Kalen DeBoer had reason to feel good walking off at halftime, but the Alabama coach also had plenty to chew on after a first half that left points on the table against Georgia.
DeBoer made the bold call on the final snap before the break, leaving the offense on the field rather than settling for a field goal. The payoff came quickly: EJ Krowell finished the sequence with a 3-yard touchdown run, pushing the Crimson Tide in front 14-10 at halftime.
Even with that burst of emotion after the score, DeBoer’s reaction wasn’t pure satisfaction. The bigger picture still nagged at him, because Alabama had enough chances to build a more comfortable cushion and didn’t fully cash them in.
“We just missed some opportunities with good field position,” Kalen DeBoer said. “We’re so close on the executions.
It’s not like guys are missing assignments. Guys just got to execute a little bit better.
When we don’t execute in that one spot, it’s resulted in negative plays or missed opportunities for big, explosive ones. I think we found a little bit of a groove here at the end of the half, so good momentum going into the half.”
Kalen DeBoer to @UA_CTSN at halftime: "We just missed some opportunities with good field position. We're so close on the executions.
It's not like guys are missing assignments. Guys just got to execute a little bit better.
When we don't execute in that one spot, it's resulted in… https://t.co/do4dKIjw7M
Quarterback Keelon Russell has hit some big throws, but Georgia has made him work for them. The Bulldogs have mixed in different blitzes and created enough confusion to slow Alabama at times, even as the Crimson Tide carried the momentum into the locker room.
Now Alabama gets the chance to turn that edge into something bigger. A stop on Georgia’s first drive of the third quarter would give the Crimson Tide a shot to land another early blow.
In Other News...
Georgia Just Got Extra Fuel Before Its Biggest Alabama Test
The buildup around Georgias showdown with Alabama got a little louder after the College GameDay crew weighed in on the matchup, and the picks leaned heavily toward the Tide. Three of the four voices on the panel, including Nick Saban and Bryce Young, selected Alabama, adding another layer of outside skepticism to a game that already carries major stakes for the SEC race and the College Football Playoff picture.
Saturday night in Athens now feels even bigger, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. EST and the winner positioned to seize a major edge in both races. Georgia does not need any extra motivation for a game of this size, but a national stage and a panel picking against the Bulldogs only sharpen the backdrop for what should be one of the seasons defining tests. [Read more 🡒]
Former Georgia Defender Lands In Ugly Oregon Controversy
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Iamaleava left the field briefly with a lower-body injury that was not tied to the punch, adding another layer to an already ugly sequence. For Georgia fans who remember Alexander as part of that defensive pipeline before his transfer journey continued, the episode is another reminder of how quickly a familiar name can become part of a very different kind of headline. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Must Now Prepare For An Alabama Twist They Didn't Expect
Alabama enters Saturday nights showdown with Georgia carrying a piece of news that changes the feel of the matchup a little: tight end Josh Ford, who broke his arm last week against Mississippi State, is expected to play. Ford has been an important part of the Crimson Tides offense this season, especially as a blocker, and he also flashed earlier with a touchdown catch against South Carolina, making him more than just a physical presence on the edge.
For Georgia, that means preparing for a familiar Alabama package with one more layer of toughness attached to it at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game kicks at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC, and while the Bulldogs have plenty to sort through on their own side, Fords availability adds another wrinkle to an SEC heavyweight meeting that already had enough of them. [Read more 🡒]