No. 9 Alabama suffered a 28-7 loss to No. 3 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday.
After a blocked punt by Georgia in the first quarter, the Bulldogs took the momentum and never looked back. The Crimson Tide now have their playoff hopes in the hands of the committee that has been unpredictable all season long.
Here are a few takeaways from the SEC Championship Game.
- Blocked Punt Swung the Momentum
Georgia clearly had the advantage in the special teams department, and it made a big difference. Both defenses were forcing punts, with both offenses struggling to move the football. Alabama’s second punt of the first quarter was blocked by the Bulldogs and returned to the Crimson Tide's 21-yard line, setting up the first score of the game, a Georgia touchdown.
- Stockton’s Legs
In the first meeting, Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton didn’t use his legs as much as he usually does. On Saturday, Georgia drew up designed runs for Stockton to help keep the Alabama defense honest. Stockton finished with 13 carries for 39 yards.
- Third Downs
Third down conversions were a big factor in the previous matchup between these two teams, with Alabama having a ton of success on third downs while Georgia didn’t have much success on their third down attempts. The roles reversed in the rematch. The Crimson Tide converted just three of their 13 third downs, while Georgia had great success converting six of their 16 third downs.
- Zero Run Game
Alabama hasn’t had a run game all season long, and Saturday was another disappointment. The Crimson Tide couldn’t get anything going on the ground, and factoring in the yards lost on sacks, Alabama rushed for -3 yards in the game. The Crimson Tide only rushed the ball 16 times, with Daniel Hill leading Alabama rushers with 11 yards on four carries.
- Defense Didn't Give Up
Despite what the scoreboard said, the defense played well enough for Alabama to win. The Crimson Tide offense and special teams put the defense in terrible spots all game long with a turnover, a blocked punt, and endless offensive drives that resulted in three plays and out. Alabama’s defense eliminated explosive plays, holding Georgia to zero plays over 20 yards and limiting their offense to 297 total yards.
Alabama will wait on its playoff fate from the College Football Playoff committee on Sunday at 11 a.m. on ESPN.
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