No. 1 has been toppled.
In pursuit of the SEC championship title, No. 8 Alabama football took down the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs 27-24. With the win, the Crimson Tide broke the Bulldogs’ 29-game winning streak, head coach Nick Saban moved to 4-0 in SEC championships versus his former assistant Kirby Smart, and College Football Playoff chaos begins.
“My speech in the locker room afterwards was one word: Celebrate,” Saban said.
The first 10 minutes of the game, though, Georgia looked like the clear title contenders.
Although Alabama struggled to come together on its first drive of the game, Georgia did not hesitate. Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe was sacked to force the Alabama punt, and from there, Georgia quarterback Carson Beck threw 4-4 to set up a 17-yard rushing touchdown from running back Kendall Milton.
The Crimson Tide offense still couldn’t convert a first down on its next drive, but at least the defensive side woke up on the next Georgia drive.
Defensive back Malachi Moore took down star tight end Brock Bowers behind the line of scrimmage, and then Beck was pressured to the point of throwing his first incomplete of the night.
With the momentum in its favor, the Crimson Tide finally put a drive together — Milroe and running back Jam Miller led the rushes down the field to set up Alabama’s first points of the night.
Place-kicker Will Reichard kicked the 43-yard field goal to give the Crimson Tide 3 points and himself 533 career points, making him the NCAA’s all-time points leader. Reichard finished the night with 539 total career points.
After a quick three-and-out from the Bulldogs, the ball once again returned to Alabama.
On this next drive, running back Roydell Williams rushed for 30 yards, including a 2-yard carry to convert a fourth-and-1. From there, Miller caught his first career touchdown reception for 28 yards to put the Crimson Tide in the lead for the first time.
The Bulldogs attempted to respond on the next drive, but a false-start penalty extended the kick for Georgia placeholder Peyton Woodring and he missed the 50-yard attempt.
During its last drive of the first half, the Crimson Tide made another crucial fourth-down play. Wide receiver Isaiah Bond dived for the ball to keep the Alabama drive alive and set up Jermaine Burton’s 15-yard touchdown reception.
Georgia ended the first half with its only points being its opening drive touchdown.
The Bulldogs outscored the Crimson Tide in the second half, but it was to no fault of the Alabama defense. Defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry put a halt to a third-and-1 conversion, former Georgia linebacker Trezmen Marshall recovered a Beck fumble, and the Crimson Tide defense put stops to several drives where Georgia needed just a few yards.
Still, Georgia scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to come within striking distance of Alabama.
With under three minutes left, Alabama led Georgia by just 3 points. The only thing between the Crimson Tide and an upset win to claim the SEC title was running down the clock, and Milroe did just that. After working his way into Georgia territory with 30-yard and 9-yard runs, the SEC championship MVP took a knee on the final two plays of the game to claim the title.
With the SEC championship done and won, Milroe is looking forward to the rest of the postseason.
“We beat the best team in the nation,” Milroe said, addressing the CFP committee. “What do you consider us?”
As for Saban, he said this is not the same team fans saw at the beginning of the season.
“I have never been so proud of a team that has come so far since the second, third game of the season,” Saban said.
