The top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs entered Saturday’s SEC Championship versus the rival Alabama Crimson Tide riding a 29-game winning streak. The last time the Bulldogs lost a game was a 2021 SEC Championship loss to the Bryce Young-led Crimson Tide. Since then the Bulldogs have won back-to-back national championships, including winning their first title in 42 seasons with a 33-18 win over the Crimson Tide.
That is until Saturday, that’s when another Alabama quarterback etched his name into SEC Championship game lore with a great performance. First-year Alabama starting quarterback Jalen Milroe was named game MVP after finishing with 221 total yards and two touchdowns.
He led a 27-24 win over the Bulldogs, giving legendary head coach Nick Saban his 12th SEC title overall and tenth at Alabama. The dynamic dual-threat saved his best for last with two backbreaking runs that allowed the Crimson Tide to salt away the clock in the waning moments.
Did Alabama Do Enough To Get Into Top 4
With Sunday’s College Football Playoff committee set to announce its top four teams on Sunday at noon, the waiting game begins for both the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs. Both sit at 12-1, but only one has a conference championship on its résumé. For the Tide, getting to this point is a testament to Milroe’s mental toughness and play that’s gradually gotten better each week. Following a Week 2 home loss to the Texas Longhorns, Milroe was benched, only to get his job the following week, and he hasn’t looked back since.
Speaking with reporters after the huge win, Milroe talked about how the team was viewed after that Week 2 loss.
“A lot of people doubted this team. I never gave up on this team. That’s the biggest thing.”
That’s right, since that loss the Tide run off 11 consecutive victories including Saturday’s win. Milroe has grown leaps and bounds along with first-year offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, whom many were calling for his job early in the season. He and Milroe have found what works, and it’s gotten the Crimson Tide to the doorstep of the CFP.
The win comes on the heels of Milroe’s heroics last week against archrival Auburn in the Iron Bowl. It took a fourth-and-31 pass to by the strong-armed quarterback to win it and preserve any hope for the Tide as a playoff team.
Saban Credited UGA But Called His Guys Overcomers
The win made Saban 5-1 against Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, his former defensive coordinator and protégé. That includes 3-0 in the SEC Championship, in which Saturday the Crimson Tide were 5 1/2-point underdogs. In his postgame presser the seven-time national championship-winning coach gave UGA credit but shouted out his team’s resiliency.
“Georgia’s got a really good team. But our guys overcame. They proved today they can win against anybody.”
In a year where it looked as if QB issues would derail any hopes of a chance at a CFP spot, here they stand with a shot.
Now it’s up to the committee. We find out today at noon on ESPN.
