Alabama and Georgia will meet in the SEC championship, marking the ninth time they have faced off since 2017. Three of these matchups had a national title on the line, and this upcoming game is the fourth time both teams have met in the SEC championship.
Here’s a look back at some of the most memorable SEC title games between the two conference foes.
2018 SEC Championship: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Georgia, Alabama 35-28
Fighting for a spot in the four-team college football playoff, Georgia was in a must-win position after losing to LSU earlier in the season and faced Alabama with its season on the line.
This one felt more personal than any other matchup. Just 11 months earlier, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa took over for Jalen Hurts and broke the Bulldogs’ hearts with a 41-yard touchdown on 2nd and 26 to win the national championship, leaving the team and fans stunned.
The game felt like it was slipping away from Alabama. Tagovailoa threw an interception with six minutes left in the third quarter, already trailing 28-14.
Alabama felt the momentum shift back in its favor as the lead was cut to 7 with a chance to tie. Tagovailoa then went down with an ankle injury, and Jalen Hurts entered the game to lead a comeback, just as Tagovailoa had done 11 months earlier.
Hurts accounted for the last two touchdowns, including the game-winner, as Alabama won 35-28.
When asked about Hurts after the game, Saban said, “I’ve never been more proud of a player than Jalen.”
2021 SEC Championship: No. 3 Alabama vs. No. 1 Georgia, Alabama 41-24
Heading into the SEC championship, the Bulldogs were a perfect 12-0. A one-loss Alabama was playing for a CFP berth and faced one of the best defenses in recent history, featuring six future first-round picks.
Prior to this game, Alabama’s offensive line had given up seven sacks. This was one of the first times Alabama was a true underdog, yet some still felt Georgia was not favored enough.
College football analyst Josh Pate even went on to say, “The logo of Alabama has affected this point spread. If you switched jerseys on these teams, the line would be double digits.”
Through the first 15 minutes, the prediction Georgia would dominate seemed correct, as the Bulldogs took a 10-0 lead on the first play of the second quarter.
After the start of the second quarter, Alabama did not look back, outscoring Georgia 41-14 and winning 41-24. Wide receiver Jameson Williams had a monster day, with 184 receiving yards and two touchdowns. This game was also huge for quarterback Bryce Young’s Heisman campaign, as he threw for 421 yards and three touchdowns.
The most impressive part of it all was Alabama not giving up a single sack during that game.
“The offensive line really answered the challenge,” Saban said postgame.
Saban also went on to address the negative discourse the media put out leading up to the game, saying, “The rat poison you guys usually give us is fatal, but the rat poison you put out there this week was yummy.”
2023 SEC Championship: No. 8 Alabama vs. No. 1 Georgia, Alabama 27-24
Another undefeated Georgia team returned to Atlanta and was favored by most media to win. The 2023 season for Alabama was up and down. In Week 2, Alabama lost 34-24 to the Texas Longhorns. The following week, Alabama narrowly escaped USF, and quarterback Jalen Milroe was benched.
Alabama came into this game ranked No. 8, needing a win to give them a chance to make the CFP.
Amid struggles and questions about Milroe, many wondered how he would perform against a team like Georgia that finished the year fifth in team defense.
Alabama had a stellar first half, leading 17-7 at the break. Two of Alabama’s touchdowns came through the air. The first was to running back Jam Miller, beating man coverage, and the second was to former Alabama and Georgia wide receiver Jermaine Burton.
Momentum was starting to swing Georgia’s way, as the Bulldogs cut the deficit to seven and had the ball. Feeling that, Georgia ran an end-around to receiver Dillon Bell. The ball was fumbled, and Alabama took over.
With three minutes left, Alabama led 27-24 with possession. Milroe delivered the dagger with a 34-yard scamper to ice the game. The score stayed at 27-24, and Alabama again won the SEC championship over Georgia.
When asked after the game about the early-season struggles, and even getting benched in Week 3, Milroe said, “When the world gave up on me, I didn’t give up on myself.”
This year’s SEC championship will take place on Dec. 6, kicking off at 3 p.m. CT, and will be streamed on ABC.
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