The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Georgia's SEC Championship Domination over Alabama

Breaking down everything good, bad, and worse from the Bulldogs' massive SEC Championship victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The Georgia Bulldogs earned their second consecutive SEC Championship victory this evening as the Dawgs handled the Alabama Crimson Tide in Atlanta. The victory avenged Georgia's loss to the Tide earlier this regular season and has improved Kirby Smart's record to 2-8 against the Tide.

With the Bulldogs now kings of the SEC for the third time in five seasons, let's break down everything that went right, wrong, and even worse from Georgia's conference championship victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: SEC Championship

Dec 6, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart looks on after the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the 2025 SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Good: Defensive Masterclass

When these two teams left the field earlier this season, the main takeaway of the game was that Georgia's defense did not play up to the "Bulldog standard." Tonight's outing by Kirby Smart's defense was the exact opposite.

The Bulldogs held Alabama to less than 25% on third downs, -3 rushing yards, and the Tide reached the end zone just once the entire contest. It's safe to say that Georgia is firing on all cylinders defensively at the moment. A great sign for the Dawgs as they gear up for the College Football Playoff.

The Bad: Offensive Sputtering

When you defeat a team you've beaten just once in 15 years by 21 points, there is surely going to be some nitpicking. That said, there were a couple of moments in today's game where the Bulldogs' offense appeared a bit stagnant.

While the Dawgs are certainly playing excellent complementary football, it will likely take more than 300 total yards of offense if Georgia has aspirations of making a deep run in this year's College Football Playoff.

The Ugly: Penalty Splits

There is nothing more frustrating (or handicapping) to a strong performance than penalties. The Bulldogs were easily the more penalized team this evening, totalling seven penalties for 80 yards. Many of which aided the Tide on its only scoring drive of the game.

Discipline has been a cornerstone of successful teams under Kirby Smart. Should the Dawgs continue to practice this mentality, they will have an excellent opportunity to win their third national title in five seasons.

With an SEC Championship victory secured, the Bulldogs have likely earned a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff. Official seedings and playoff matchups will be released on Sunday at approximately 12 p.m. ET.