SEC Championship Game Notebook: Fourth-Quarter TD Drive Pivotal in Alabama Win
ATLANTA — When in doubt, find Isaiah Bond.
It worked last week for Alabama against Auburn, and it worked again Saturday in the SEC Championship Game in a 27-24 win against Georgia.
The Bulldogs cut Alabama’s lead to three points in the fourth quarter, and Alabama needed a response. Quarterback Jalen Milroe found Bond four times on a nine-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a Roydell Williams touchdown to make it a two-possession game with 5:47 to play.
Bond totaled 57 yards on the drive.
“That’s him trusting me in those clutch moments like that,” Bond said. “Me going out and making those plays helps, too.”
The touchdown drive was pivotal as Georgia drove 75 yards in under three minutes on its next possession to pull back within three points.
Bond was the hero of last week’s Iron Bowl with a 31-yard touchdown grab on fourth down to clinch the win.
Right decision
Trezman Marshall had a decision to make. With the ball on the turf, the Alabama linebacker could have tried to scoop it and score or fall on it.
He chose to fall on it.
“It was a city fumble and not a country fumble,” Marshall said. “Country fumble is wide open space. There were too many people around (the ball) so I dove on it. I think I made the right choice.”
Next man up
Starting running back Jase McClellan was out for Saturday’s game with an injury. That meant Roydell Williams had to handle the bulk of the running duties.
“Before the game we had a talk,” Williams said. “It was like, ‘We have to eat. It’s next man up.’”
Williams ran for 64 yards on 16 carries with a key 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Jam Miller was also in the mix, running for just 23 yards, but scoring Alabama’s first touchdown on a 28-yard reception.
“Jam played an awesome game today,” Williams said. “For a young guy like him to have a bid day like that was awesome.”
Familiar faces
The SEC title game draws some big names when the Crimson Tide comes to Atlanta, including former UA players and a major league Hall of Famer.
Fred McGriff, who played 18 years in the big leagues, was in attendance for the Alabama-Georgia showdown. He is originally from Tampa, Florida, but the former Atlanta Braves first baseman was rooting for Alabama Saturday.
“Oh, yeah, I love Alabama. Roll Tide, roll,” McGriff said.
Former Alabama running back Shaun Alexander, who helped the Crimson Tide win the 1999 SEC title, was at the game.
Former Alabama receiver Curtis Brown was part of the first SEC Championship Game played in Birmingham in 1992.
“That was so special because it was the inaugural SEC title game and we had a lot to play for,” Brown said of the Crimson Tide’s national title game implications.
Other former UA players in attendance: Tyrone Prothro, Slade Bolden, Darren Mustin, Andre Smith, and David Ross.
Not so warm welcome
Jermaine Burton played at Georgia for two seasons before transfering to Alabama in 2022. When the starting lineups were announced before the game, Burton’s name was met with a chorus of boos from the Bulldogs faithful. He totaled 901 receiving yards with eight TDs at Georgia. In two seasons for Alabama, Burton has 1,289 yards with 13b touchdowns entering Saturday. He quieted the Bulldogs crowd late in the second quarter with a 15-yard TD reception to put Alabama ahead 17-7.
Up for the challenge
Trey Amos came in at cornerback in the third quarter when Kool-Aid McKinstry left with an injury. Georgia tried to take advantage by throwing toward Amos, but he broke up a pass in the end zone intended for Brock Bowers. Georgia settled for a field goal. Later in the fourth quarter, Amos almost had an interception.
Credit for Burnip
Will Reichard has been getting all the attention this season, and rightfully so. He is the nation’s record-holder for most career points. James Burnip deserves some credit for his punt late in the third quarter, which pinned the Bulldogs at their own 6-yard line. Georgia fumbled a few plays later to give Alabama the ball in the red zone. A field goal made it a 20-10 lead to give the Crimson Tide a a critical two-possession score.
Young hero
During TV timeouts, fans were featured on the Jumbotron. A young Crimson Tide fan was highlighted several times with Bama fans cheering loudly every time he popped up on the screen. Each TV timeout he was spotlighted he had a different snack in his hand.
Tidebits
• Alabama team captains were LB Dallas Turner, LB Deontae Lawson and OL Tyler Booker.
• Announced attendance was 78,320.
• Alabama scored 27 points, the most allowed by Georgia this season.
• The 24 points is tied for the least amount the Bulldogs have scored this season (South Carolina).
• Georgia was held to 78 rushing yards, its lowest total of the season.
• Alabama had nine passing yards in the first quarter, its lowest first-quarter total of the season.
• Alabama is 18-1 in Atlanta under Saban.
• Alabama made its 57th appearance (37-20 record) on ESPN’s College GameDay and 48th under Saban.
• Alabama has 11 wins against No. 1-ranked teams, the most in the NCAA.
• Alabama is 11-4 in SEC title games and has 30 overall SEC championships.
• Game officials: Referee, Kyle Olson; Umpire, Russ Pulley; Head Line Judge, Nicholas Theriot; Line Judge, Michael Taylor; Field Judge, Antonio Smith; Side Judge, Glen Fucik; Back Judge, Keith Parham; Center Judge, Chris Garner.
