Sep 26, 2015; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Louisiana Monroe Warhawks defensive lineman Ben Banogu (49) reaches out for Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jake Coker (14) at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — When Alabama coach Nick Saban looks at Georgia, he sees similarities to some of his teams.
“I would say they look a lot like some of our teams of the past,” Saban said Monday. “Very physical, don’t make a lot of mistakes, don’t beat themselves much. And they play with a lot of toughness and they’re very aggressive on both sides of the ball. That’s the kind of team that we’ve always sort of aspired to have here. And it certainly looks like that’s the kind of team they have developed there.”
Saban and Alabama (3-1) will get their shot at Georgia (4-0) in Sanford Stadium on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS. Alabama hasn’t played in Athens, Ga., since 2008, when they won 41-30.
The last time the two programs met came in the 2012 SEC Championship Game, a 32-28 victory for the Tide.
Offensively, things start with sophomore tailback Nick Chubb for the Bulldogs. Chubb has carried the ball 71 times for 599 yards (8.44 yards per carry) and six scores. He also has one receiving touchdown. He ranks second in the SEC and No. 6 in the nation with 149.75 rushing yards per game.
With 12 consecutive games of 100 or more rushing yards, Chubb tied Herschel Walker’s school record. If Chubb is to break the record, he’ll become just the 11th opposing player to rush for 100 or more yards against Alabama during Saban’s tenure.
“Nick Chubb is very strong, physical, fast, explosive. He’s got power,” Saban said. “He is a complete back in every sense of the word. He’s effective in their screen game so you can’t discount him as a receiver in any way, shape or form either. This guy is by far the best back we’ve played against all year long.”
Alabama ranks first in the SEC and fourth in the country allowing just 56.75 rushing yards per game. The Tide is holding teams to less than two yards per carry and has only allowed two rushing touchdowns. Tide cornerback Cyrus Jones said he had the “utmost confidence” in the ability of Alabama’s defensive front when it comes to stopping the run.
“I think we’ve got two great linebackers in Reggie (Ragland) and Reuben (Foster),” Jones said. “Our front seven, it goes without saying how good they are. I think we just have to be ready to go out there and play. We can’t make this more than what it is. It’s a football game, and we have to be ready to execute.”
NOTES, QUOTES PLAYERS TO WATCH —
–DL Jarran Reed is one of Alabama’s most disruptive defensive linemen. Reed is second on the team with 20 total tackles, including 13 solo.
–RB Derrick Henry didn’t get many touches last week because of illness. He’ll be a full go against the Bulldogs.
–LB Reggie Ragland leads Alabama with 34 total tackles (17 solo). That’s good for seventh-best in the SEC.
SERIES HISTORY: Alabama leads Georgia 37-25-4.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “We love it. It just shows that we have to play fast and be mentally strong out there. You can play mentally tough all day, but if you don’t have the right mindset and you’re not mentally strong out there and still looking at your keys and knowing what’s going on with the play and what call you’re in, it doesn’t matter. So you have to be out there and be really physical and want to accept the challenge. It’s going to be a very good physical game and I’m ready for it.” — Alabama linebacker Reggie Ragland on playing power running teams.
