Everyone knows the stakes are pretty high when you see the SEC’s powerhouses rolling up their sleeves and going against each other. And Georgia vs. Alabama is the one that’s making the buzz in Week 5. If history tells you anything, it shows Bama’s dominance with a 26-44-4 record against Georgia. Then there’s the two-game winning streak over them and winning in 9 of their 10 meetings. So, you know it’s not just your usual rivalry game. And that’s exactly why each team has put their best foot forward and started a psychological warfare with their game-preview teaser, and it’s already grabbing eyes.

If Alabama holds history, Georgia holds the odds this season as they enter this game as 2.5-point favorites as per FanDuel, and even ESPN gives them a 54.8% chance to win against Alabama, which is their 5th consecutive game as an underdog. Well, what can you expect after losing against a 2-10 team last season? But Georgia is not just ruling over with the odds but with their Game 4 trailer ahead of their game against Bama. That’s right, Georgia’s X account posted a hype video of 118 seconds with the title “The Epicenter” under the narration of their former nose tackle, Bill Goldberg.

The video is pure cinema, with fans going crazy for their team players rolling out in the field and stadiums burning in red. “This is no welcome,” Goldberg said in the video. “It is a warning. To all those who enter, beware. Stepping between the hedges is not for the faint of heart. Here comes a mean machine in red and black. And there’s no stopping what’s ahead. Once you hear this roar, it’s too late. Harnessing the energy of 92,000 strong. A force so powerful. So unforgiving. It will leave you rattled.”

And then Goldberg ends the teaser with a blunt message: “We never fight alone. Dawg Nation has our back. So brace yourselves, because here come the Dawgs.” This video shows absolute dominance of Georgia, and it’s no fluke. Fresh off their overtime win against Tennessee, Georgia sits right at No. 3 in the Coaches Poll and No. 5 in the AP poll with a 3-0 record. Whereas Bama is at the 17th position in the AP poll with a 2-1 record. But even Kalen DeBoer’s team is not giving up this fast.

As they too are up with their pre-game teaser to turn up the heat. Last season, Bama dominated Georgia with a 41-34 record in their home at Bryant-Denny Stadium, but this time it’s their chance to dominate them at their home. Something that no team has achieved in the last seven years. And this hype video captures that feeling perfectly. To come in and dominate, and even Bama’s X page caption reflects the same: “The time is NOW. 😤”

So, let’s just wait and see which team can actually make an impact on the field, but for now, both of their pre-game tactics are on fire. But their injury report might halt their run.

Georgia-Alabama injury report

This game is going to be a crucial game for both teams, as for Alabama, it will make their playoff run strong, and for Georgia, it will continue their dominance in the league. But both teams have already lost their playmakers to injury ahead of their clash. For Alabama, WR Jalen Hale, linebacker Jah-Marien Latham, and defensive lineman Jeremiah Beaman are out of the game. Whereas tight end Danny Lewis Jr.‘s position is still set to probable for the game.

Now, Hale missed the entire 2024 season because of a leg injury, and he has yet to catch a single pass this season. So, this was supposed to be his debut game. Then there’s Latham, who’s out and hospitalized after suffering from a neck injury while practicing. This season, he had a limited time on the field against FSU but left with a lower-body injury. Since then, he couldn’t get back on the field. Even Beaman is out for the rest of the season because of a lower-body injury in practice.

Coming to Georgia, there’s tight end Ethan Barbour and offensive linemen Malachi Toliver and Earnest Greene III, who won’t be playing against Alabama. Barbour suffered a gruesome ankle injury on the final play of the first half against Austin Peay and hasn’t returned since then. He even missed out against the Vols. Then there’s Toliver, who’s still recovering from his ankle injury. Now, Greene remains the only OL who’s out of the game against Bama after dealing with back injuries and surgery in 2022 and one against FSU.

Without their key players, let’s see how both teams hold up their game against each other.