One of the biggest regular season games of the year is this Saturday as Alabama take on Georgia in Tuscaloosa in their first meeting since Nick Saban retired. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has a warning for Alabama’s quarterback Jalen Milroe as he heads into one of the biggest games of his career.
On Wednesday’s edition of First Take, Smith declared that Alabama must win this game if they want to prove that they’re in good hands with Kalen DeBoer as the new head coach. He called on the entire team to “handle their business” against the visiting Bulldogs but called out Milroe in particular, admonishing the Crimson Tide quarterback for previously calling him out and calling on him to “shut me up” by winning the game.
“Let me tell you something, Jalen Milroe, if you want to sit up there and shut me up: WIN THIS GAME RIGHT HERE!” Smith declared.
“Let me tell you something, Jalen Milroe, if you want to sit up there and shut me up: WIN THIS GAME RIGHT HERE!”@stephenasmith on Georgia vs. Alabama Week 5 👀 pic.twitter.com/XpX3KBsTtC
— First Take (@FirstTake) September 25, 2024
Smith’s ESPN colleagues Paul Finebaum and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo were grinning ear-to-ear during Smith’s rant. Fans, on the other hand, had some unique responses of their own to his little “warning” for Milroe:
“I mean he showed up last year against Georgia when it mattered in the SEC Championship game so (shrug emoji),” one user replied.
“pretty sure Jalen Milroe doesn’t care what Stephen A has to say about him,” another joked.
“Didn’t Milroe beat this team for the SEC championship just last year? He was named the game’s MVP.
Milroe is currently 1-0 in his career against Georgia. He threw for two touchdowns in last year’s SEC Championship Game that knocked the two-time defending national champions.
Related: Jalen Milroe Could Tell Georgia Players Weren’t Up For Challenge