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Scouting the Enemy: What Georgia Fans Need to Know About Alabama

Alabama will roll into Athens this fall with a defense that looks very different from what Georgia fans have grown used to seeing. The Tide lost some serious firepower on that side of the ball—most notably edge rusher Dallas Turner, who’s off to the NFL, and cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry, who was basically a permanent fixture on preseason All-American lists. Those two were not just starters—they were tone-setters, and their absence leaves Bama’s defense with a lot of questions and not a ton of experience.

That said, don’t expect the cupboard to be bare. This is still Alabama, and the talent is there—it’s just a lot younger and far less proven than what Kirby Smart’s offense will bring to the table.

The guy who’ll be trying to hold it all together is inside linebacker Deontae Lawson. He’s one of the few returning veterans with serious SEC experience and a good grasp of how to run the show pre-snap. Lawson isn’t flashy, but he’s steady, intelligent, and physical. Expect him to be calling out adjustments and trying to keep a green front seven from getting overwhelmed early.

Where Georgia fans should keep a close eye is on the edges. Alabama is likely handing those starting jobs to two sophomores—Keon Keeley and Qua Russaw. Both were 5-star recruits, both look great in a jersey, and both have the kind of upside that makes NFL scouts drool. But they haven’t had to play four quarters in a stadium like Sanford against an O-line like Georgia’s with a national spotlight on them. Keeley’s more of the sleek, pass-rush specialist, while Russaw is built more like a bulldozer with a burst. They’ll cause problems eventually. The question is: are they ready to do it now?

The Alabama wide receiver room is packed with potential for the upcoming season, featuring a diverse group of athletes who bring both size and speed to the table. Isaiah Horton, standing at 6’4″ and weighing 209 pounds, will be a key player in the rotation as a redshirt junior, having transferred from Miami and looking to make an impact with his physicality and experience. Alongside him, sophomore Ryan Williams and Jaylen Mbakwe, both of whom have shown flashes of brilliance, add depth and dynamism. Williams, a speedster from Mobile, and Mbakwe, known for his quickness, present a formidable threat in the open field, providing Alabama with varied options in its passing game.

Additionally, senior Germie Bernard, with experience from both Michigan State and Washington, brings valuable leadership and reliability to the unit. With rising stars like Cole Adams and Jalen Hale, both of whom are eager to prove themselves, the competition for playing time will be fierce. The ability of this group to mesh and establish chemistry with the new quarterback will be critical. Expectations are high, and if the young receivers can step up and evolve throughout the season, Alabama’s offense could become a formidable force that demands respect from opposing defenses.

The bottom line for Georgia fans is that this isn’t the Alabama defense of years past. They’ve got talent, but a lot of it is still learning how to play at this level. Kirby’s offense—especially with a veteran O-line—should be able to put pressure on Bama’s young edge guys and test those green corners. They’ll make some plays, sure. However, suppose Georgia stays patient, executes effectively, and leans on its physicality. In that case, the Bulldogs have every reason to expect to wear this group down by the fourth quarter.

Georgia Takes Over SEC Network Today

*Article by UGA Sports Communications*

The SEC Network will feature 24 consecutive hours of Georgia Bulldog athletics on Wednesday, July 2, as part of the network’s dedicated day of programming for all of the league’s 16 schools during a period of more than two weeks.

Beginning at midnight on Wednesday, Georgia’s men’s basketball, gymnastics, softball, women’s basketball, women’s track and field, baseball, volleyball, women’s tennis and football teams will be featured throughout the day and night. 

The Bulldogs collected four national team championships during the 2024-25 academic year, including the final one of the year by the Georgia women’s track and field team on June 14. 

Wednesday, July 2

Episode Title                                                                                                   Start Time

SEC Men’s Basketball vs. #6 Kentucky                                          12 a.m. ET

SEC Gymnastics vs. Alabama                                                            2 a.m.

SEC Softball vs. #15 Oklahoma State                                            3:30 a.m.

SEC Men’s Basketball vs. #17 Oklahoma                                    5:30 a.m.

SEC Women’s Basketball vs. #11 Tennessee                            7:30 a.m.

NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships                           9:30 a.m.

SEC Baseball vs. #1 Arkansas                                                              12 p.m.

SEC Volleyball vs. Mississippi State                                                  3 p.m.

NCAA Women’s Team Tennis Championships                         5 p.m.

SEC Men’s Basketball vs. #3 Florida                                                 7:30 p.m.

SEC Football Championship Game vs. #2 Texas                      9:30 p.m.

BSB: Robbie Burnett Named First Team Academic All-America

*Article by UGA Sports Communications*

University of Georgia All-America outfielder Robbie Burnett earned First Team Academic All-America honors as selected by the College Sports Communicators (CSC), it was announced Tuesday.

Burnett, a 5-10, 191-pound senior from Franklinton, N.C., made the 11-member First Team Academic All-America squad that features a catcher, designated hitter, four infielders, three outfielders and two pitchers.

A Housing Management and Policy major, Burnett is just the second Bulldog baseball player to be named to the First Team and the eighth overall to earn Academic All-America honors. Burnett joins former All-America pitcher Emerson Hancock (2020), who is currently in the starting rotation for the Seattle Mariners, as a first-team selection.

Student-athletes must have at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale), compete in 90 percent of the institution’s games played

or must start in at least 66 percent of the institution’s games. Pitchers must have made at least 17 appearances or pitched 35 innings.

Burnett tallied a team-best 20 home runs, 66 RBI, 17 stolen bases and 21 hit-by-pitches. He batted .307 with a .693 slugging percentage and .477 on-base percentage in 56 games with 55 starts. He earned First Team All-America honors from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Burnett started 35 games in the outfield and posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. Also, he started 19 games at second base and one as a designated hitter. He was named SEC Player of the Week after leading Georgia to a series win over No. 23 Kentucky. He tied a school record with four stolen bases on Opening Day in Wilmington, N.C, against Quinnipiac.

Burnett helped the Bulldogs go 43-17, play host to an NCAA Athens Regional as a number seven national seed and finish as high as No. 15 in the final top 25 rankings. Burnett is now preparing for the 2025 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, slated for July 13-14.

SOC: UGA Announces 2025 Soccer Schedule

Article by UGA Sports Communications

Highlighted by early home matches against two of the nation’s premier programs, the University of Georgia soccer team announced its 2025 season schedule Tuesday afternoon.

Led by fourth-year head coach Keidane McAlpine, the Bulldogs will face opponents from three Power Four conferences, as well as the SEC regular season (Mississippi State) and tournament (Texas) champions.

The slate begins with home exhibition matches against Samford (Aug. 4) and Carolina Ascent FC of the USL W League (Aug. 9). The regular season starts on Aug. 14 with a home matchup against defending Big Ten Tournament champion UCLA, the first-ever visit to Athens from the Bruins. Following a match against Albany on Aug. 17, Georgia hosts defending national champion North Carolina on Aug. 21 for the first time, marking the fourth consecutive season in which the Bulldogs have faced the reigning NCAA champions. The non-conference slate also features home contests with Michigan (Aug. 24), North Florida (Aug. 28), and Wyoming (Sept. 4), along with road dates at Washington State (Aug. 31) and Clemson (Sept. 7).

Georgia opens SEC play at Texas A&M on Friday, Sept. 12, resuming the teams’ regular season series following two consecutive nailbiters in the SEC Tournament. The Bulldogs begin home conference play against Kentucky on Sept. 18, followed by visits from Florida (Sept. 26), LSU (Oct. 5), Arkansas (Oct. 10), and Auburn (Oct. 19). On the road, Georgia travels to Ole Miss for the first time since 2020 (Sept. 21), along with trips to Tennessee (Oct. 2), Texas (Oct. 16), and Mississippi State for the regular season finale (Oct. 26). After the conference slate, the top 12 teams in the league standings will play in the SEC Soccer Tournament in Pensacola, Florida, running from Nov. 2 through Nov. 9.

All scheduled times and dates for the 2025 season are subject to change.

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