There is an alternate universe in which Georgia’s series of penalties tonight ends up costing them another hard-fought game against Alabama. But in the end it was hot-headed penalty on Alabama and a penalty not called on the Bulldogs that helped decide this one. The stat sheet tells the tale. Bama was 6 of 13 on 3rd down, a solid percentage. Georgia however was 7 of 13.Alabama ran for a solid 161 yards. Georgia ran for an even more solid 206. Alabama led the time of possession battle in the first
half. Georgia held onto the ball for a solid majority of the second. Alabama played a very good football game. Georgia played a slightly better one.
It was certainly not perfect. The Bulldogs erased a series of big plays with offensive penalties that, again, might have been the story of this game had it gone ever so slightly the other way. The Bulldogs also had a series of fumbles that they managed to fall on, and Sacovie White-Helton made punt returns far more interesting that they should have been. That’s the sort of thing that can cost you a football game, though to be fair catching a wet football spinning weirdly through the night sky is a nightmarishly difficult task. Sacovie won’t be our special teams MVD, but I would urge you to personally cut him a little slack.
Someone who should require no slack given is Gunner Stockton. He played the big game that the Disney Industrial Complex so dearly wants Arch Manning to, but never does. Gunner finished 18 of 22 passing for 249 yards. He had one bad interception and another throw under pressure that was very, very close to being his second. Had Quintin Reese held onto that one at the Bulldog 25 there’s every reason to believe this game turns out differently.
But time after time, Gunner stood in and made unearthly throws that moved the sticks. As he has all season he hit every receiver on the roster who isn’t on the MASH list. Craig Dandridge, Talyn Taylor, Elyiss Williams, and Jaden Reddell all caught clutch passes from Stockton that could have flipped the momentum toward the Crimson Tide had they been dropped. Close games between elite teams usually come down to who makes the plays that matter. Georgia made offensive plays that mattered over and over again tonight.
Speaking of critical plays, let’s address the elephant in the room full of sad elephants. Should KJ Bolden have been called for pass interference in the end zone? Quite possibly. But should this, on Keelon Russell’s only touchdown pass of the night, have been called a penalty?
You’re dang right it should have. The thing about penalties is that, like turnovers, they tend to equalize over time. Alabama, which has benefited this season from both stupendous penalty and turnover luck, regressed to the mean tonight.
Someone who did not regress to the mean? Mike Dadgummit Bobo. Our absolute favorite Michael Stipe doppelgänger did two things that were critical to tonight’s victory. First, he called those plays that Gunner and the offense executed. He didn’t get overly cute, instead he put his talented playmakers in a position to make plays, and they answered the call.
Second, he committed to the run even down his two primary tailbacks. Dwight Phillips deserves all the praise he’ll receive after this one, and more. Peanut churned outa career high 120 yards on 17 carries and time and again set Georgia up with makeable 3rd downs by getting solid yardage on 1st and 2nd. Bo Walker added 69 yards on 10 touches, including a 37 yard scamper that helped set up Peyton Woodring’s go ahead field goal.
As Kirby Smart said in his postgame remarks, Georgia is a banged up football team right now. That’s nowhere more true than at the tailback position. Hopefully Nate Frazier will be well enough to take some snaps against Auburn next week. But if he’s not, it’s comforting to know that the Red and Black still have some guys with big game experience who’ve answered the call.
I think we’re also not talking enough about true freshman Nick Peal playing as the 3rd down back in critical situations. While he had some shaky moments, if we can hold onto him I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do with more snaps in 2027.
Defensively, the Bulldogs did what they needed to against the stiffest challenge they’ve faced this season. We said all week that containing Keelon Russell and not letting him move the chains on busted plays would be key. He did manage to do that, with a pair of 20+ yard scrambles. But he also looked like a true freshman facing an elite defense just enough for the Dawgs to escape.
Glenn Schumann threw just about every scheme in the book at him, and Russell will likely improve dramatically by studying this tape. I do not look forward to facing him in 2027 or 2028.
The Bulldog defense also may have saved the game by weathering the storm following Stockton’s interception, forcing a 3 and out and pushing the Tide back 14 yards. Again, elite matchups are just a collection of key moments. The Bulldogs did defense had some issues with run fits in the first half, and didn’t always rush the passer with the discipline you’d like. But at the end of the night they’d held the Crimson Tide to 346 yards of offense, over 100 below their 473.80 season average.
No one asks me these things, but if I were asked I think I could make a solid case that these are the two best teams in America on this night. I don’t know if that state of affairs will hold through the season. But on this night Georgia emerged the best team in Bryant-Denny Stadium for the first time in 19 years. Two elite teams walked onto Saban Field tonight. Two elite teams walked off of it at the end of the night. The one with the victory was wearing red and black though. And for tonight at least that’s a truly exhilarating feeling. Until later…
Go Dawgs!!!
