No. 2 Georgia left Bryant-Denny Stadium with a 20-17 win over No. 6 Alabama, and the game came down to the sort of late moments that usually separate contenders from the rest.
Peyton Woodring’s 23-yard field goal provided the margin, and Georgia closed it out by making Alabama earn everything in the final stretch. KJ Bolden came through with a sack on third down to force a punt, and Gunner Stockton and the offense then drained the final 3:10 off the clock.
Stockton turned in a sharp performance in the spotlight, completing 18 of 22 passes for 249 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception. He also added 12 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.
“What a great college football game, great atmosphere,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said. “I've been in a bunch of those with them, and they all seem similar, you know?
Just, physical game, back and forth, critical calls, critical situations. You can go back and look at hundreds of them on there.
“At the end of the day, our quarterback played well enough for us to win. We scored enough points to win, but it was a really extreme physical football game.”
On Monday, Smart talked about why so many of Georgia’s younger players have found their way onto the field through six games.
“I would say this to you mentioning it, they don't play late in the game. They play in the game.
It's not a late in the game deal. They're good football players.
Some have created opportunities through injuries. Some have created opportunities through earning it themselves.
This day and age, you can't survive without a freshman being able to play,” Smart said. “It's one of two things, if you're not playing freshmen.
You've got a really good old team, which is rare. Or you don't have very good freshmen.
I don't really want to have the second, so it's those guys are available and the best to play, obviously they'll play. We've had a really good track record the past couple years, the most played snaps of freshmen.
We've been top-5 in the country. So that's because we play a lot of players.
We sign good freshmen, and we're not afraid to play them.”
Georgia used eight freshmen against Alabama, and here’s what they gave the Bulldogs in Tuscaloosa:
In Other News...
Gunner Stockton Is Giving Georgia Fans A New Ceiling To Debate
Gunner Stockton is changing the way Georgia fans talk about the offense, and the conversation now feels bigger than one comeback win. After helping steer the Bulldogs past Alabama and into the top spot in the rankings, Stockton has become the latest reason to wonder just how high this team can climb, especially with the quarterback showing steady growth under offensive coordinator Mike Bobo.
What stood out in the moment was not just the result, but how composed Stockton looked against a familiar heavyweight. Alabama left with plenty of respect for his efficiency and his ability to keep drives alive when the game tightened, which only adds to the sense that Georgia may have found a quarterback whose ceiling is still being written. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Just Beat Alabama And Still Has A Disrespect Problem
Georgias win in Tuscaloosa should have settled plenty of arguments, at least for a week. Instead, the Bulldogs still found room for a little ranking debate after climbing to No. 1 in the updated AP Poll following their first victory at Alabama since 2007. Even with that breakthrough on the road, four AP voters left Georgia outside the top spot, a reminder that one statement win does not erase every opinion already baked into the national picture.
The bigger disconnect comes from the computers, and from one of the sports more familiar blue-blood comparisons. Georgia may have the rsum boost of beating Alabama in its own building, but the conversation has not fully lined up around the Bulldogs just yet. If the season keeps trending toward the playoff path many expect, the next meaningful chance for Georgia to settle another debate could come against Notre Dame, though that kind of matchup would require both teams to make it to the College Football Playoff first. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia May Be Forced To Trust An Improvised Backfield Again
Georgia had to lean on Dwight Phillips Jr. and Bo Walker against Alabama when Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens were unavailable, and the backup arrangement held up well enough to keep the offense moving. Kirby Smart made it clear afterward that there are no plans to shuffle other players into the backfield, which leaves the Bulldogs relying on the same group if the depth chart stays thin.
Now the focus turns to Auburn, where the matchup could invite another heavy dose of the ground game if Georgias top backs remain out. The Tigers have struggled against the run, so the Bulldogs may again be asking an improvised rotation to do work that normally falls to more familiar faces, with the bigger question hanging over whether that setup can last for another SEC week. [Read more 🡒]