Kirby Smart Facing More Pressure Than Kalen DeBoer In SEC Showdown? Athens Is Ready

ATHENS, GA — As Georgia and Alabama prepare for another primetime SEC showdown, one question looms: who’s under more pressure tonight — Kirby Smart or Kalen DeBoer?

On a muggy afternoon in Athens, the buzz was already building. Students made their way to class, while some Alabama fans cruised around campus with flags flying from their trucks. You could feel it: business was about to pick up between the hedges.

Two storylines dominate the night: Georgia has won 33 straight home games in Athens, but Kirby Smart is just 1–6 against Alabama during his tenure. It’s the one matchup the Bulldogs can’t seem to shake. And while DeBoer already has a loss to Florida State on his 2025 record, it feels like the heavier burden sits on Smart’s shoulders.

Virginia Shocks No. 8 Florida State In Double-Overtime Thriller, Sending Shockwaves Through College Football

Georgia vs. Alabama showdown has Athens buzzing ahead of SEC slugfest Via: Trey Wallace

Alabama Has Something On Kirby Smart, Some Werid Voodoo

If there’s some sort of magical southern spell around Georgia football? In recent years, it seems to appear when Alabama’s on the other sideline. Even with Nick Saban gone, fans are still waiting for the Dawgs to exorcise that ghost at least more than once. 

Don't just listen to me. At least one Georgia fan I spoke with felt the same had his own take. 

"I don’t know what it is about them (Alabama) and us playing, but they clearly have some type of mental edge when the game begins," said Thomas, a Georgia fan from Duluth. "Think about our trip to Tuscaloosa — it felt over by halftime."

"Nick Saban is gone. It’s time to beat that team. This atmosphere will be insane, especially at night when we don't lose. It’s time to end the Tide curse."

Oh, don't worry Thomas, I've noticed. The last time I was in Athens was November 2024, when Georgia took Tennessee to the woodshed, in what was a fantastic environment for college football. 

But, this isn't Tennessee, and Alabama has something to prove. 

Alabama Looking To Bring The ‘Effort,' Silence The Dawgs

For the past month, the stench of losing to Florida State has hung around the Alabama football facility in Tuscaloosa. 

While there's no way to run from the past, Kalen Deboer has an opportunity to make up for that effortless loss to the Seminoles, which looks a bit worse thanks to Florida State losing to Virginia on Friday night. Oh, and he's bringing a motivated team to Athens for this showdown of the immortals. Yes, I took that from Wrestlemania, so don't go complaining. 

For the past decade, when you think of the SEC, Georgia and Alabama are probably the first teams that come to mind, besides LSU winning the title in 2019. 

Georgia vs. Alabama showdown has Athens buzzing ahead of SEC slugfest Via: Trey Wallace

So, with plenty of college football fans seeing blood in the water coming from Tuscaloosa, the current team is trying to change the narrative surrounding its season-opening loss to Florida State. 

Sure, the return of Jam Miller at running back will help this offense, especially quarterback Ty Simpson. But, if we see any resemblance of the team that took the field in Tallahassee, this one could be over by halftime. And if I'm an Alabama fan, that would scare the oatmeal cream pies out of me. 

Unless some type of disaster of epic proportion occurs over the remainder of this season, Kalen Deboer will be leading this squad in 2026. And, coming off that loss to Florida State, maybe he's learned a thing or two about how to motivate this football team, as pundits across the sport came after him. 

But I will say this — If Georgia brings that same defensive effort that we saw against Tennessee, this Alabama team will beat the Dawgs tonight. 

Bring On The Chaos Inside Georgia's Sanford Stadium

As Penn State takes on Oregon in their whiteout, Georgia will run onto the field at Sanford to the sound of "Teenage Wasteland" — with a Taylor Swift-heavy playlist for the student section.

The environment will be insane, as it always is at night in Athens. But this isn’t just about noise. It’s about identity. For Alabama, it’s a chance to prove they’re still Alabama. For Georgia, it’s about Kirby Smart finally getting the better of the Tide without Nick Saban on the other sideline.

Oh, and there will be plenty of Taylor Swift for the Dawgs student section to enjoy, while one person, Josh Pate, wants to complain. 

I think we know who will have the most pressure weighing on them as both teams take the field tonight, but if Alabama wants to establish an identity under Kalen Deboer, winning a game like this one is much needed. 

But, I will say that if the Tide' end up getting run out of Athens, the narrative around the Alabama coach will not lead to flattering headlines. 

Bring on a chaotic Saturday of college football. This is exactly the type of weekend we've been waiting for since January. 

All that's left to do is spot the ball, and cue up ‘The Who.'