Alabama running back Jam Miller made his return to action against the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday and ended the game on a third-down reception with 1:46 remaining.
The crucial third-down conversion was the team’s 13th of the evening and came after a scoreless second half left Alabama on the ropes as Georgia threatened to take the lead. The Bulldogs had run out of timeouts with 1:51 remaining, and Miller’s catch allowed the Crimson Tide to kneel out the clock.
Miller said it was “a great feeling” to be able to close the game out after his absence and against an opponent like Georgia.
The catch saw Alabama secure a crucial road win in a stadium a road opponent had not left victorious since 2019, when unranked South Carolina stunned No. 3 Georgia 20-17 in double overtime.
“I told them before the game it’s Alabama against the world,” quarterback Ty Simpson said. “When we walk out there, we’re gladiators and this is the Coliseum, and they played like it.”
Alabama came into the matchup 2-5 in its past seven road games and struggled in its first road matchup this season, a 31-17 loss to Florida State.
The win vaulted Alabama back into the thick of the College Football Playoff conversation, after it dropped to No. 21 in the AP Top 25. The return of Miller and defensive tackle Tim Keenan III may further boost the team’s playoff chances if they are to remain healthy.
“It’s all about trust,” Miller said. “Of course, everybody knows what happened in that first game, but we’ve got to just keep moving forward and keep getting better every day.”
Alabama will return to Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday to face Vanderbilt in a ranked matchup that will see ESPN College Gameday make its first trip of the season to Tuscaloosa.
