Week 6 of the college football season is stacked with matchups, but the one on everybody’s mind is Georgia at Alabama. It’s a night game under the bright lights at Bryant-Denny Stadium between two bitter SEC rivals, two of the most historic programs in college football and two undefeated teams vying for another national title. The winner could take the top spot in the AP poll come Sunday.
With College GameDay set to be on site in Tuscaloosa, ESPN’s Rece Davis joined “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday and offered high praise for Alabama’s star quarterback, Keelon Russell.
“Alabama has been really excited about Keelon Russell for a couple of years, and to have him live up to the billing to this point in the season, I think has created some energy in the fanbase,” Davis said.
Russell was a consensus five-star recruit and the No. 2 overall prospect in the 2025 class, according to 247Sports. He committed to the Crimson Tide over offers from Florida, SMU, Ole Miss, Oregon and others.
But he backed up Ty Simpson last year as a freshman and entered this season in a tense quarterback competition with 6-foot-6 senior Austin Mack. Head coach Kalen DeBoer didn’t officially name Russell the starter until late August, after he beat out Mack in fall camp.
Five games into the season, Russell has justified the decision. He has completed 71.2% of his passes for 1,414 yards and 11 touchdowns with just two interceptions, along with 184 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. His 185.6 passer rating is the seventh best in the country, and he has the Tide undefeated at 5-0.
All of Alabama’s wins have come by double digits, including three over SEC opponents: Kentucky, South Carolina and Mississippi State. It’s about the best start Russell or DeBoer could have asked for, but Saturday against Georgia will be the biggest test yet. A win over Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs, and people will have no choice but to start taking Alabama seriously.