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Georgia Rules the SEC. So Why Can’t Kirby Smart Beat Alabama in the Regular Season?

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart enters Saturday’s showdown against Alabama with a record that underscores his program’s SEC dominance—yet a glaring exception. While his Bulldogs have ruled the conference, Smart remains the only SEC head coach with no regular-season victory over the Crimson Tide, sitting at 2-7 all-time against them.

His two wins came in high-pressure postseason showdowns: the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship and last year’s SEC title game, where Georgia prevailed 28-7. This weekend’s clash in Tuscaloosa, however, offers Smart his best chance to add a regular-season scalp to his resume, one that would further cement Georgia’s status as the SEC’s most consistent powerhouse beyond Nick Saban’s defense.

The stakes couldn’t be higher for Alabama’s Keelon Russell, a five-star quarterback who took over as the starter this season and has quickly become a Heisman frontrunner. In his first five starts, Russell has thrown for 1,414 yards and 11 touchdowns while adding 184 rushing yards and four scores on the ground.

His breakout performance came in a 50-36 rout of Florida State, where he completed 76.7% of his passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns. Though he struggled in his first two games, Russell’s recent outings—including 365 yards and four touchdowns against South Carolina—have solidified his place among the nation’s top quarterbacks.

With Georgia’s rushing attack and tight-end corps poised to exploit Alabama’s secondary, Russell’s ability to elevate his game in a prime-time showdown will determine whether this becomes his defining moment of the season—or a stepping stone to an even bigger prize.

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