If Georgia Beats Alabama Without Nick Saban Will Bulldog Fans Rush the Field?

One of the most impressive, and complimentary streaks in college football history might be in jeopardy this weekend.

We're talking about the Alabama field-storming streak that was extended earlier this season when the Crimson Tide opened with a 31-17 loss at Florida State. Even though Nick Saban was no longer on the sideline, and Alabama had gone 5-5 in its last 10 games, the Seminoles faithful were quick to race to midfield in celebration.

We don't condone the practice, but Florida State did go 2-10 last season with its only wins against Cal and Charleston Southern. Of course the previous season they went 13-0 and still didn't get into the College Football Playoff due to a pretty weak schedule (and then lost 63-3 to Georgia in the Orange Bowl), so many FSU fans still blamed Alabama since it got in as the No. 4 seed with a 12-1 record while playing a much tougher schedule.

Regardless, it was the 11th straight time that home fans celebrated a win over Alabama by storming the field, which is undoubtedly a record. The streak goes back to the Kick Six game at Auburn — which is remarkable when you think about it because that was 12 years ago. However, the on-field celebrations against Crimson Tide really go back to the 2010 loss at South Carolina, when the Gamecocks defeated the reigning national champions and notched the first win in program history against an opponent ranked No. 1.

In between saw the last time an Alabama road loss didn't result in a field storming, LSU in 2010.

Last season Vanderbilt also enjoyed its first-ever win against a No. 1 opponent, and stormed the field after beatingAlabama, but then so did Tennessee and Oklahoma. We don't want to say it's become cliché, but ...

Of those 11 games, four have been over the last 12 games, with Kalen DeBoer as head coach.

The Field-Storming Steak

Year, Score Field-Storming Fine

2025 Florida State 31, Alabama 17      $50,000 (ACC)
2024 Vanderbilt 40, Alabama 35           $100,000
2024 Tennessee 24, Alabama 17          $100,000
2024 Oklahoma 24, Alabama 3          $200,000
2022 Tennessee 52 Alabama 49         $100,000
2022 LSU 32, Alabama 31                 $250,000
2021 Texas A&M 41 Alabama 38      $100,000
2019 Auburn 48, Alabama 45           $250,000
2017 Auburn 26 Alabama 14              $250,000
2014 Ole Miss 23, Alabama 17         $50,000
2013 Auburn 34, Alabama 28            $5,000

Total fines: $1.455 million

Saban didn't have a road loss in 2008 or 2009, so he had just nine as the visitor over his final 16 seasons leading the Crimson Tide. (For the record, he had two during the 2007 season after the textbook disbursement scandal broke, at Mississippi State and Auburn, giving him 11 overall).

As field storming (and court storming in basketball) became a bigger concern the Southeastern Conference implemented a fine system in 2004 to try and curtail the practice do to the obvious potential danger. It's since raised the fine amounts three times, including the three-strike idea that penalized schools $100,000 for a first offense, $250,000 for a second, and $500,000 for any subsequent incidents.

For this academic year, though, the fine was bumped up to a flat fee of $500,000 — which goes to the school that lost the game (or to the SEC’s post-graduate scholarship fund for a non-conference opponent). Ironically, the school that got hit with the first half-million fine was one of three that had yet to be a first-time offender Mississippi State, for the upset of No. 12 Arizona State (a playoff team last season), on Sept. 6.

The other two SEC schools that didn't have a first-offense fine were Alabama and Georgia. Bulldogs fans have only stormed the field at Sanford Stadium only once, Oct. 7, 2000, after ending a nine-game losing streak to Tennessee 21-10.

Georgia managed two wins against Alabama during the Saban era, but one was in Tuscaloosa in 2007, and the other the 2022 National Championship Game. Overall, this will be the seventh time since 2009 that Crimson Tide will not be favored in a game, and in all but one of those games the Bulldogs were the opponent. You can pretty do the math on how many of those UGA won.

So on one hand the Alabama angst is still there and very real, regardless of the head coach. The Crimson Tide has won nine of the last 10 meetings including 41-34 last season, and last lost in Athens in 2003. Also, Alabama has won the last five meetings in Atlanta when either the SEC or national title was on the line, including "Second and 26."

On the other, the Kirby Smart's Bulldogs are riding a 33-game home winning streak. They've called for a blackout. They're the reigning SEC champions ...

Of course, if Alabama beats Georgia again the next opponent that will get a shot at the Crimson Tide on its home field will be Missouri on Oct. 11. The chances of the Tigers fans storming the field with a victory: 100 percent.

Alabama Crimson Tide On SI/BamaCentral regularly publishes articles and columns putting Nick Saban's coaching career into perspective.