Cocktail Thursday: Alabama Edition

Are your Georgia Bulldogs heading to Tuscaloosa this weekend, looking for their first win there since 2007?

Is Georgia’s head coach 2-7 against Alabama in his tenure in Athens, making the Tide the only college football team against whom he hasn’t exhibited utter domination?

Is Chauncey Bowens out of a game in which we could really, genuinely use a strong downhill running threat?

And oh yeah, is there a hurricane bearing down on the whole proceeding?

If you answered yes to any or all of these questions you could probably use a drink. I can help with that.

For me, it’s always a miserable experience playing the Tide. It’s been a horrendous experience more often than not. I take the position that I will expect the worst, and then if it doesn’t occur I will be pleasantly surprised.

Some men are Baptists. Others Unitarian Universalists. I am a Munsonian Pessimist. Yet even for an inveterate dark cloud spotter like me there are some reasons for optimism in this weekend’s tilt. For one, the Tide have benefitted from some extraordinary turnover luck this season. Last week against Mississippi State Kamario Taylor had two fumbles that were essentially just drops, and a bad interception, before being forced from the game. That kind of turnover luck has a way of reversing itself just as suddenly as it flowed in.

The Red Elephants have also given up 12 sacks, near the bottom of the SEC, and at 2.40 per game on pace to be a higher total than the 2.13 sacks per game they surrendered in 2025. Timely sacks have been the stock in trade for Kirby Smart defenses in big games.

The Crimson Tide, in my estimation, probably have better receivers than the ‘Dawgs, and as good a running back group if for no other reason than theirs are (as far as we know) relatively healthy. The Red and Black may have a slight advantage on the defensive line, as well as in the linebacking corps. Though I could be persuaded otherwise.

But from what I’ve seen the Athenians have two big advantages, advantages which I believe could be decisive. One is in the defensive secondary, where KJ Bolden and Ellis Robinson may both be postseason first team All-SEC selections.

The other is at the quarterback spot. Keelon Russell is an excellent quarterback. I think one day he will be a Heisman finalist, and an early NFL draft pick. I am not certain that Gunner Stockton will be an NFL star, but he was already among the top vote getters for the Heisman last season. I think there will be a day when Keelon Russell is a better quarterback than Gunner Stockton, but I don’t believe six starts into his college career that were quite there yet.

The key to this one is to make Keelon Russell, freshman quarterback, look like a freshman quarterback. And for Gunner Stockton, senior quarterback, to continue to look like a senior quarterback. The key to that will be smart pressure, judiciously applied. But also not losing discipline in pursuit. Russell can take off in a straight line as well as anyone, and Georgia’s defenders, who pursue sideline to sideline as well as anyone, struggle against that type of scrambler.

The key is to key on Russell. The cocktails for that assignment?

The Key On Russell.

It’s a twist on the classic Negroni, a sophisticated traditional cocktail that, while not wveryone’s thing, is a true joy when done right. You’ll need:

• 1 and 1/2 ounces bourbon (or rye whiskey, your choice)

• 1 ounce Campari

• 1 ounce sweet vermouth
• A splash of orange juice (literally squeeze one small wedge in)

• orange twist for garnish

Add the bourbon, Campari and sweet vermouth to a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Squeeze in the orange juice. Garnish with the orange twist and enjoy. Until later…

Go ‘Dawgs!!!