and current Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young.

So, which panelists picked Alabama over Georgia, and how many chose the Bulldogs over the Crimson Tide?

Note: Davis, the host, doesn't make picks, and the same is said for Herbstreit, who is on the call tonight.

Desmond Howard: Alabama
Nick Saban: Alabama
Bryce Young: Alabama
Pat McAfee: Georgia

Saban: "You know, I think Georgia's got one of the most complete teams in the country. I love Kirby, he's had a very consistent identity with his teams — tough, physical and all of that. But I really like the togetherness of Alabama's team this year, so I'm going Roll Tide, baby."

Young: "Seeing how well a team plays together here at Bama, watching the togetherness, the secondary gelling with all of the turnovers they're creating, and I think the X-factor is Keelon Russell. Watching him develop, watching how well he's playing, watching him have command, I'm a huge fan, I think he's super special. So, of course, Roll Tide."

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer joined the College GameDay set for a segment earlier in the show and was asked if there's something that the college football world doesn't see that makes him believe in the Crimson Tide. UA started the season ranked No. 13 in the AP Top 25, but is now 5-0 and the No. 6 team in the renowned poll.

"There’s a third field that we don’t practice as much on, but it’s where the grind happened in the offseason. And I think just the lessons learned and the things that we went through, the guys have this belief and trust because they know that everyone’s doing the work."

Alabama's Practice Field 3 was a staple of the summer, and BamaCentral spoke with nine different Crimson Tide players about the haunting workouts that occurred there.

Alabama leads the all-time series against Georgia 45-27-4, with the first matchup occurring on Nov. 2, 1895. The Crimson Tide has a 24-13-4 home record against the Bulldogs and has won eight of the past 10 overall meetings.

However, Georgia has had the last laugh, beating the Crimson Tide 28-7 in the 2025 SEC Championship Game. Alabama finished with -3 rushing yards and was without multiple key players. It was just the second time that season, with the other being the previous Oklahoma matchup, that the Alabama defense did not force a turnover. It was the second time Alabama faced the Bulldogs in 2025, as the Crimson Tide won the first game 24-21 in Athens.

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