TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — College football’s game of the season lived up to the hype. After blowing a fourth-touchdown lead, No. 4 Alabama bounced back to beat No. 2 Georgia 41-34 on Saturday night.

In Kalen DeBoer’s first SEC game, Alabama stormed out of the gates, marching out to a 28-0 lead in the second quarter. However, Kirby Smart and his Bulldogs didn't waiver.

Georgia’s offense came alive late, recording three straight touchdown drives to take a 34-33 lead with 2:31 remaining. However, Alabama avoided one of its worst collapses in program history as Jalen Milroe found Ryan Williams for a 75-yard touchdown on the first play of the ensuing drive to give Alabama the lead for good. Georgia nearly came back a second time, driving all the way down to the Alabama 22, but freshman defensive back Zabien Brown sealed the win for Alabama with an interception in the endzone.

FIRST QUARTER

Scoring summary:

—Touchdown Alabama: Jalen Milroe 7-yard touchdown rush (8 plays, 70 yards)

Alabama 7, Georgia 0 | 10:11

—Touchdown Alabama: Jam Miller 16-yard touchdown reception from Jalen Milroe (6 plays, 84 yards)

Alabama 14, Georgia 0 | 4:39

—Touchdown Alabama: Germie Brenard 7-yard touchdown rush (3 plays, 22 yards)

Alabama 21, Georgia 0 | 2:21

Key play:

Alabama set the tone early. After an 80-yard, eight-play drive, Jalen Milroe ran it in from seven yards out to open the scoring. Milroe set up Alabama inside the 10-yard line after evading a sack and breaking the ankles of Georgia safety Malaki Starks on a 16-yard rush. Milroe scored three plays later, marking the first touchdown scored against Georgia in the 2024 season. Milroe’s early touchdown was his seventh rushing touchdown in 2024 and 15th overall.

Player of the quarter:

Jalen Milroe looked flat-out electric in the opening quarter. The junior opened the game going 8/8 with 113 passing yards, a passing touchdown, and 42 yards on the ground with a rushing touchdown. Milroe had multiple show-stopping plays in the first, and one of the more impressive ones was when he connected with running back Jam Miller on a 16-yard touchdown throw, threading the ball just in front of a Georgia defender to a spot only where Miller could catch the ball.

SECOND QUARTER

Scoring summary:

—Touchdown Alabama: Jalen Milroe 36-yard touchdown rush (6 plays, 67 yards)

Alabama 28, Georgia 0 | 12:24

—Touchdown Georgia: Trevor Etienne 7-yard touchdown rush (11 plays, 75 yards)

Alabama 28, Georgia 7 | 6:43

—Safety on Georgia: Carson Beck intentional grounding in Georgia’s endzone

Alabama 30, Georgia 7 | 1:39

Key play:

On fourth-and-1 less than three minutes into the second quarter, Alabama ran a read-option; Milroe pulled the ball from Jam Miller, who ate a massive hit laid by Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker. Milroe won the race to the edge and turned it upfield for a 39-yard touchdown rush, extending Alabama’s early lead to 28.

Player of the quarter:

Jihaad Campbell wasn't necessarily dominant from whistle to whistle in the second quarter, but one play earned him the player of the quarter award. After Georgia scored their first touchdown, their defense forced Alabama off the field on a fourth down stand, giving their offense another chance to cut into the Alabama lead. On the drive's first play, Carson Beck looked toward the middle of the field for a chain-moving connection; Beck connected with Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell, throwing an interception and squandering any chance at a Georgia comeback.

THIRD QUARTER

Scoring summary:

—Touchdown Georgia: Arian Smith 12-yard touchdown reception from Carson Beck (15 plays, 80 yards) (two-point conversion good)

Alabama 30, Georgia 15 | 5:06

—FIELD GOAL Alabama: Graham Nicholson 28-yard field goal (7 plays, 69 yards)

Alabama 33, Georgia 15 | 1:23

Key play:

After Georgia scored, making it 30-15 and cutting into Alabama's lead, the Crimson Tide came out firing on offense. On just the third play of the ensuing Alabama offensive drive, Jalen Milroe took a shot downfield to Alabama’s most famous 17-year-old, Ryan Williams. The ball was initially tipped out of Williams's hands by Georgia safety Malaki Starks, but Williams kept his concentration on finding the ball after a fantastic juggling act. Alabama would cash in for a field goal on the drive.

Player of the quarter:

Despite the defense giving up Georgia’s second touchdown of the night on a 15-play drive, Alabama safety Malachi Moore had multiple big plays in the third quarter. One of Alabama’s four team captains, Moore, totaled two pass breakups and two tackles, alongside a dropped interception that would have put the Bulldogs to sleep.

FOURTH QUARTER

Scoring summary:

—Touchdown Georgia: Lawson Luckie 8-yard touchdown reception from Carson Beck (6 plays, 80 yards) (two-point conversion no good)

Alabama 33, Georgia 22 | 9:46

—Touchdown Georgia: Dillon Bell 3-yard touchdown rush (4 plays, 78 yards)

Alabama 33, Georgia 28 | 5:39

—Touchdown Georgia: Dillon Bell 67-yard touchdown reception from Carson Beck (1 plays, 67 yards) (two-point conversion no good)

Alabama 33, Georgia 34 | 2:31

—Touchdown Alabama: Ryan Williams 75-yard touchdown reception from Jalen Milroe (1 play, 75 yards)

Alabama 41, Georgia 34 | 4:39

Key play:

After Georgia's 28-point comeback, Alabama was left in a 1-point hole after giving for 19 points unanswered. After a one-play touchdown gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the night, Jalen Milroe connected with Ryan Williams for a 75-yarder, where Williams spun out of two tackles on his way to the endzone, helping Alabama regain the lead

Player of the quarter:

Despite only being a true freshman and arriving to campus over the summer, Ryan "Hollywood" Williams saved Alabama from a potentially disastrous collapse, catching a 75-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Milroe, after Alabama gave up 19 unanswered points.

GAME BALLS

Jalen Milroe— Jalen Milroe came out gunning in Alabama’s clash under the lights against Georgia. The dual-threat quarterback didnt record an incomplete pass until 4:13 left in the second quarter, and his completion percentage didnt drop below 90% until 11:50 left in the third. Milroe was also electric on the ground, totaling over 100 yards for the third time in his career and adding two touchdowns.

Ryan Williams— “Hollywood” continues to be one of the gems of this Alabama roster. For the second time in four career games, the 17-year-old broke the 100-yard mark. Williams’s performance is awe-inspiring, considering the high volume of talent Georgia possesses on defense. Williams recorded a career-high six receptions for 177 yards, including his game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Domani Jackson—The offseason transfer portal addition, Jackson, has been a revelation for the Alabama secondary and has shown why he was ranked as a top-20 prospect coming out of high school. Jackson recorded four tackles, a pass breakup and an interception in Alabama’s big win over Georgia.

Jihaad Campbell— Campbell once again showed up for Alabama. Despite only recording x tackles against the Bulldogs, Campbell snagged his first turnover of the season, intercepting Carson Beck near the end of the second quarter.