ATLANTA, GA — No. 3 Georgia removed a lingering hurdle from its résumé on Saturday, dominating No. 10 Alabama 28–7 in the SEC Championship to strengthen its case for a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff.
Quarterback Gunner Stockton threw three touchdown passes as the Bulldogs captured their fourth conference title under Kirby Smart and their 16th overall. The victory also marked Georgia’s first SEC title game win over Alabama, snapping an 0–4 streak in the event.
Under Smart, the Bulldogs had gone just 1–7 against the Crimson Tide entering the day. Those frustrations vanished with a wire-to-wire performance in their fifth consecutive appearance in Atlanta.
Alabama’s Playoff Hopes in Jeopardy
Alabama (10–3, No. 9 CFP) entered the weekend believing it had built enough momentum to sneak into the playoff field after climbing one spot in last week’s rankings. That optimism evaporated against the Bulldogs.
The loss leaves coach Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide waiting anxiously for Sunday’s selection show, facing the possibility of missing the playoff for a second straight season.
Early Mistakes Fuel Georgia’s Lead
Georgia (12–1, No. 3 CFP) seized control with two quick-strike scores in the first quarter.
Cole Speer blocked a punt to set up a short field at the Alabama 21. Three plays later, Stockton rolled right and found Roderick Robinson II from a yard out for the opening touchdown.
Moments later, a pass from Ty Simpson deflected off a defender and into the hands of Daylon Everette, giving Georgia another short field near midfield. Stockton capped the drive with a one-yard toss to Dillon Bell, pushing the lead to 14–0.
Georgia extended the advantage to 21–0 when Nate Frazier raced in from nine yards early in the third quarter, thanks to a key downfield block by London Humphreys.
Alabama briefly cut the deficit in the fourth when Simpson connected with Germie Bernard for a 23-yard score, but the Bulldogs answered. Facing fourth-and-2 inside the Tide’s 15, Stockton hit Zachariah Branch for a 13-yard touchdown to put the game out of reach.
No Comeback This Time
Alabama famously stormed back from 14 down to beat Georgia in the 2018 SEC Championship, the largest comeback in the game’s history. They had also beaten the Bulldogs three times under Smart after trailing at halftime.
Georgia entered Saturday 90–1 against every other opponent when leading at the break.
This time, there was no rally.
Key Takeaways
Georgia:
Despite missing starting center Drew Bobo (lower leg), the offensive front didn’t miss a beat. Stockton successfully powered through a fourth-and-1 sneak in the second quarter, and Josh McCray converted another fourth down later. Robinson’s touchdown catch was a surprise — he had just six carries and one reception during the regular season.
Alabama:
With running back Jam Miller unavailable, the Crimson Tide never established a rushing attack. Alabama finished with minus-3 yards on the ground, managing just 17 yards on nine first-half carries, including attempts by receivers and Simpson. The offense sputtered to 3-for-13 on third down.
What’s Next:
Both teams now wait for the College Football Playoff committee to reveal the final rankings and quarterfinal matchups on Sunday.
