Pat McAfee was wrestled to the ground by Nick Saban and Bryce Young after picking Georgia to beat Alabama on ESPN College GameDay.
The show was in Tuscaloosa ahead of Saturday’s huge SEC showdown, with the show moved indoors to the Coleman Coliseum due to the impending Hurricane Isaias at risk of hitting the area.
Carolina Panthers quarterback Young joined the show during his NFL bye week, being reunited with the coach who guided him to the Heisman Trophy before he was drafted first overall in 2023.
Despite being surrounded by passionate Alabama fans and two Alabama legends, McAfee could not help himself from antagonizing them with his pick for the big game.
The former Indianapolis Colts punter picked last after Saban, Young and Desmond Howard all picked Alabama to win.
Both teams are 5-0 entering the game with Georgia ranked No.2 and Alabama No.6 after strong starts to the season.
Pat McAfee picked Georgia to beat Alabama while in Tuscaloosa on ESPN College GameDay
Nick Saban got up and grabbed McAfee after he picked against his former team to win
Coach Saban knocked @PatMcAfeeShow to the floor after Pat picked Georgia to beat Alabama �� https://t.co/eNtPUL0BQF
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) October 10, 2026
‘This has been a nice little morning here in the Coleman Coliseum,’ McAfee began.
‘The problem with all these people here in Alabama is I think they understand that what’s coming down that track is a bunch of dawgs that have been dominating every single team this season.’
As boos rang down, he continued: ‘The Georgia Bulldogs haven’t trailed for a single second. Now have they played anybody close to the Alabama football team? Absolutely not.’
The boos then turned to cheers as he praised Alabama, continuing: ‘Keelan Russell is absolutely unbelievable, the defense is stacked with NFL-ers.
‘Kalen DeBoer has his system in place, his culture in place. These people are going to be going absolutely crazy tonight.’
But he then dramatically announced: ‘Give me Georgia to beat everybody out here! Sorry Coach Saban!’
Saban got up from his seat next to McAfee and pretended to grab his co-host, while Young got up and did the same and dragged him from his chair.
After McAfee dramatically threw himself to the floor, he lay beneath the desk shouting: ‘Sorry boys, I’m sorry boys!’ before he started barking to mimic a Georgia Bulldog.
Saban and Bryce Young wrestling McAfee to the floor to the delight of the Alabama fans
McAfee lay under the desk and barked after choosing the Bulldogs to earn a big SEC win
Before the picks, Saban had high praise for Georgia and head coach Kirby Smart before taking on his former program.
‘I think Georgia is one of the most complete teams in the country,’ Saban said on The Pat McAfee Show on Friday.
‘I know they haven’t been tested, but they haven’t been behind, they’ve dominated the competition, which that’s hard to do sometimes when you’re supposed to win and you go out and win like you’re supposed to. And they’ve been able to do that.
‘How they’ll fare against a little better competition, look, I think teams that have success and have won championships, they’re never gonna say die.
‘They’re gonna compete in the game for 60 minutes. There may be some adversity for them in the game, but they’re gonna keep playing.’
‘Whoever’s going to beat them is going to have to play for 60 minutes to do it with the same kind of temperament and attitude to play a complete game.’
