Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Georgia Bulldogs and the weight of history

Saturday night on Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium the Alabama Crimson Tide will have history on its side. Georgia fans know the history between the two programs, but will argue the Bulldogs' limited success against Alabama will not matter. That perspective is more right than wrong. To the extent the past between the two teams is in the heads of Georgia players, the memory will not go past last December.

History matters to the Alabama Crimson Tide. Every coach and every player knows the responsibility to live up to the history. No program wins every big game, but winning big games was an uncommon norm for the last 16 Alabama football seasons. Saturday night a new Crimson Tide can show the college football world that winning big games has not changed.

An SEC opener against a highly ranked team is rare for the Crimson Tide. In 201, Alabama opened with the No. 6-ranked Texas A&M Aggies. The Crimson Tide won 49-42. In Alabama's last 25 SEC opening season games, the Tide's record is 24-1. The one loss came against Ole Miss in the 2015 season.

Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia History

Few Georgia players will care (or even know) that going back to the 2008 season, the Bulldogs are 1-8 against the Crimson Tide. Kirby Smart knows and it must weigh heavily on him. Five of those losses came with Smart as Georgia's head coach. No other SEC coach knows better than Smart how difficult it is to win a big game in Tuscaloosa. In the 2007 season, Alabama was not expected to beat the Bulldogs even though the game was in Bryant-Denny. Georgia won 26-23 in OT. Few current Georgia fans will fondly remember Georgia OC, Mike Bobo dialing up the game-winning touchdown pass. Georgia fans don't think too kindly of Bobo now. It was Kirby Smart's, Alabama defensive backs, who tried unsuccessfully to stop the play.

Since the 2008 game Alabama has outscored Georgia 299-224. Yet, the Bulldogs claim to be the Kings of College Football. Saturday night's winner will not earn a crown. Some college football pundits contend that with a 12-team Playoff, the game is interesting but not consequential. No one who fully understands the history between the two programs will agree.