The fall semester is coming to a close, but we’ve got one last Southern event to end the first half of the 2027 campaign. The second iteration of Crimson Chaos will see Alabama mid-way through their sophomore season, North Georgia look to continue their ascendance, and the newcomer Georgia Bulldogs make their league debut. Here’s what to expect from each team, and then predictions for the 3 games on the books.
Alabama
The Crimson Tide sit at a record of 0-2, suffering 2 blowout losses to North Georgia early on. However, Alabama has much to look forward to, with developing rookies and more returning players coming back into the lineup. Rookie #11 Tyler Harms is proving to be an integral part of the young Crimson Tide team with the fastest throw on the squad and great endurance. Sophomore #24 Kobe Menifee and rookie #33 Chase Harrison represent the team’s catching ability.
#00 Avery Weathers, #14 Nick Rossini, #55 Avery Thomas, and #25 Dominic Lang remain the four captains, each bringing a different skillset on the court. Alabama’s matchup with UGA will be a great tell for the direction of their program, as opinions around the league have the match pinned as a close one. With limited athleticism down the roster, Alabama’s strategy has to be perfect to compete in the southern region.
North Georgia
The Nighthawks are 2-0, with 16 points scored in only two matches. Both wins are over Alabama back in September. North Georgia continues their improvement from the 2026 season with a rookie class last year voted second-best in the league. They now sit at #12 in the nation’s standings, jumping 3 spots from their #15 finish last season.
Without #13 Zeke Fowler, #24 Henry Bowman, and #55 Nolan Robison, many players will have to step up if North Georgia wants to achieve similar results as last time around. Brody Kalifeh will make his NCDA debut for UNG in Tuscaloosa, kicking off his Rookie of the Year campaign.
Throwing power has never been a concern for this Nighthawks squad, and #17 Joey Terrell has become the quarterback of North Georgia’s offense, enabling the team to play more strategically.
Georgia
The Georgia Bulldogs make their season debut against Alabama and North Georgia on Saturday, but this isn’t the first taste of collegiate dodgeball for a portion of their roster. Julia Mahoney, Jonah Crick, and Quinn Richardson lead the newest team in the league as previous players for North Georgia.
New teams often take a while to get the fundamentals worked out, but with veteran leadership, Georgia is primed to enter the league at a higher level. Georgia’s benchmark match will be against Alabama, another young team with only 1 year of experience under their belt. A win against the Crimson Tide would indicate much more success down the road for the Bulldogs.
Predictions
Queue 1: Alabama 5 – 2 Georgia
We begin the day with Bama v. UGA, the marquee matchup of the tournament. Even with veterans at the helm, match experience isn’t something you can teach, and outside of 3 players, UGA lacks it. The year of tournaments for the returners, and 1 tournament played for rookies should allow Alabama to notch their first win of the season. Quinn Richardson and Jonah Crick are expected to be among the top performers for the Bulldogs.
Queue 2: North Georgia 9 – 1 Georgia
North Georgia is full of veterans with years of playing together, there is little reason to believe things will go wrong for them against Georgia. Even without 3 of their top players, North Georgia’s returning class provides great depth. This sort of match gives valuable experience to Georgia; even if they suffer a great loss, there will still be much to take away.
Queue 3: North Georgia 5 – 3 Alabama
This matchup ought to be closer than their previous meetings in September, since Alabama has added pieces and North Georgia will be missing some. Despite this, North Georgia has proved the gap between them and the Crimson Tide is not marginal. Expect UNG’s Kyler Howell and Bama’s Tyler Harms to have breakout performances, with an increase in playing time.