ATLANTA — Hope is not lost. That’s the reality for the Georgia Bulldogs. But that was tainted by lot of disappointment and a pretty good dose of doubt for the Bulldogs in the wake of yet another loss to Alabama.
Coach Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide, Georgia’s personal tormentor the past decade, or so it seems, broke the Bulldogs’ hearts yet again. Alabama beat Georgia for the seventh time in a row and third consecutive time in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. With the 41-24 victory, the No. 3-ranked Crimson Tide (12-1) punched their ticket into the College Football Playoff for the sixth time in the past eight years.
Conversely, the Bulldogs (12-1) will have to rely on their regular-season body of work for a playoff berth. As the nation’s consensus No. 1-ranked team for eight weeks running, the thought is that will be enough.
The final CFP rankings will be announced at noon Sunday. Georgia is expected to remain among the top four teams, especially after No. 5 Oklahoma State lost to No. 9 Baylor in the Big 12 Championship game Saturday.
But wherever the Bulldogs end up — No. 3 or 4, likely — Alabama very well could be back in their path if there is a national championship game in their future.
For now, all Georgia knows is there won’t be an SEC championship in its grasp. For the 29th time in history, the trophy ended up in the hands of Alabama, and for the third time after playing the Bulldogs in the title game. Georgia’s 13 SEC titles are the second most in the conference.
The loss was Georgia’s seventh in a row to the Crimson Tide and drops coach Kirby Smart to 0-4 against the coach for whom he worked for 13 seasons, 11 of them at Alabama.
Saban, after losing to Texas A&M and coach Jimbo Fisher, 41-38, earlier this season, is now 25-1 against his former assistants.
Georgia’s vaunted defense, coming in allowing a recent-era record of only 6.9 points per game, was thoroughly exploited by Alabama’s dynamic young quarterback Bryce Young and the Tide’s latest set of big-play wide receivers. Young, a sophomore from Irvine, Calif., likely wrapped up the Heisman Trophy by setting SEC Championship game records for passing (421 yards) and total offense (461).
Wide receiver Jameson Williams caught seven passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns. John Metchie added nine receptions for 97 yards and a score before leaving the game with an injury in the final seconds before halftime.
Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett played the entire game for the Bulldogs and finished with 340 yards passing and three touchdowns. But he also threw two interceptions as Georgia fought to make a comeback in the third quarter. He was 29-of-47 passing.
Tight end Brock Bowers was the Bulldogs’ bright spot. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound freshman, set an SEC Championship game receiving record for a tight end with 10 catches for 139 yards and touchdown. The Bulldogs finished with 449 total yards.
