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Live updates, highlights and analysis as Alabama and Georgia take center stage in prime time for a monumental SEC battle
Two of the SEC’s three remaining undefeated teams will battle it out Saturday night inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.
No. 2 Georgia is a 2.5-point underdog on the road at No. 6 Alabama (7:30 p.m. ET on ABC). All week attention centered on the potential impact of Hurricane Isaias on the night game between the two SEC heavyweights. While central Alabama received plenty of rain overnight and through the afternoon, Isaias devolved into a post-tropical system by Saturday morning. The weather will likely have a more limited impact than was initially feared earlier in the week.
What we should see Saturday night is one of the most explosive offenses in the country versus one of the best defenses especially when it comes to stopping the run. Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell has been terrific this season for the Crimson Tide, throwing for 1,1414 yards, 14 touchdowns and only two interceptions. His favorite target has been Ryan Coleman-Williams who leads the team with 376 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
Georgia has dominated all the competition it has faced this season but gets its toughest test yet against Alabama. He doesn’t get as much attention as Russell, but Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton has been very good for the Bulldogs. He has 13 touchdowns to only one interception and has ably guided the UGA offense to big wins over opponents like Oklahoma and Vanderbilt. The Bulldogs are expected to have leading rusher Nate Frazier closer to full strength after missing most of the last two games.
Not only would the winner of this game be in prime early position to make the SEC Championship but would have a better than 93 percent chance to make the College Football Playoff, according to CBS Sports’ forecasting and projections team.
Keep it locked here as CBS Sports provides you with live updates, highlights and analysis as Alabama battles Georgia on Saturday.
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Talty ties it up
Third quarter: Alabama 17, Georgia 17
The great Conor Talty tied it up at 17-17 on a successful 39-yard field goal. Keelon Russell was cooking on that offensive drive for the Tide, scrambling for a 21-yard gain and going 3 for 4 on his pass attempts for 25 yards. This game between two SEC heavyweights has been everything you would have wanted so far. Neither team is going away any time soon.
Stockton strikes back
Third quarter: Georgia 17, Alabama 14
A tipped INT notwithstanding, Gunner Stockton is having himself a helluva game in Tuscaloosa. He’s made multiple big-time throws tonight including a 30-yard one to Craig Dandridge that was right on the money in tight coverage. Stockton then kept it to himself and scored on a 14-yard run.
He’s 11 for 13 for 188 yards, one passing touchdown, one rushing touchdown and an interception. That was a strong response from Georgia to start the second half after the way Alabama took the lead right before the half.
Tide takes halftime lead
HALF: Alabama 14, Georgia 10
A gutsy decision from Kalen DeBoer right before halftime paid off as EJ Crowell raced in from a yard out to give No. 6 Alabama a 14-10 lead over No. 2 Georgia. The Bulldogs will start with the ball in the second half.
Facing a second-and-goal from Georgia’s 1-yard line with only time for one more play, DeBoer opted to run the ball with Crowell, who was able to get the edge on a Georgia defender and run in for the touchdown. It was an impressive two-minute drive from Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell and the Crimson Tide offense after the defense stopped Georgia.
Georgia struck first off a 42-yard Peyton Woodring field goal in the first quarter for a 3-0 lead. The Bulldogs added to that with a Gunner Stockton to London Humphreys 20-yard touchdown pass. Stockton was efficient and effective in the first half, finishing 9 for 11 for 143 yards, one touchdown and an interception. Stockton set up the touchdown drive with a 53-yard pass to Jaden Reddell, who raced down the middle of the field.
Alabama wasn’t able to muster as many explosive plays as fans have become accustomed to seeing this season, but finally broke through in the second quarter. Trae’shawn Brown gave Alabama the big play it desperately needed with a 58-yard run. One play later, Keelon Russell got Alabama on the board with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Marshall Pritchett. Russell didn’t look particularly comfortable early on against the Bulldogs, but settled in nicely in the second quarter. He finished the half 11 for 22 for 119 yards, one touchdown and one lost fumble.
Alabama outgained Georgia, 224-192, in the first half.
Can Bama get a stop?
Second quarter: Georgia 10, Alabama 7
Alabama’s defense is facing a critical series here coming out of the two-minute timeout. Georgia is on its own 42-yard line with all three timeouts remaining and set up to get the ball to start the second half. Gunner Stockton has been moving the ball well. Georgia adding another touchdown right before halftime could be a backbreaker.
Alabama has had some success bringing extra pressure on Stockton. Can it dial it up a bit more to force a punt?
There’s explosive Alabama
Second quarter: Georgia 10, Alabama 7
No team had more explosive plays than Alabama coming into tonight’s game. Through the first quarter-and-a-half, though, Alabama couldn’t manage much. And then came the big breakthrough on a Trae’shawn Brown 58-yard run. The very next play Keelon Russell connected with Marshall Pritchett for a 22-yard touchdown.
Georgia jumping out to a 10-0 lead quieted the crowd but two big plays back-to-back after the place roaring again.
Stockton breaks through
Second quarter: Georgia 10, Alabama 0
Gunner Stockton threw a dart to Jaden Reddell who raced past a step-too-slow Bray Hubbard down the middle of the field for a 53-yard gain. The very next play Stockton hit London Humphreys for a 20-yard touchdown to give Georgia a two-score lead and completely quieted the Bryant-Denny Stadium crowd. Alabama had been doing a good job bottling up Georgia’s offense before Stockton found something he liked down the middle.
Stockton is a perfect 6 for 6 for 109 yards and a touchdown.
Defense taking over
Second quarter: Georgia 3, Alabama 0
It has turned into a defensive slugfest here in the first half. Georgia is all over Keelon Russell, who hasn’t looked super comfortable early on in this one. He’s 4 for 7 for 24 yards and a lost fumble. The big play opportunities Russell excelled at last week against Mississippi State haven’t been there.
Similarly, Alabama’s defense hasn’t given Georgia much to work with. After a terrific Alabama punt was downed at Georgia’s 3-yard line, the Bulldogs couldn’t manage much and had to punt after a three-and-out. Gunner Stockton is 2 for 2 for 29 yards.
Dogs up early
First quarter: Georgia 3, Alabama 0
Despite the penalties, Georgia put three points on the board off a Peyton Woodring 43-yard field goal. Dwight Phillips had 16 rushing yards — plus a 17-yard rushing touchdown that was called back — while Gunner Stockton connected with Lawson Luckie for a 26-yard gain to power Georgia’s early offense.
Penalties killing Georgia
First quarter: Alabama 0, Georgia 0
Georgia appeared to have the first points of the game on a Dwight Phillips touchdown run…until a holding penalty brought it back. It wasn’t an egregious hold but was just enough right in front of an official to get called. On the next play, Georgia got hit for a rare offensive pass interference call on a pick play that resulted in an injury to Jaden Reddell.
If Georgia doesn’t emerge with points from this drive, those penalties will loom extra large.
First mistake for Russell
First quarter: Alabama 0, Georgia 0
A promising first drive for Alabama ends when Keelon Russell gets hit from his blind side and fumbles the ball on Georgia’s 37-yard line. Russell didn’t have much of a shot with Joseph Jonah-Ajonye on him as quickly as he was. The Bulldogs get the ball on their 39-yard line.
Alabama will start with ball
We are just about to kick off here in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Georgia won the toss and has chosen to defer. It’s been a rainy day in Alabama, and we’ll see how it impacts Keelon Russell and this high-powered Alabama offense to start.
Can Kirby end the streak?
For all the incredible success Kirby Smart has had at Georgia, Alabama has remained a quandary he rarely has been able to figure out. Smart has a 122-21 record while at UGA, and yet seven of those 21 losses have come at the hands of the Crimson Tide. Smart beat Alabama in last season’s SEC Championship — his first win in four tries against Bama in Atlanta — but has yet to win a regular-season game. Smart is 0-3 all-time against Alabama, with the last two coming in back-to-back seasons against Kalen DeBoer.
Can Kirby get his first regular-season win over Alabama tonight? His Bulldogs are 2.5-point underdogs on the road.
No Trump in Tuscaloosa
President Donald Trump decided Friday he would not attend Saturday night’s game as previously planned. In a post on social media, Trump wrote, “Based on the fact that a huge Hurricane/Storm is coming, it is important to have our wonderful First Responders, Law Enforcement, and others, focused on that Storm, and in no way be thinking about the safety, or presence, of the President of the United States, ME! Therefore, I will miss that potentially unbelievable Game, Alabama vs. Georgia but, hopefully, the Game will go on despite the weather!”
The absence of President Trump lessens the security measures that fans attending the game would have had to go through. Trump attended the Texas at Tennessee game earlier this season and previously attended Alabama’s 41-34 win over Georgia in Tuscaloosa two years ago.
