Who is Alabama? Are they the team that looked overmatched, unprepared, and apathetic in the season opener against Florida State? Or are they the team that looked dominant, aggressive, and focused the last two games in blowout wins over UL Monroe and Wisconsin?
Alabama players, fans, and coaches are hoping it's the latter. We'll all find out together on Saturday night when the Crimson Tide walks into Sanford Stadium to take on a battle-tested and well-coached Georgia Bulldogs team.
Despite Alabama's consistent success over Georgia - and the Tide has won nine of the last 10 meetings head-to-head - this game represents arguably the toughest challenge remaining on the schedule. With a number in the loss column already, Alabama's margin for error is already much thinner than usual for late September.
A win puts Alabama right back in the thick of the SEC and College Football Playoff race. A loss puts the Tide's playoff hopes on life support.
If Alabama is going to walk into Athens and leave with a victory, it's going to take a total team effort. Strong games from the usual suspects like Ty Simpson, Ryan Williams, Germie Bernard, et al, will not be enough. They are going to need other guys to step up and play pivotal roles.
3 players who could be X-Factors for Alabama against Georgia
WR Lotzeir Brooks
Ryan Williams and Germie Bernard will be focal points of Georgia's defensive gameplan. Kalen DeBoer and Ryan Grubb will still find creative ways to scheme them open and get the football in their hands, but to make things easier, Alabama needs another receiver or two to do some damage against a Bulldogs secondary that looked pretty iffy against Tennessee two weeks ago.
One guy to watch is freshman Lotzeir Brooks, who has turned into a co-starter at WR with Miami (FL) transfer Isaiah Horton. With Ryan Williams splitting time between the outside and the slot, it has opened up more playing time for Brooks. When Williams lines up on the outside, Brooks is the slot receiver. When Williams is in the slot, Horton goes outside.
After not recording a catch against Florida State, Brooks recorded six receptions for 88 yards against UL Monroe and Wisconsin. He's got the speed and shiftiness to be a game-changer for the Crimson Tide's offense; he'll just need to be a little more QB-friendly for Ty Simpson and not drop a wide-open pass like he did against the Badgers two weeks ago.
With a lot of attention on Williams and Bernard, Brooks is going to have opportunities to make some plays.
OG Jaeden Roberts
Alabama will get Jam Miller back on Saturday, but I've said for a while now that the Crimson Tide needs more than just Miller to fix a flailing ground game. Alabama ranks 121st in the country in rushing success rate. To be fair, both Florida State and Wisconsin have been stout against the run against every opponent they have faced, but it's not like that's going to get easier against Georgia.
It will be asking too much of Simpson to put the entire game against Georgia on his back, especially on the road. Alabama needs to find some semblance of balance. The outcome of this game could be determined by how Alabama's offense line plays, particularly on an unsettled right side.
There has been rotation on the right side with Geno VanDeMark and Jaeden Roberts at RG and Wilkin Formby and freshman Michael Carroll at RT. Ryan Grubb indicated that rotation would continue this week, much to the chagrin of Kadyn Proctor.
It seems, at least in the run game, that Alabama has a little more punch with Roberts and Carroll in the game. It remains to be seen who starts, but most Tide fans are hoping those two are in the game immediately on Saturday. They could provide the power Alabama needs to combat a physically imposing defensive line, and finally spark a run game that has provided little through three games.
LB Deontae Lawson
We usually highlight guys who are a little more under the radar than a senior defensive captain like Deontae Lawson, but his play on Saturday will be vital to the Crimson Tide's defensive success.
Alabama's LB play against Florida State was abhorrent. It will need to be much better against Georgia. The Crimson Tide struggled with a running QB and FSU's vast array of pre-snap motions and eye-candy. The Bulldogs are going to try and do the same things, and while Gunner Stockton doesn't run like Thomas Castellanos, he's still more than capable with his feet. He consistently makes good decisions in Georgia's read-option looks, and Alabama is going to have to be disciplined in its gap assignments in order to get some stops.
Alabama's defensive line will get a boost from the return of Tim Keenan, but the linebackers are going to have to fly around and make some plays. Lawson has looked better and more comfortable the last two weeks. Kane Wommack will need the best version of his leader in the middle, or it could be a long day for the Tide defense.