For the second time in as many years, Kalen DeBoer and Alabama football have beaten Kirby Smart and Georgia.
This time, the 16th-ranked Crimson Tide traveled into the hostile confines of Sanford Stadium and knocked off No. 3 Georgia 24-21, withstanding a furious comeback attempt while scoring zero second-half points.
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While it wasn’t pretty or perfect — Alabama‘s defense surrendered 227 rushing yards on 33 carries and gave up long plays all game — it was able to gut out a win. That was made possible with a strong first-half performance from the Crimson Tide, with Ty Simpson and Co. making easy work of Georgia’s defense.
Simpson finished the game completing 24 of 38 passes (63.1%) for 276 yards and two touchdowns, adding another 2-yard rushing score in the win. Isaiah Horton (65 yards), Ryan Williams (43 yards) and Germie Bernard (35 yards) led the Crimson Tide with five receptions each, with Bernard and Horton each scoring a receiving touchdown.
The question now is where the Crimson Tide may rank in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25? The top 10 was rife with upsets in Week 5 of the college football season, so there is plenty of space for upward mobility for DeBoer and Co.
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Here’s a look at where the Crimson Tide may rise to in the latest rankings:
Alabama football rankings: Where will Crimson Tide rise to in top 25?
Scoring a win over a top-three opponent on the road will likely see a massive bump in the rankings for Alabama. The question is how big a bump it will be.
Helping the Tide’s move up the rankings is the fact several teams in the top 10 fell in Week 5 — not just Georgia. That also includes a Friday night loss by No. 8 Florida State, which fell 46-38 to unranked Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, in double overtime.
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Here’s a look at how the top 15 teams fared on Saturday, Sept 27:
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No. 1 Ohio State: 24-6 win at Washington
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No. 2 Penn State: 30-24 loss vs. No. 5 Oregon (2OT)
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No. 3 Georgia: 24-21 loss vs. No. 16 Alabama
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No. 4 LSU: 24-19 loss at No. 11 Ole Miss
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No. 5 Oregon: 30-24 win at No. 2 Penn State (2OT)
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No. 8 Florida State: 46-38 loss at Virginia (2OT)
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No. 9 Texas A&M: 16-10 win vs. Auburn
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No. 11 Ole Miss: 24-19 win vs. No. 4 LSU
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No. 12 Indiana: 20-15 win at Iowa
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No. 15 Tennessee: 41-34 win at Mississippi State (OT)
Considering the close calls and upsets throughout the top 15 of the US LBM Coaches Poll on Saturday, Sept. 27, it’s likely Alabama will displace at least one team ranked ahead of it, including, potentially, No. 15 Tennessee, which needed overtime to beat unranked Mississippi State on the road.
Final ranking projection: No. 10
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: How far will Alabama football rise in top 25 after Georgia upset?
