Observe the second half of Alabama-Georgia with The Athletic’s stay weblog.
Probably the most anticipated faculty soccer video games of the season, within the SEC and across the nation, became a laugher in lower than 20 minutes. No. 4 Alabama scored touchdowns on its first 4 offensive possessions and jumped out to a 28-0 lead on No. 2 Georgia, taking a 30-7 lead into halftime at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
With former Alabama coach Nick Saban watching from a collection, Kalen DeBoer’s Crimson Tide scored touchdowns on their first 4 possessions to stun Kirby Good and the Georgia protection. Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe threw for 2 touchdowns, ran for an additional and didn’t throw an incompletion till there have been slightly below 4 minutes left within the second quarter. Georgia confronted a 21-point deficit within the first quarter for the primary time since a 35-7 loss to South Carolina in 2012.
The Bulldogs lastly received on the board halfway via the second quarter with a 7-yard landing run, then stopped Alabama on a fourth-and-1 on the following drive to arrange what might have been a key drive simply earlier than halftime. However Georgia quarterback Carson Beck threw his second interception of the night time on the very subsequent play. The Bulldogs responded with an interception of their very own, however Beck was flagged for intentional grounding in the long run zone, awarding Alabama with a security.
How the Crimson Tide received rolling
Let’s begin with a couple of numbers to summarize this half:
Georgia hadn’t allowed a landing all yr. Saturday night time? 4.
Georgia had solely allowed two performs of 20 yards. Saturday night time? 5.
Georgia hadn’t turned it over all season. Saturday night time? Two.
The primary half felt like the height of what Alabama’s expertise in a Kalen DeBoer offense might appear like. Alabama marched down the sector on the opening possession, its solely impediment being three self-inflicted penalties, and nonetheless discovered the tip zone in eight performs. Milroe accounted for all 70 yards, a mixture of run and go, which set the tone because the quarterback performed the very best half of his profession: 13 for 15 passing, over 10 yards per rush and three touchdowns. It was spectacular to look at the dominance and jarring to look at the Georgia protection appear helpless for the primary time in so long as anybody can keep in mind.
The defensive effort was aided by Georgia’s miscues, and there have been loads. Main 14-0 within the first quarter, the Crimson Tide despatched strain in direction of Beck, who threw an errant go that was intercepted by Domani Jackson. Just a few performs later, the Tide have been in the long run zone once more. The protection turned Beck over as soon as extra after which scored simply earlier than halftime with a security.
Above all, essentially the most shocking aspect was that Alabama, this system with lots of new faces and a brand new teaching workers, was the extra composed crew by a big margin. The second didn’t appear too huge for the Crimson Tide within the first half, whereas Georgia crumbled underneath the strain and the vitality inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. The sport just isn’t over, however Kalen DeBoer’s SEC debut started with probably the greatest first halves in latest program historical past, particularly given the opponent.
What went unsuitable for Georgia within the first half?
Georgia’s protection was shockingly helpless, even understanding what was coming, even with an additional week to arrange for it. It was virtually comical, surreal, decide your adjective, to look at a Kirby Good protection haven’t any solutions for one participant. After the second drive, Georgia defensive linemen might be seen on the sideline holding their palms up within the pissed off “what’s occurring right here” look.
First it was together with his toes: When Georgia pressured Milroe, he scrambled away for a future. Then it was his arm: Milroe confronted strain and simply hit receivers who took benefit of area vacated by the blitzes. Then it was Milroe’s toes once more: When Jalon Walker almost received to Milroe within the backfield, Milroe ran proper then tiptoed the sideline for a 34-yard run.
Carson Beck and Georgia’s offense didn’t assist issues: Arian Smith dropped what ought to have been a protracted completion on the primary drive. Beck threw an interception deep in his personal territory after a miscommunication with two receivers on the left facet, neither of whom have been wanting again when Beck threw the ball.
However when Georgia’s offense additionally began sluggish within the wins towards Clemson and Kentucky earlier this month, the Bulldogs performed effectively sufficient on protection to purchase time for the offense to get its stuff collectively. This time, the protection broke instantly, in a way unseen for this program in eight years.
(Picture: John David Mercer / Imagn Photographs)
