Nick Saban evaluates how Kirby Smart likely responded to close win at Kentucky

Georgia did not look to be at their best during their last appearance in a close 13-12 road win at Kentucky. Still, Nick Saban expects the Bulldogs will respond to that experience this weekend at No. 4 Alabama.

Saban spoke about how Kirby Smart would prepare his team for Saturday’s pivotal Top-4 showdown during a Friday appearance on ‘The Pat McAfee Show.’ Saban began by pointing out Georgia’s last outing against the Wildcats was a scenario he hated while as a coach considering what it can do to the players.

“I always said in the past that one of the worst things that you could do as a team is play poorly and win because how are the players going to respond to that?” said Saban.

However, if anyone can get them in check, Smart can.

With that, Saban expects Smart to use the close win as a way to wake up his players. It will put them on notice in time to fix all that they may have been doing wrong over the first three weeks of their season.

“Knowing Kirby, knowing Georgia, knowing the kind of success and expectations they have as a team? I would say winning that close game probably was a positive thing for them to be able to say, ‘Hey, we need to make some corrections here. We need to technically, sort of, improve at some of these areas’ – whether it’s offensive line, defensive line, coverage, receiver, whatever it might be,” said Saban. “I think the players probably will be very receptive of that. The bye week was probably a very welcome time for them.”

The ‘Dawgs almost suffered their first regular-season loss in four years in the last time that they took the field. If they want to avoid that actually happening, making those adjustments from the last two weeks will go a long way.

Alabama vs. Georgia betting odds: Crimson Tide shift to one-point favorite

After the Georgia Bulldogs were the favorite since the lines came out for their game with the Alabama Crimson Tide, the betting odds have shifted for Saturday evening’s top clash.

According to BetMGM, the Bulldogs have gone from slight favorites to underdogs. The Crimson Tide are now the favorite by one point at home. The over/under from BetMGM is set at 49.5 at the moment.

Both teams had byes in Week 4, meaning that all of their attention this week has been on each other. They’re now both entering the game unbeaten at 3-0 on the year with only one able to get to 4-0.