After a slow start that included trading field goals in the first half, Georgia came alive in the second half and then made a late comeback to beat Alabama 33-18 on Monday for the Bulldogs' first national title since 1980. faced the bid.
Georgia punts on three of her first five drives and scored field goals on the other two in the first half before ending the game with touchdowns on three of her last four drives. It also got a game-sealing, 79-yard pick-six from Kelly Ringo, with 54 seconds left.
Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett made a costly, controversial blunder in the fourth quarter with 11:35, which allowed Alabama to take an 18-13 lead with 10:14 remaining. After that, he was passing 4-for-4 for 83 yards and two touchdowns. Bennett finished the game 17 for 26 with two touchdowns and 226 yards without a hitch.
The Bulldogs covered a total of 399 yards, but only 30 on the ground, and made just 56 plays compared to Alabama's 85.
Alabama lost their top receiver in the first half when Jameson Williams went down with a knee injury in his absence, as well as a grand pass by Georgia as the crowd fought off the offensive for the Crimson Tide. They averaged only 4.7 yards per game, Bryce Young was sacked four times after not getting sacked at all in the SEC title game against Georgia, and placed third on one of the nation's best teams at 20 on Monday. It was only 9.
With the win, Georgia coach Kirby Smart avenged his team's loss in that SEC championship game as well as the 2018 national championship game. He joined as the only former Nick Saban assistant to defeat Jimbo Fisher and is the first Georgia coach to defeat Saban since Mark Rich in 2007.