University of Alabama student democrats and Trump supporters made their presence known during Saturday’s Alabama versus Georgia game. The Crimson Tide led by 28-0 at one point, defeating the Dogs finally 41-34. Going into the game, APR spoke with both sides who said politics is better left off the playing field.
Number two Georgia and number four Alabama played a classic, a wild affair that included a 28-0 run by the Crimson Tide to start the game and a resilient comeback by the Bulldogs. When it was done, Carson Beck and Jalen Milroe had combined for almost a thousand yards and seven touchdowns in a thriller between Southeastern Conference superpowers. Yes, Alabama and Georgia could meet again, and again, in this new age of college football. Both will likely be part of the first 12-team playoff. But nothing about the new postseason diminished what went down in Tuscaloosa.
GOP Presidential hopeful Donald Trump attended the game, which was welcomed by some and criticized by others. The group UA Student Democrats set up an anti-Trump tailgate on the University of Alabama green space known as the “Quad.” Their message was that Trump was unwelcome on the Tuscaloosa campus. Prior to kickoff, group President Braden Vick said the day should be about football and not politics.
“That's what we live for here at the University of Alabama, 10s of 1000s of people crawling on here to party and celebrate Alabama football, because that's what we're supposed to be here for, right? I mean, it shouldn't be marred by a former President in orange or tangerine coming out here, trying to ruin the party and make it his own campaign rally. That's what we're opposing,” he said.
APR spoke with Trump supporters who agreed.
Shane Walsh and his family drove from Austin, Texas for the game. His son is a senior at UA, and they make the trek two or three times a year to tailgate. Their set up included a Trump 2024 banner and a big sign reading “They’re (Tide) eating the Dawgs.” Walsh says he’s fine with UA Student Democrats handing out Harris/Walz buttons if they want to…
“I mean, I would, I would rather this not become that political, but I wouldn't, I mean, I, I would prefer this, like, I don't even like political ads during college game day, and I'm pretty conservative, right? Because I'm not interested in politics,” Walsh said. “I just, I'm here for football, right? And and I as much as anything. I mean, this is America, free to do what they want to do.”
Braden Vick noted a few people gave his anti-Trump tailgate a “thumbs up,” but the pro-Trump supporters were indifferent. Some GOP leaning fans wore shirts reading “Roll, Trump, Roll,” or small stickers reading “Team Trump.”
Georgia-Alabama, played seven days after the end of summer, in front of 100,000 fans and a former U.S. president, is the reason why the CFP can expand and the regular season will be just fine. It still felt like an event, dripping with compelling storylines and epic performances. DeBoer won his first SEC game since replacing Nick Saban, who was watching from a luxury suite instead of stalking the sideline.
Georgia's Kirby Smart fell to 1-6 against the Crimson Tide, the only team Georgia has lost to since 2021. Dogs quarterback Carson Beck played one of the worst games of his career, and then one of his best, wiping out a 28-point deficit for the Bulldogs. The Tide’s Jalen Milroe stamped himself as maybe the Heisman Trophy favorite, becoming the first player with 300 yards passing, 100 yards rushing and two rushing touchdowns against an AP top-five opponent, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
Tune into NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday with host Ayesha Rascoe. The network invited APR News to talk “live” about the results of the game and the political undertones of the event.
