No. 8 Alabama hangs on, beats No. 1 Georgia in SEC Championship

Jalen Milroe had two passing touchdowns as No. 8 Alabama snapped No. 1 Georgia’s 29-game winning streak to capture the Southeastern Conference Championship on Saturday.

The Bulldogs had won 45 of their previous 46 games, dating back to the 2021 SEC Championship in which they lost to the same Crimson Tide team.

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Georgia struck first.

Bulldogs running back Kendall Milton ran in a 17-yard score on their first drive of the game to go up 7-0.

Alabama kicker Will Reichard became the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer with his first field goal of the game, a 43-yarder with 3:43 left in the first quarter.

Then, Milroe turned it on.

The first-year Crimson Tide starting quarterback threw two touchdowns in the second quarter, giving Alabama a lead it wouldn’t relinquish after passes of 28 and 15 yards to Jamarion Miller and Jermaine Burton.

Georgia got within three points twice in the fourth quarter after quarterback Carson Beck and Milton ran in 1-yard scores.

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Milroe went 5-for-5 in the final quarter to will Alabama to victory. He led a nine-play, 75-yard drive that resulted in running back Roydell Williams punching in a 1-yard touchdown that proved to be the difference.

Milroe finished with 192 passing yards and two touchdowns on 57% completion.

Beck completed 72% of his passes for 243 passing yards.

It will be interesting to see where the College Football Playoff Selection Committee ranks both Georgia and Alabama on Sunday. The SEC has had at least one team make the Playoff in each of the nine seasons of the CFP era.