the dawgs catch a break in tuscaloosa

Georgia Grinds Out 20-17 Win Over Alabama for First Tuscaloosa Victory Since 2007

No. 2 Georgia overcame a halftime deficit and a late-game controversy, leaning on its ground game and a clutch Gunner Stockton to take control of the SEC.

Georgia went into Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday and beat Alabama 20-17. It was the Bulldogs’ first win in Tuscaloosa since 2007. No. 2 Georgia improved to 6-0 (4-0 SEC). No. 6 Alabama fell to 5-1 (3-1).

The game had no shortage of drama. Georgia trailed at halftime, got a break on a missed late call, and finished with punches thrown. 

Aside from the drama, the game featured two of the country’s leading national championship candidates and the SEC’s two leading teams. Stars like Gunnar Stockton, Rico Scott, KJ Bolden, Ellis Robinson, Zabien Brown and more will all be playing on Sundays in due time.

A back-and-forth first half

Georgia led 10-0 after Peyton Woodring’s 43-yard field goal and a 20-yard Stockton touchdown pass to London Humphreys. The touchdown capped a nine-play, 93-yard drive set up by UGA TE Jaden Reddell’s 53-yard catch-and-run.

The offensive explosion from the Dawgs early is a result of a beautifully called game from OC Mike Bobo. Bobo also called this game without his RB1 Nate Frazier or his RB2 Chauncey Bowens. Considering the injuries the Dawgs were dealing with, Bobo called this game beautifully.

Alabama answered quickly to even the score following the immediate 10-0 deficit. Trae’shawn Brown’s 58-yard run set up a 22-yard touchdown pass from Russell to Marshall Pritchett. The Crimson Tide then drove 12 plays and 80 yards before halftime. On third-and-goal from the 1 with three seconds left, Kalen DeBoer chose to go for it, and freshman EJ Crowell scored on the final play of the half. 

Crowell’s touchdown followed a gutsy call from DeBoer that ignited the Tuscaloosa crowd into a frenzy. Alabama entered halftime with momentum leading 14-10 with their home stadium crowd rocking.

Georgia’s second-half answer

The Tide took back momentum before the half, but Georgia took it back shortly after. The Bulldogs scored on their first possession of the third quarter, with Stockton running 14 yards for a touchdown to make it 17-14. 

The Bulldogs' timely response was led by Stockton and the emergence of players like Craig Dandridge and Talyn Taylor, who the Bulldogs have been forced to heavily rely on through the air.

Conor Talty’s 39-yard field goal tied it at 17-17 late in the third quarter for Alabama, and the 17-17 tie would hold for almost the rest of the game.

Woodring’s 23-yard field goal with 5:25 left capped a 10-play, 84-yard drive and proved to be the winning score. Dwight Phillips Jr. and Bo Walker supplied long runs on the drive for a Bulldogs offense that needed somebody to step up in the run game. Dwight Phillips was massive as a key player for the Bulldogs.

The controversial finish

With 3:28 left, a pass interference flag on Rico Scott in the end zone was not thrown. Bolden stated postgame that “I would want that to be called” if the same play was made on the Bulldogs offense, sparking outrage from Crimson Tide fans all over social media.

On the next play, KJ Bolden, Valdin Sone, Gabe Harris and Justin Williams sacked Russell for a 9-yard loss on third-and-10, and Alabama punted. Georgia then closed out the game, helped by a personal foul on Alabama’s Dijon Lee Jr. for punching Dandridge after the play on a second down stop that would have resulted in a UGA third-down.

Instead, Lee’s costly penalty gave the Bulldogs an automatic first down and Alabama never got the ball back. In the words of DeBoer as caught by the ESPN cameras, Lee’s penalty “blew the game” for the Tide

Stockton and the ground game

Stockton was 18-of-22 for 249 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He added a rushing touchdown and averaged 11.3 yards per pass.

“Our quarterback played well enough for us to win,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said.

Phillips led the Bulldogs with 17 carries for 120 yards, and Walker added 69 yards on 10 carries. Georgia finished with 455 total yards to Alabama’s 346, rushed for 206 yards, and held the ball for 33:28 to Alabama’s 26:32. The Bulldogs also had four sacks.

For a rushing attack with loads of new starters and a ton of injuries to talented and experienced feature backs, Georgia’s offense should be quite pleased with its rushing performance.

Russell finished 16-of-30 for 185 yards and a touchdown, and he added 41 rushing yards. Brown ran for 90 yards on nine carries. Bray Hubbard had eight tackles and an interception for the Tide.

Georgia takes control of the SEC race. The win also came the same day No. 1 Texas lost to Oklahoma, which could move the Bulldogs to the top spot in the polls.

Georgia hosts Auburn next Saturday. Alabama travels to Tennessee.