No. 4/4 Alabama Football Holds Strong, Tops No. 2/1 Georgia, 41-34

Saturday, September 28

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

6:30 p.m. CT

Alabama

4-0 , 1-0

Georgia

3-1 , 1-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Georgia

Alabama

Ryan Williams and team celebrating his touchdown

No. 4/4 Alabama Football Holds Strong, Tops No. 2/1 Georgia, 41-34

9/29/2024 12:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score Game Book Photo Gallery

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The No. 4/4 Alabama football team came out on top in a thrilling matchup between two top-five teams, as Jalen Milroe's late 75-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Williams helped to seal the 41-34 win over No. 2/1 Georgia on Saturday night at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Bulldogs final drive was halted by Zabien Brown's first-career interception, allowing the Tide to run out the remainder of the clock.

Milroe finished 27-of-33 through the air, compiling a career-high 374 passing yards and two touchdowns. The dual-threat quarterback also added 117 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries on the ground. Jam Miller's lone catch resulted in a 16-yard receiving score.

Williams led all Tide receivers once again, compiling 177 yards on six catches, with the final one being the long go-ahead score with 2:18 remaining in the ballgame. Germie Bernard hauled in five catches for 25 yards, and also had a 7-yard rushing score.

The Alabama defense produced four total turnovers (three interceptions, one fumble) to aid the winning effort. Deontae Lawson led all Tide defenders with 10 tackles (two for loss), contributing a sack and a pass breakup. Domani Jackson managed seven tackles and an interception, while Jihaad Campbell totaled four tackles and an interception as well. As a group, Alabama forced four turnovers, broke up nine passes to go with three sacks, six tackles for loss and a safety.

Notes

Alabama's victory over Georgia stands as the 300th win at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
As a head coach, Kalen DeBoer is now 13-2 against ranked opponents. That mark includes a 5-1 record against teams ranked in top 10 matchups.
The win improves Alabama to 16-1 (.941) in SEC home openers since 2008.
The Tide is now 86-80-1 (.516) all-time against teams ranked in the top-10 of the Associated Press poll, and 37-14 against top-10 programs since 2008.
With 41 points on Saturday, Alabama has recorded 40-plus points in the first four games of season, the first time the Tide has done so since 2019.
Milroe's 374 passing yards stands as a new career best, surpassing his previous high of 321 yards set on Oct. 7, 2023, at Texas A&M.
Milroe's 117 rushing yards becomes a season-high and are his most in a single-game since Nov. 11, 2023, vs. LSU.
Milroe's eight rushing touchdowns are tied for the most by any quarterback in the FBS.
Milroe opened the game completing his first 11 passes. Including Alabama's matchup at Wisconsin on Sept. 14, Milroe had completed 12-consecutive passes, the fifth-longest streak in program history.
Milroe's 12-consecutive completions marks the third occasion he has recorded such a streak.
Milroe's 7-yard touchdown run to close Alabama's initial drive signifies the Tide's first opening-possession score of the season.
Milroe is now responsible for 108 points this season, the second-most of any player in the FBS.
Milroe completed at least one pass to 11 different receivers.
Ryan Williams' 75-yard touchdown catch is tied for the 12th-longest touchdown pass in program history.
Of Williams' 15 receptions, six have gone for 43-plus yards (40 percent).
Wiiliams' 462 receiving yards leads all freshmen wideouts, while his five receiving touchdowns share the national lead among rookie players.
The Tide defense held Georgia to 3-15 on third-down conversions, as Alabama has allowed just 11 third-down conversion in 64 attempts (17.1 percent) this season.
Domani Jackson and Zabien Brown both recorded their first interceptions as members of the Tide.
Jihaad Campbell's second quarter interception was the second of his Tide career, the other taking place on Sept. 30, 2023, at Mississippi State.
The Tide's forced safety late in the second quarter was Alabama's first since Justin Eboigbe's sack on Oct. 7, 2023, at Texas A&M.

How It Happened

First Quarter

10:11 - UA | On a designed quarterback run, Jalen Milroe found the end zone with a 7-yard score, punctuating an eight-play, 70-yard opening drive (7-0, Alabama).
4:39 - UA | Capping a six-play, 84-yard drive, Milroe connected with Jam Miller for a 16-yard touchdown pass on a wheel route. The drive included four plays of 16-plus yards (14-0, Alabama).
2:21 - UA | Following Domani Jackson's interception, Germie Bernard took advantage of the turnover, taking the wide run for a 7-yard rushing touchdown. The scoring drive needed just three plays to cover 22 yards (21-0, Alabama).

Second Quarter

12:24 - UA | On 4th-and-1, Milroe held on to the read option, exploding down the right sideline for a 36-yard rushing touchdown. The drive went for six plays and 67 yards (28-0, Alabama).
6:43 - UGA | The Bulldogs found the scoreboard as a 7-yard rushing touchdown closed an 11-play, 75-yard drive (28-7, Alabama).
1:39 - UA | With the Bulldogs backed up near their own goal line, pressure by Alabama's defense forced Georgia quarterback Carson Beck into an intentional grounding penalty within his own end zone, resulting in a safety (30-7, Alabama).

Third Quarter

5:06 - UGA | The Bulldogs cut into the Tide lead, as a 15-play, 80-yard drive ended with a 12-yard touchdown pass. Georgia also added a successful two-point conversion (30-15, Alabama).
1:39 - UA | After Graham Nicholson converted his first field goal as a member of the Crimson Tide, connecting on a 28-yard attempt. Alabama traveled 69-yards on seven plays, highlighted by Ryan Williams' improbable 54-yard catch-and-run (33-15, Alabama).

Fourth Quarter

9:46 - UGA | Georgia's second touchdown pass of the night, an 8-yard score, concluded a quick six-play, 80-yard drive. The Tide defense successfully defended the Bulldogs two-point try (33-21, Alabama).
5:39 - UGA | The Bulldogs crafted a four-play, 78-yard scoring drive, as Georgia plunged into the end zone with a 3-yard rushing touchdown (33-28, Alabama).
2:31 - UGA | Georgia gained its first lead of the night, scoring on a 67-yard touchdown pass, the lone play of the drive (34-33, Georgia).
2:18 - UA | The Tide quickly countered with a one-play score of its own, as Milroe found Williams for a 75-yard, go-ahead touchdown pass. Milroe also found Bernard in the back of the end zone for a successful two-point conversion (41-34, Alabama).

Up Next

Alabama will remain in SEC play, as the Tide travel to Vanderbilt on Saturday, Oct. 5.
The Crimson Tide and Commodores are scheduled for a 3:15 p.m. CT kickoff on SEC Network.