It was a blocked punt that will long be remembered across Georgia.
Georgia and Alabama were exchanging punts in the early going Saturday in the SEC championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, appearing to set up an old-fashioned defensive duel between the longtime opponents. Then came Cole Speer.
Georgia’s nondescript reserve receiver flew off the edge and blocked Crimson Tide punter Blake Doud’s attempt, setting Georgia up at the Alabama 21. Four plays later, the Bulldogs had a lead they never surrendered en route to repeating as SEC champions.
Final: Georgia 28, Alabama 7.
That’s not a mistype. The blocked punt indeed set the afternoon’s tone. The Bulldogs finally conquered the Tide in Atlanta, achieving such in grand fashion. They’re the first team to win consecutive SEC titles since Alabama did so in 2020-21. And doing so this year ensures them a first-round bye in the looming College Football Playoff, giving them time to rest and rehabilitate ahead of what they hope becomes another historic January.
“All the credit goes to the players, who’ve had a very long, tough, hard season,” Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart said. “And the kids in our program buy into hard. I appreciate their toughness and the way they do things. That pays off in the long run. To win back-to-back SEC championships, I know that’s every kid in this footprint’s dream. It’s an honor to be the head coach at Georgia and be able to win games like this.”
One can’t understate Saturday’s significance. Everybody around Georgia — from the in-the-building decision makers, to the on-the-field players, to the fans from Valdosta to Dalton and Columbus to Savannah — can breathe an enormous sigh of relief. Alabama is no longer the boogeyman. Georgia doesn’t have those head-to-head failures hanging over them.
Smart has his second win against Alabama (2-7), and his first against Nick Saban’s successor, Kalen DeBoer, who defeated him twice in the past two seasons. The Bulldogs avenged their 24-21 loss from months ago that ended their 33-game home win streak. And they toppled the Tide in the SEC title game for the first time; in fact, this is the first time Alabama has lost this game to a program other than Florida. The Tide was 11-4 in the game and had won in its past nine appearances.
These are the two steadiest, winningest programs in the SEC over the last decade, but Georgia was 0-3 against the Tide in Mercedes-Benz Stadium during that time (0-4 overall in SEC championship game). That fire is extinguished.
“No doubt (it’s a relief to beat Alabama),” Bulldogs linebacker CJ Allen told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “That’s why you come to Georgia, for moments like this.”
Smart earned his fourth SEC championship. He joins Saban (11) and Steve Spurrier (5) as the only coaches to win four or more SEC championship games (the title game began in 1992). Smart tied Wally Butts (1939-60) for second-most SEC championships among Georgia coaches. Vince Dooley (1964-88) is first with six.
Give Smart credit, he knows his audience. He spoke about the “heartbreak and agony” his fan base has endured after winning the conference title. Long-time Georgia fans appreciate the sentiment — it wasn’t that long ago it felt like the Bulldogs could never get over the hump. But fans of every other team will understandably roll their eyes given Georgia’s success over the past decade.
An immediate effect of Saturday’s win is dialogue around Georgia’s issues with Alabama is quelled, at least until the teams meet in the CFP or when Alabama hosts Georgia next fall. The Bulldogs move forward as undisputed kings of the SEC, taking their 12-1 record — and a whole lot of momentum, following possibly their best win over the past two years — into postseason play.
Indeed, Georgia looks dramatically better than it did earlier in the season. Teams like Tennessee and Auburn had opportunities to derail Georgia’s campaign while it was vulnerable, but they failed. Smart must be enthralled seeing his team capture its best form before the season-defining stretch.
Georgia looks like a force entering the CFP. And every team outside Columbus, Ohio, probably would take the field an underdog against these Dogs. Georgia is much better positioned than it was a year ago, when it had just lost starting quarterback Carson Beck to injury. This group appears far more menacing. Saturday’s result cemented that.
In Georgia’s past two losses against Bama, they fell into multi-score deficits early. This time they traded blows early before the blocked punt, which was likely the most important special teams play against Alabama since the Bulldogs blocked a field-goal attempt late in the third quarter of the 2022 CFP championship game, their most recent victory against the Tide before Saturday.
Alabama was driving after Georgia’s first score, but Daylen Everette intercepted quarterback Ty Simpson off a deflection and returned it to the Alabama 38. Georgia then conducted a 14-play, 57-yard drive that concluded with quarterback Gunner Stockton’s 5-yard touchdown throw to Dillon Bell.
Just like that, Georgia had Alabama in the same position the Tide had Georgia in the Athens. The Bulldogs had a 14-point lead halfway through the second quarter, matching Alabama’s ferocity and outpacing them in every statistical category.
It turns out Smart’s defense holding Alabama scoreless in the second half in their most recent meeting had credence moving forward. Georgia shut out Alabama for three quarters — and did so in borderline incomprehensible fashion, considering the opponent.
Alabama had only 70 total yards in the first half. Its oft-scrutinized rushing attack — missing lead back Jam Miller — mustered only 17 yards. The Tide had 53 passing yards and went 1-for-5 on third downs, a stark contrast to their third-down success in Athens, which they somehow managed with a threatening run game. The Tide averaged just 3.3 yards per play. It never advanced past the Georgia 45.
Georgia, meanwhile, had 168 total yards in building its 14-0 lead. It was balanced — 88 rushing, 80 passing — and the team converted two fourth downs and went 2-for-2 in the red zone. It was a complete performance, the type of half that’s any coach’s fantasy.
In need of an emphatic response, Alabama came out of halftime with a three-and-out that resulted in minus-8 yards. Zachariah Branch returned the ensuing punt into Alabama territory. And Georgia followed with a six-play, 40-yard touchdown drive.
The back-breaking blow was running back Nate Frazier, whose emergence has coincided with Georgia realizing its best form, breaking a 9-yard touchdown run that created a score even the most optimistic Bulldogs supporter couldn’t have fathomed: 21-0.
Alabama receiver Germie Bernard’s swift moves on a well-designed screen ended the shutout with 12:33 remaining. For the curious minds, the Tide hadn’t been held scoreless since Nov. 18, 2000 against Auburn (9-0). There’s never been a shutout in the SEC championship game.
Bernard’s score was the lone blemish of a day that became integral to Georgia lore. The defense rebounded by stopping Alabama on fourth-and-2 from its 12 on the next drive, with Simpson’s throw sailing to the sidelines.
Overall, Georgia’s defense was nearly flawless. Alabama finished with minus-3 rushing yards. Simpson, who’s tailed off since his midseason breakout, completed just 49% of his throws. The Tide finished 3-for-13 on third downs and 1-for-3 on fourth. Georgia has demonstrated this level of mastery against plenty of teams in the Smart era, but never against this one.
“Credit to Georgia’s defense,” Simpson said. DeBoer echoed a similar sentiment, saying Georgia was just better than the Tide Saturday.
Stockton went 20-for-26 passing for 156 yards and three touchdowns. Georgia entered the season with quarterback questions. It enters the playoff feeling secure at the most important position. From his fourth-down touchdown lob in Knoxville to his calm, collected showing Saturday, Stockton has aced every test. He seems capable of becoming a national-champion signal caller. His stable of backs and receiver targets will only help, too (which was another preseason uncertainty).
There will be heat on DeBoer, who was notably undefeated against Smart, Dan Lanning (Oregon) and Steve Sarkisian (Texas). But he should have the opportunity to fix Alabama’s mishaps. The CFP committee set a precedent a year go that it wouldn’t punish conference-title losers to an extreme degree, so the expectation is Alabama will head to the playoff at 10-3. They would be the first three-loss team to qualify for the CFP. They also would be the first team to make it with multiple double-digit losses (the Tide lost to Florida State 31-17 in the opening week).
Smart’s Bulldogs are back where they expect. They’ll skip the on-campus round and play in the quarterfinals Dec. 31-Jan. 1. The quarterfinal hosting sites are the Cotton Bowl (Arlington, Texas), the Orange Bowl (Miami Gardens, Florida), the Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California) and the Sugar Bowl (New Orleans). The Bulldogs played in the Sugar Bowl a year ago in that round, losing 23-10 against eventual national runner-up Notre Dame.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
