Georgia vs. Alabama: Kalen DeBoer's opportunity to put his stamp on the program

When Alabama hired Kalen DeBoer to succeed Nick Saban, the program found itself a new serial winner.

That’s because DeBoer has won at every level — from leading his alma mater, the University of Sioux Falls, to three NAIA national championships, to taking Fresno State to a bowl game, to, most recently, winning the Pac-12 and going to the national championship game with Washington.

Now, he faces the first true pressure-packed moment of his tenure in Tuscaloosa when No. 4 Alabama opens SEC play against No. 2 Georgia on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET).

In case you haven't heard, it's the first time since 2007 that the Crimson Tide are an underdog at home.

"Welcome to the SEC, right?" DeBoer said this week.

Jokes aside, this game will serve as an early measuring stick for Alabama. What is the state of the program with DeBoer in charge? The Tide enjoyed 17 seasons with Saban at the helm, in which they won nine SEC championships and six national titles. When Saban retired, one of the more astounding stats was the fact that he had 44 first-round NFL Draft picks to just 29 games lost. 

It’s unfortunate that DeBoer’s SEC debut has to come against this particular opponent. Georgia has been the best program in the nation, winning two of the last three national titles. In the past, this showdown always pitted Saban vs. his protégé, Kirby Smart. Two top-tier programs with the most talented recruiting classes and most suffocating defenses comparing themselves to one another. Saban ended his career with a 5-1 record against his former defensive coordinator and won the final matchup in last year’s SEC championship game.

While the pregame storylines aren’t quite as heated, Saturday still marks a massive moment in the DeBoer era. The coach