ATLANTA — This time, Alabama didn’t need its backup quarterback to bail it out against Georgia inside of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Nothing was slowing down its starter during Saturday’s SEC Championship Game.
Bryce Young punished the nation’s top defense while likely helping his team punch a ticket into this year’s College Football Playoff as No. 3 Alabama upset No. 1 Georgia 41-24 to claim its second-straight SEC title.
Young can go ahead and book his flight to New York for next week’s Heisman Trophy ceremony as well. Entering the game as the odds-on favorite for the award, the sophomore completed 26 of 44 passes for 421 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 40 yards and another score against a Georgia defense that has previously shut down everything in its path.
Georgia (12-1) entered the game allowing opponents just 6.9 points and 229.7 total yards per game. Alabama (12-1) piled up 536 yards against the Bulldogs during the blowout win.
Young's 461 total yards of offense and 421 passing yards are both SEC Championship Game records. He earned MVP honors following the game. Young's three passing touchdowns give him 43 on the year, tying Alabama’s single-season mark of 43 set by Tua Tagovailoa in 2018. Young has 46 total touchdowns on the season, two away from tying Tagovailoa’s single-season of 48 also set in 2018.
Young's dominating display came after a slow start as Alabama was forced to punt on both of its opening possessions while Georgia jumped to a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter. The Crimson Tide’s first signs of life came shortly after as Young hit receiver Jameson Williams for a 67-yard touchdown, the longest play an opponent has recorded on the Bulldogs all season.
Sparked by the big score, Young marched Alabama’s offense down the field for scoring drives on its next five possessions. The quarterback gave Alabama its first lead of the game on the Tide’s next drive as he hit receiver John Metchie III for a 13-yard touchdown.
Alabama extended the lead to 17-10 with a 33-yard field goal from Will Reichard later in the quarter before Georgia tied things up on a 32-yard pass from quarterback Stetson Bennett to Ladd McConkey with 2:06 remaining in the half.
Once again, Young helped Alabama answer back, capping off a nine-play, 75-yard drive with an 11-yard touchdown to give the Tide a 24-17 lead at the break. Young set an SEC Championship record with 286 first-half passing yards, passing Auburn quarterback Cam Newton’s previous mark of 281 set against South Carolina in 2010.
Young’s onslaught continued into the second half as he found Williams for a 55-yard touchdown on Alabama’s opening drive of the quarter to put Alabama up by two touchdowns.
Williams led the Tide with seven catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns. Metchie recorded six catches for 97 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game with a leg injury on Alabama's final drive of the second half. Brian Robinson, who came into game listed as "day-to-day" with a leg injury, led the Tide in rushing with 55 yards on 16 carries.
The Tide's defense eliminated any chance of a Georgia victory in the fourth quarter as safety Jordan Battle returned an interception 42 yards for a touchdown to give Alabama a 38-17 lead with 11:59 remaining.
Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett finished the game 29 of 48 for 340 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions. Bulldogs freshman Brock Bowers recorded 10 catches for 138 yards and a touchdown, setting an SEC Championship Game record for most catches and receiving yards by a tight end.
Alabama will learn its postseason Sunday when the final College Football Playoffs are revealed at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN. The Tide is all but assured a spot in the playoff while the Bulldogs are also expected to be one of the four teams selected.
