2017 game summaries No. 4 Alabama 26, No. 3 Georgia 23 (OT) Jan. 8, 2018 • Mercedes-Benz Stadium - Atlanta, Ga.
ATLANTA, Ga. – A second-half surge, capped by a 41-yard touchdown in overtime, lifted Alabama over Georgia in the National Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. After 20 points from the Tide offense in the second half, a wide 36-yard field goal attempt from Alabama kicker Andy Pappanastos in the final seconds of regulation sent the game into Georgia’s second straight overtime contest of the College Football Playoff. In extra period, kicker Rodrigo Blankenship, who was perfect in three field-goal attempts on the game, drilled a 51-yarder for the 23-20 Georgia lead. Junior Jonathan Ledbetter and senior Davin Bellamy then sacked Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for a loss of 16 yards, but on the next play, the freshman hauled a 41-yard pass to a DeVonta Smith in the end zone to seal the Tide’s national championship. The Bulldogs held Alabama scoreless in the first half, going into intermission with a 13-0 advantage. Late in the first quarter, Sony Michel converted two key third-down plays to extend a Georgia drive. On 3rd-and-20, Michel maneuvered the edge of the field, sprinting 26 yards down the sideline, placing Georgia on the Alabama 26yard line. Blankenship capped the 14-play, 55-yard drive at the beginning of the second quarter with a 41-yard field goal, and Georgia claimed the 3-0 lead. Another Alabama three-and-out returned the ball to the Georgia offense, and Fromm directed a 13-play, 70-yard scoring drive. The freshman used four different Georgia receivers for a combined 54 receiving yards, completing 4-of7 passes. A 27-yard field goal from Blankenship provided the 6-0 Bulldog edge. With 1:19 remaining in the half, the Georgia defense forced Alabama to punt, setting up a Fromm-directed 9-play, 69-yard drive. Michel took the direct snap with seven seconds left and handed the ball to Hardman, who rushed into the end zone for the 1-yard touchdown, the second of his career. In the third quarter, Alabama struck first, completing a 7-play, 56-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Tagovailoa to Henry Ruggs III, but Georgia responded on the following possession. At the 6:52 mark in the third quarter, Fromm tossed a career-high 80-yard bomb to Hardman downfield, who shook off an Alabama defender to reach the end zone for the 20-7 Georgia edge. Alabama pieced together a pair of field goals from Pappanastos to cut into the Georgia lead. On 4th-and-4, Tagovailoa found wide receiver Calvin Ridley in the middle of the end zone, followed by a Pappanastos kick, to knot the game at 20, and eventually send the game into overtime.
Coach Kirby Smart said… “This team’s not going anywhere. The inches are everywhere. The inches that it takes to be a champion, they’re everywhere. They’re in everything. They’re all over the place, and we’ve got to get more inches.”
2017 SEC Champions
SCORING SUMMARY
#4 Alabama (13-1) #3 Georgia (13-2)
0 0 10 10 6 = 26 0 13 7 0 3 = 23
UG - Rodrigo Blankenship, 41-yard field goal, 14:14, 2Q UG - Rodrigo Blankenship, 27-yard field goal, 7:33, 2Q UG - Mecole Hardman, 1-yard run (Blankenship kick) 0:07, 2Q UA - Henry Ruggs III, 6-yard pass from Tagovailoa (Pappanastos kick), 6:52, 3Q UG - Mecole Hardman, 80-yard pass from Fromm (Blankenship kick), 6:52, 3Q UA - Andy Pappanastos 43-yard field goal, 5:15, 3Q UA - Andy Pappanastos, 30-yard field goal, 9:24, 4Q UA - Calvin Ridley, 7-yard pass from Tagovailoa (Pappanastos kick), 3:49, 4Q UG - Rodrigo Blankenship kick, 51-yard field goal, OT UA - DeVonta Smith, 41-yard pass from Tagovailoa, OT Weather: Indoors.
GAME STATISTICS
First Downs Rushing: Att.-Yards Passing: Comp.-Att.-Yds.-Int Total Plays-Total Net Yards Fumbles: Number-Lost Penalties: Number-Yards Punts: Number-Yards (Avg.) Kickoff Returns: Number-Yards (Avg.) Time of Possession Third Down Conversions Fourth Down Conversions Sacks By: Number-Yards
UA UGA 20 22 39-184 45-133 17-32-187-1 16-32-232-2 71-371 77-365 0-0 0-0 6-41 6-65 6-285 (47.5) 7-295 (42.1) 2-42 (21.0) 3-40 (13.3) 26:17 33:43 3 of 14 8 of 19 1 of 1 0 of 0 4-33 3-26
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing UA - Najee Harris UGA - Sony Michel Passing UA - Tua Tagovailoa UGA - Jake Fromm Receiving UA - Calvin Ridley UGA - Riley Ridley Punting UA - JK Scott UGA - Cameron Nizialek Tackles UA - Mack Wilson UGA - Roquan Smith
Att. Yds. TD Long 6 64 0 35 14 98 0 26 Comp. Att. Yds. TD 14 24 166 3 16 32 232 1 Rec. Yds. TD Long 4 32 1 9 6 82 0 23 No. Yds. Avg. Long 6 285 47.5 56 6 276 46.0 51 UT AT Tot. 7 5 12 9 4 13
Worth Noting…
Mecole Hardman scores the first of his two touchdowns in the CFP Championship game, a 1-yard dash just before halftime that gave Georgia a 12-0 lead at the time.
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georgia bulldogs
• The 13 wins ties the school record for most wins in a season (2002 SEC Championship team went 13-1). For the second straight game, Georgia went to overtime. With tonight’s loss, Georgia is now 8-6 in overtime including 3-3 in neutral sites. • Fromm’s 80-yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman was part of a four play, season-high 93-yard drive in 1:56. It was the longest by the Bulldogs since a record 98-yarder in 2013 by Aaron Murray to Reggie Davis against North Texas. • For the fourth time this season, Georgia blanked a team in the first half as Alabama joined Florida, Tennessee and App. State without points. Also for the ninth time this season, Georgia’s opponent failed to score in the first quarter. • Bulldog junior WLB Roquan Smith tied his career-high with 13 tackles and ends the season with a team-best 137 tackles, marking his second-straight season with 100 or more tackles. • The Bulldogs came in today averaging 36.3 points a game including ranking 4th in the nation in Red Zone Offense, going 51-for-53 with 38 touchdowns. Georgia went 2-for-2 in the Red Zone with one TD and one Field Goal. • Senior strong safety Dominick Sanders made his school record-tying 53rd career start, the most-ever for a non-kicker and ties him with PK Blair Walsh, who started 53 games from 2008-11.
2018 spring football