Week 5 game between No. 4 Alabama and No. 2 Georgia is what we’ve all been waiting for! Both teams have started the season strong with 3-0 records. However, on September 28th, one of their undefeated streaks will come to an end. It’s Alabama’s first game against Georgia without Nick Saban in 17 years as Kalen DeBoer gears up his team against Kirby Smart and Co. Both teams are loaded with talent but if there’s a side to pick, Alabama takes the favor as per a CFB analyst. 

On September 23, Josh Pate gave his verdict on the upcoming clash between the two top-5 CFB teams in a new YouTube episode on Josh Pate’s College Football Show. Pate first lauded DeBoer’s team for the dominant performances they had so far and brought the spotlight to “emerging superstar” Ryan Williams. 

Josh Pate thinks Alabama has what it takes to challenge Nick Saban’s legacy with a win against the Bulldogs. He’s impressed not just by their 17-year-old wide receiver, but also their offensive line, running game, and defense overall. Well, Georgia May have won their third game but it was a game of struggle for a No. 2 team against unranked Kentucky where they won by a close 13-12. So, it looks like Williams & Co. has the upper hand right now.

Despite being the youngest Alabama player, Ryan Williams showcased his freshman power right from his first 63-0 win with an 84-yard touchdown against WKU. The unanimous 5-star prospect assisted in the next 42-16 and 42-10 wins against South Florida and Wisconsin, respectively. So far this season, he has racked up 10 receptions for 285 yards and four touchdowns which earned him his own podcast. 

Ryan Williams brings Alabama football to the spotlight

Not every 17-year-old can relish in the spotlight of a popular podcast they can call their own but that’s not the case with Ryan Williams. In his statement on his podcast called New Wave with freshman CB Jaylen Mbakwe, he revealed that Nick Saban was the one who supported his idea of having a platform to share football thoughts. The true freshman also added, “Everybody has kept supporting us, and Alabama has done a great job of allowing us to express ourselves and share it on a platform.”

Now, this is a beneficial move for Alabama as Ryan Williams and Mbakwe’s podcast soared to unrivaled heights. It boosted the Crimson Tide’s production views to over 5 million viewers in just two weeks. The young podcast even went on to top the list of CFB player-led podcasts at No. 2. Both on the field and off-field, Williams is making his mark as one of the best freshman players in college football. 

Speaking about college football privileges, let’s hear what Doug Sanders has to say about NIL in our exclusive Think Tank podcast.