The Georgia Bulldogs under Head Coach Kirby Smart have only known winning. During his ten-year reign, Georgia is 116-20 with back-to-back National Championships in 2021 and 2022. Success, though, hasn’t come against the Alabama Crimson Tide, winning only once out of eight tries.
A playoff spot was secure, regardless, but the Bulldogs needed a victory in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game to get the Alabama monkey off their backs. Georgia’s defense ensured the win, controlling the Crimson Tide all evening in a dominant 28-7 performance.
During September and October, the Bulldogs won in spite of their defense, not because of it. The defensive corps got torched for 41 points by the Tennessee Volunteers and 35 by the Mississippi Rebels. Lack of pressure and a leaky secondary gave opposing quarterbacks ideal situations to put up big numbers.
Tennessee quarterback Joey Aquilar went 24 for 36 for 371 yards with four touchdowns. Mississippi signal caller Trinidad Chambliss completed 19 of 36 passes for 263 yards and a score while rushing for 42 yards and two touchdowns. Georgia proved fortunate to win the contests thanks to its leader, Gunner Stockton, who refused to give up.
The Bulldogs’ standard has become championships; that wasn’t going to happen in 2025 without significant improvement by the defense. Too often, Georgia fell into deep holes and needed miraculous comebacks to obtain victories. In all of them, except a September battle against Alabama, the Bulldogs were able to do so.
Since the calendar turned to November and December, the Georgia defense has flipped a switch. Smart builds his teams to be mentally tough, crafted with talented athletes, gritty quarterbacks, and commanding defenses.
Over its last five games, the Bulldogs have allowed 50 points. During its last four contests, the defense held its opponent to 10 points or less each time. It has found a pass rush, and the secondary has come of age. It saved its best for its nemesis, the Crimson Tide.
Throughout its run of success against Georgia, Alabama has continuously gotten superior quarterback play, especially late. The Crimson Tide had reason to be confident in Ty Simpson, especially with how he played in Athens in September. He accounted for three touchdowns and kept the Bulldogs at bay in the fourth quarter, giving Georgia its first home loss since October 2019.
Smart said the SEC Championship matchup would be different and expressed confidence in his more mature defense. It didn’t disappoint as it swarmed Simpson right at game tipoff and never let up, finishing with 19 pressures and three sacks.
Simpson looked confident and comfortable all evening in September, having ample time in the pocket. On Saturday, he could not get settled as Georgia had men in his face, and he had to rush throws in extensive coverage. He completed only 19 of 39 passes, less than 50 percent, threw an interception, and was fortunate not to have several more picked.
A running game might have given Simpson a chance to recover, but the Bulldogs’ impenetrable brick wall couldn’t be broken. Alabama rushed 16 times for negative three yards. Yes, it didn’t even finish with positive yardage by game’s end! A program notorious for running backs along the likes of Jahmyr Gibbs, Najee Harris, Mark Ingram, and Derrick Henry could get nothing going.
The Crimson Tide’s offense barely passed the 200-yard barrier, ending with 209. Alabama won big on third down in September, converting 13 of 19. Smart said that was the biggest factor for Georgia’s defeat and emphasized that significant improvement was needed. In the SEC Championship showdown, the Crimson Tide lost big on third down, converting only 3 of 14.
The Bulldogs’ defense won the program its second straight conference championship with its best performance of the season. Smart seeks units that bring pressure, force turnovers, and win on third downs. The defensive corps accomplished all overwhelmingly and brought Georgia its biggest win against Alabama in the Smart era.
The offense didn’t need to put up a huge performance, but Stockton ensured that it pulled its weight. He came into the season facing many doubters, and his performance should get him a Heisman mention. In the biggest matchups in the highest-pressure moments, he has played his best. He continued against the Crimson Tide.
Stockton completed 20 of 26 passes for three touchdowns and zero interceptions. He ran for 39 yards while distributing the football to multiple weapons. He completed throws to 10 players, three of whom made a scoring reception. Stockton won the game’s Most Valuable Player award with his composed performance.
The running game also helped, going for 141 yards and a score. Nate Frazier has become the leading back, and he carried the torch for 52 yards and a touchdown. Dillon Bell and Chauncey Bowens also contributed, both running for 5.8 plus yards a carry. They maintained drives against the Crimson Tide’s tired defense and ensured that there would be no letup. A balanced offense combined with a stifling defense is a tough combination to beat, even for one as skilled as Alabama.
Last week, there was much debate about whether the Bulldogs would be better off not making it to the SEC Championship. Smart squelched such talk and emphasized the pride that comes from winning the conference title. Georgia has won back-to-back for the first time under Smart and its fourth in his incredible reign.
The Bulldogs needed this game and its outcome much more than for the championship. Alabama has been the one hurdle, excluding the thrilling 2022 National Championship Game, that Georgia hasn’t quite been able to overcome. It has lost excruciating contests to the Crimson Tide time and time again, and a mental hurdle needed to be overcome.
A loss tonight wouldn’t have kept the Bulldogs out of the playoffs, and it’s conceivable they still would have gone on an extended run. What would their confidence level have been with another loss to Alabama, though? A defeat would have knocked them to 1-8 against the Crimson Tide under Smart. The media undoubtedly would have harped on it continuously, and the late-season momentum lost.
Instead, Georgia scaled the Alabama mountain in style, playing its most complete game by far all season. Its defense looks like the elite versions of the past. Stockton appears as cool as a cucumber and ready for the playoff pressure. The team showed it could overcome a key injury loss to its excellent center, Drew Bobo. Many, including former Bulldogs star David Pollack, doubted it could.
Nothing is guaranteed in this game. Fans, though, will most likely take their chances with a team that is elevating its performance in all aspects while gaining a massive confidence booster. A young team beginning the season is showing that it has matured rapidly over the last few weeks, and has a sky-high ceiling.
At the end of October, it would have been fair to doubt whether the Bulldogs could win a National Title. Watching them tonight, enthusiasts can believe. Dominating its Crimson Tide Achilles Heel opens a world of possibilities. Get ready for an exciting playoff month!
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