On Friday, Donald Trump said he intends to be at next week’s big college football game between No. 7 Alabama and No. 2 Georgia. He made the announcement during a midterm campaign rally held at the University of South Alabama in Mobile.
The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 10 and airs nationally on ABC. Bryant-Denny Stadium will host the contest, marking Trump’s third trip to the venue for a football game.
The Matchup
Both Alabama and Georgia remain unbeaten, and both are regarded as serious candidates to win the national championship. The contest comes with significant consequences for each program’s standing.
Last season, these two SEC rivals played each other twice. Alabama won the regular-season game in Athens by a score of 24-21. Then Georgia answered back with a decisive 28-7 win in the SEC Championship Game. That championship victory gave Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart a record of just 2-7 against the Crimson Tide.
Trump also attended the teams’ memorable 2024 meeting in Tuscaloosa, when Alabama built a 28-point lead and held on for a 41-34 victory. He watched that game from a suite alongside several prominent Republican figures.
Trump’s History at the Venue
A third visit to Bryant-Denny Stadium for a football game is scheduled for next week’s visit will mark Trump’. He previously attended Alabama’s 46-41 loss to LSU in 2019, and he later returned to the university to deliver its commencement address in May 2025.
The pattern is familiar: Trump treats major sporting events as political rallies, complete with flyovers and photo opportunities. His Alabama visit will come only two weeks after he attended Texas’ 20-17 victory over Tennessee at Neyland Stadium, where Air Force One performed a low-altitude flyover before kickoff.
A Busy Year of Spectatorship
During his second term, Trump has frequently shown up at major sporting events, and he is now planning to head to Alabama. That trip will follow closely on his attendance at Texas’ 20-17 win over Tennessee at Neyland Stadium, where Air Force One performed a low-altitude flyover before kickoff, just two weeks earlier.
In addition to his other commitments, he went to the College Football Playoff National Championship in January, took part in Game 3 of the NBA Finals in June and showed up at the FIFA World Cup final in July, where he joined the trophy ceremony.
First Sitting President at the Super Bowl
In 2025, Trump became the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl. He also appeared at the Daytona 500, the U.S. Open men’s final, the Ryder Cup, the Army-Navy game and multiple UFC events.
| Event | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama vs Georgia | Oct. 10 | Bryant-Denny Stadium |
| Texas vs Tennessee | Recent | Neyland Stadium |
| Super Bowl | 2025 | First sitting president to attend |
The Pattern of Political Sports
Throughout his time in office, Trump has treated sports venues as stages for political displays, a practice that dates back to his earliest days in the White House.
The trip to Alabama follows that familiar path. The contest receives nationwide notice, and the president’s appearance brings an extra level of spectacle.
What This Means
What makes the visit stand out is what it says about Trump’s relationship with college sports. He has used major games as chances to show up in front of large crowds.
This is a big game featuring two unbeaten teams facing off against each other. The consequences are significant.
The flyover at Texas-Tennessee added a theatrical touch, and Trump’s presence has always gone beyond the game itself. His history of attending games shows he treats them as platforms for more than just sports.
The outcome of the game will depend on how the two teams perform rather than on who shows up to watch it. Trump’s presence at the event is already settled, but the result remains in doubt until the final whistle.
Alabama and Georgia are both undefeated, and the matchup is considered a contender for the national championship. The game will serve as a test of whether the spectacle can sustain the crowd’s attention.
Trump’s presence is a known quantity. The game is the unknown.
Source material: “Trump says he will attend Alabama vs Georgia college football game at Bryant-Denny Stadium,” Fox News.
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