Alabama secures a narrow victory over No. 2 Georgia, triumphing 41-34 in a dramatic conclusion.

Alabama relinquished a 28-point advantage against the second-ranked Georgia at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday evening. However, the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide once again dashed the Bulldogs' hopes with a 41-34 triumph, during which the SEC powerhouses achieved touchdowns on successive plays from scrimmage in the closing moments of the fourth quarter. The game concluded when Alabama intercepted quarterback Carson Beck's pass intended for wide receiver Colbie Young in the end zone with just 43 seconds remaining, effectively halting Georgia's intense comeback effort.

"When you face a really good football team, you know there's going to be a strong push," said Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer, who won his first SEC game. "We pushed each other to the very end."

Following a remarkable comeback from a 23-point halftime deficit, the Bulldogs seized their first lead when Beck connected with Dillon Bell for a 67-yard touchdown, bringing the score to 34-33 with just 2:31 left on the clock. However, Alabama responded immediately on their next play from scrimmage. On a first-and-10 from their own 25-yard line, quarterback Jalen Milroe launched a deep pass down the right sideline to freshman Ryan Williams. The wide receiver evaded a tackle from cornerback Julian Humphrey at the 35-yard line and outpaced safety KJ Bolden, resulting in a 75-yard touchdown with 2:18 remaining in the game.

Milroe successfully executed a 2-point conversion to wide receiver Germie Bernard, allowing Alabama to take a 41-34 lead. "You must continue to persevere," DeBoer remarked. "In terms of strategy, many of our plays present opportunities for one-on-one matchups. If you identify a favorable matchup, you pursue it. Clearly, he recognized the opportunity and executed it well, while Ryan completed the play." Milroe achieved a remarkable performance, completing 27 of 33 passes for 374 yards, along with two touchdown passes, and he also rushed for 117 yards and two additional touchdowns. He has become the first player in FBS history to record 300 passing yards, 100 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns against an Associated Press top-five opponent, as noted by ESPN Research. Freshman Williams, aged 17, contributed significantly with six receptions for 177 yards and one touchdown.

Beck recovered from a slow start to complete 27 of 50 passes for 439 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. He also lost a fumble and was sacked three times. The loss ended Georgia's 42-game winning streak in the regular season, which was the longest run by an FBS team since Oklahoma won 45 in a row from 1953 to 1957. It also ended Georgia's 16-game winning streak on the road. "The first half, we played terrible," Beck said. "I don't think we need to watch the film to go see that we didn't play our best. You know, that starts with me. I've got to be better." It was DeBoer's first meeting with Georgia, but the results were the same for Alabama. It has won nine of its past 10 games against Georgia, including a 27-24 victory in last year's SEC championship game, which led to the Bulldogs failing to make the College Football Playoff. "It was one hell of a game," Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. "Obviously, we were not really prepared, and that falls on me in the first half. We didn't do a great job, especially defensively. We also gave them short fields. With a quarterback like Milroe, it creates a lot of tough times."

Smart fell to 1-6 against Alabama as Georgia's coach.

The Bulldogs experienced an exceptionally poor beginning. Georgia's defense faced significant challenges in tackling Milroe during the initial possession. Following a holding penalty that pushed the Crimson Tide back to first-and-20 from the Georgia 25-yard line, Milroe managed to advance 16 yards on a quarterback keeper. On first-and-goal from the 7-yard line, he retained possession once more and successfully outpaced the defense to secure a 7-0 advantage. During Georgia's subsequent possession, Beck delivered a well-placed deep pass along the left sideline to Arian Smith, who unfortunately failed to secure the catch. A penalty for offensive pass interference two plays later resulted in a punt. Alabama then accumulated 64 yards over the next three plays, culminating in a touchdown from Milroe's precise pass to running back Jam Miller, who outmaneuvered linebacker CJ Allen for a 16-yard score, extending the lead to 14-0.

The situation for Georgia continued to deteriorate. During their subsequent possession, Crimson Tide cornerback Domani Jackson intercepted a screen pass intended for tight end Oscar Delp at the Bulldogs' 22-yard line. Just three plays later, Bernard found the end zone on a 7-yard end around, extending the lead to 21-0. Georgia was forced to punt once more on their next drive. On a crucial fourth-and-1 at the Georgia 36, Bulldogs linebacker Jalon Walker executed a blitz, but was met with such force by Miller that his helmet was dislodged. Walker could only observe as Milroe dashed down the right sideline for a 36-yard touchdown run, increasing Alabama's advantage to 28-0. Additionally, Alabama secured a safety late in the first half when Beck was flagged for intentional grounding in the end zone.