Week 6 of the 2026 college football season is absolutely here, and you know what that means: ESPN’s “College GameDay” was bringing the heat, setting up shop in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. This isn’t just any game, folks, it is a top 10 SEC showdown between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Both these programs aren’t just thinking about the conference title, they’re straight-up eyeing the College Football Playoff. The stakes? Couldn’t be higher.
Kirby Smart’s Record, Bryce Young’s Return, And A Shocking GameDay Split
Georgia’s head coach Kirby Smart knows the deal against Alabama; he’s got a 2-7 record against them. But let’s not forget, the Dawgs absolutely crushed them in last year’s SEC Championship Game. So, history is there, but so is recent success. The usual “GameDay” crew, Rece Davis, Nick Saban, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, and Pat McAfee, were all on hand. But the guest picker? None other than Bryce Young, the dude who won the Heisman under Saban in 2021 before the Carolina Panthers snatched him with the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
When it came to the main event, Alabama vs. Georgia, things got wild. Howard, Saban, and Young all picked Alabama. But McAfee? He went Georgia! That’s a huge swing and the only one on the panel to go against the Tide. You gotta wonder if that’s a gut feeling, a statement, or if he knows something we don’t. It’s a massive top 10 matchup, and seeing the panel split like that, especially with a Heisman winner on one side and a fearless media personality on the other, just cranks up the anticipation for Saturday.
Beyond Bama-UGA: Unexpected Splits And Consensus Picks
The crew didn’t just stop at the SEC blockbuster. They dove into a ton of other matchups, and there were some interesting picks. On North Carolina at Pitt, Howard was the lone wolf picking Pitt, with Saban, McAfee, Young, and Herbstreit all going for North Carolina. In another big one, USC vs. Penn State, McAfee was the only one on Penn State, while Howard, Saban, Young, and Herbstreit stuck with USC. And get this: UCLA vs. Oregon saw a split too, but in a way you might not expect! While Howard, Saban, and McAfee all picked Oregon, Young and Herbstreit both went with UCLA. That’s a bold move from two of the biggest names on the panel!
Most of the time, the crew was on the same page. For LSU vs. Kentucky, North Dakota State vs. UNLV, South Carolina vs. Florida, Indiana vs. Nebraska, and Texas vs. Oklahoma, it was a clean sweep. Everyone picked LSU, NDSU, Florida, Indiana, and Texas, respectively. But the real drama was in those split picks, especially when you’ve got five guys, including a legendary coach and a Heisman QB, weighing in.
This Week 6 slate is absolutely loaded. With GameDay’s picks out there, all that’s left is for the teams to hit the field and show us if those predictions are spot-on or if someone’s about to pull off an epic upset. Every Saturday, we get to see who truly brought their A-game, and after these predictions, you know every single one of these matchups is gonna be appointment viewing!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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