The Georgia Bulldogs’ dreams of their first national championship since the 1980 season ended Monday night with a 26-23 overtime loss to Alabama at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Georgia led 20-7 midway through the third quarter, but Alabama – sparked by freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who took over for starter Jalen Hurts in the second half – scored the next 13 points to tie the game at 20-20 and force overtime. Then, after Georgia settled for a field goal on the first possession of OT, Alabama won the game – and the national title – on a stunning 41-yard touchdown pass from Tagovailoa to fellow freshman DeVonta Smith, open behind Georgia’s secondary.
“In overtime, we didn’t finish when we had to, and Alabama did,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said afterward. “Give them credit, but I think everybody can see Georgia is going to be a force to be reckoned with.”
Alabama certainly remains a force to be reckoned with.
While Georgia’s national-title drought continues, the Crimson Tide won its fifth national championship in the past nine seasons, all under coach Nick Saban. And this one came in a season in which Alabama didn’t qualify for the SEC Championship game and entered the College Football Playoff as a somewhat controversial No 4 seed.
“This is a fantastic win, a fantastic night for the University of Alabama,” Saban said. “I couldn’t be prouder of a group of players, especially for the resiliency they showed in the game (after) getting behind, not playing very well in the first half.”
Georgia seemed the better team in the first half, building a 13-0 lead and outgaining the Crimson Tide 223-94 in offensive yards.
Alabama finally got on the scoreboard with a touchdown drive on its second possession of the third quarter, Tagovailoa’s second series of the game. But an 80-yard touchdown pass from Jake Fromm to Mecole Hardman restored Georgia’s lead to 13 points, 20-7, moments later.
Alabama responded with two Andy Pappanastos field goals, then a 7-yard touchdown pass from Tagovailoa to Calvin Ridley, to tie the game at 20-20 with 3:44 to play in regulation. Pappanastos missed a 36-yard field-goal attempt at the end of regulation that could have won the game for Alabama, instead giving Georgia a reprieve and sending the matter to overtime.
A third-down sack of Fromm on Georgia’s first possession of OT forced the Bulldogs to settle for a 51-yard field-goal attempt, which Rodrigo Blankenship made. Tagovailoa was sacked for a loss of 16 yards on Alabama’s first play of OT, but the freshman quarterback connected with the wide-open Smith in the end zone on the next play to end the game. Smith sprinted past cornerback Malkom Parrish, and safety Dominick Sanders had drifted toward the middle of the field.
Georgia lost a game in overtime one week after winning the Rose Bowl in double overtime -- and lost the first national championship game ever played in Atlanta.
“We fell short today, and I think guys that are coming back understand what it’s going to take, plus more, to get back here,” said Georgia senior tailback Sony Michel, who had 98 rushing yards on 14 carries against Alabama.
Tagovailoa completed 14 of 24 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns, after Hurts was limited to 3 of 8 for 21 yards in the first half.
“We told everybody at halftime there was no question they were going to (Tagovailoa), because they were struggling and they needed some momentum,” Smart said. “He provided them some juice, got them some momentum, got the momentum swung back their way.”
Said Saban: “I just didn’t feel we could run the ball well enough, and I thought Tua would give us a better chance and a spark, which he certainly did.”
Alabama’s defense stiffened in the second half, particularly in the fourth quarter. After allowing Georgia 16 first downs and 223 yards in the first half, the Crimson Tide limited the Bulldogs to six first downs and 142 yards in the second half and beyond. And 80 of those yards came on one play in the third quarter.
“We didn’t do a good job of finishing,” said Georgia tailback Nick Chubb, held to 25 rushing yards on 18 carries in his final college game. “We had some drives where we were out of momentum, and we ended up punting the ball. That was a great defense we went up against -- a lot of respect for what they do. A lot of big bodies up front makes it hard to run. But at the end of the day, it just comes down to us not executing well.”
