Georgia Defeats Alabama to Win First National Championship Since 1980

Georgia beats Alabama for archetypal nationalist title since 1980 primitively appeared connected NBC Sports Chicago

The Georgia Bulldogs yet won a revenge game. Finally bushed the Alabama Crimson Tide. Finally helped Kirby Smart decision his erstwhile brag Nick Saban. Oh, and yet won the nationalist championship. 

The Dawgs defeated the Crimson Tide 33-18 connected Monday astatine Lucas Oil Stadium successful Indianapolis to seizure their archetypal rubric since 1980, ending a rubric drought that Alabama played a cardinal relation in.

Georgia entered the crippled having mislaid its erstwhile 7 meetings against Alabama, dating backmost to 2008. Most crushing of each during that agelong was Georgia's nonaccomplishment successful the 2018 nationalist title game, successful which the Dawgs led Alabama 13-0 astatine the fractional and were 1 halt distant successful overtime from taking location the championship. Then, connected 2nd-and-26, Alabama backmost Tua Tagovailoa connected with DeVonta Smith for a 41-yard walk-off touchdown and a 26-23 win. 

The 2 teams met successful December successful the SEC championship, pursuing a play successful which the Bulldogs seemed to found itself arsenic the superior team. Still, Alabama cruised to a 41-24 triumph to manus the Dawgs their lone nonaccomplishment of the season.

Alabama was seeking its seventh nationalist rubric nether Saban, who entered with a 24-1 grounds against his erstwhile assistants. Smart, who was hired by Georgia successful 2015 aft serving arsenic Saban's antiaircraft coordinator, entered Monday's crippled having gone 65-15 arsenic a caput manager but 0-4 against Saban. 

Those losses person been avenged.  

The question entering the crippled was whether Georgia would negociate to enactment unit connected Alabama backmost Bryce Young. That was answered connected the opening thrust arsenic Jordan Davis sacked Young, initially causing a fumble that was returned for a touchdown but overturned aft review. Alabama was held to a 37-yard tract extremity by Will Reichard connected their archetypal possession.   

Georgia evened the people astatine 3-3 aboriginal successful the 2nd 4th aft a diving drawback by George Pickens for a 52-yard summation acceptable up a 24-yard tract extremity by Jack Podlesny.

Alabama answered rapidly aft Young connected with Jameson Williams for 40 yards, starring to a 45-yard tract extremity for a 6-3 lead. Williams, though, had to exit aft planting awkwardly during the drawback and suffering an evident genu injury.

With Alabama successful the reddish portion connected its adjacent possession, Channing Tindall sacked Young connected 3rd-and-goal for a nonaccomplishment of 13 yards. That led to a 37-yard tract extremity by Reichard to springiness Alabama a 9-3 pb with 7:07 near successful the second. Podlesny followed with a 49-yard tract extremity to propulsion Georgia wrong 9-6 heading into the half.

Alabama outgained Georgia successful the archetypal fractional with 216 full yards to 153. The Dawgs besides committed 7 first-half penalties for 49 yards. The moving crippled was non-existent, with the Bulldogs gaining 26 yards connected the crushed and the Crimson Tide conscionable 10. 

The field-goal kicking accumulation continued successful the third, arsenic Alabama lined up for a 48-yard effort precocious successful the quarter. But Jalen Carter blocked the footwear to support it a three-point game.

On the ensuing play, James Cook had a 67-yard tally to enactment Georgia connected the Alabama 13-yard line. Zamir White followed with the game's archetypal touchdown aft scoring connected a one-yard tally up the mediate to springiness Georgia a 13-9 lead. 

Alabama pulled wrong 1 aft Reichard's 4th tract extremity of the crippled made it 13-12 aboriginal successful the fourth. Christian Harris past sacked Stetson Bennett to unit a fumble that initially appeared to beryllium an incomplete pass. It was recovered by Brian Branch, who nonchalantly scooped up the shot portion his ft was conscionable hardly inbounds to springiness Alabama possession connected the Georgia 16-yard line.

Facing 3rd-and-goal from the three, Young was pressured retired of the pouch and threw connected the tally to Cameron Latu for a touchdown that gave Alabama an 18-13 lead. 

Bennett made up for his fumble by uncovering Adonai Mitchell successful the extremity portion for a 40-yard touchdown successful choky sum to enactment Georgia backmost successful beforehand astatine 19-18 with 8:09 remaining.

After a three-and-out by Alabama, Bennett capped a seven-play, 62-yard thrust with a 15-yard touchdown walk to Brock Bowers to summation the pb to 26-18 and enactment Georgia 3:33 distant from a nationalist championship.  

Kelee Ringo past intercepted Young and returned it 79 yards for a pick-six that sealed the triumph for Georgia and denied Alabama a 2nd consecutive title.

Revenge was achieved. Mentee defeated mentor. A long-awaited title was won.