It’s fitting that we got an SEC Championship Game matchup between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs. Not only was Saturday evening’s matchup the decider for an SEC title and a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff, but it also carried signifiant importance for both programs.
Let’s dive into the winners and losers from the SEC Championship Game, with Georgia dominating Alabama to earn a top-two seed in the College Football Playoff.
Winner: Cole Speer, WR, Georgia Bulldogs
It’s rare for there to be a single moment in a blowout where it feels like the game changed, but that’s what happened in the SEC Championship Game. In a 0-0 game midway through the first quarter, Bulldogs wide receiver Cole Speer burst into the backfield to block the punt inside Alabama’s 20-yard line, with Georgia recovering it at the 21-yard line. Four plays later, Georgia found the end zone. Momentum was entirely on the Bulldogs’ side, with an 11-play sequence that saw the Bulldogs go from a tie game to leading by a touchdown with possession of the football near midfield. It all started with Speer’s punt block.
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Loser: Alabama Crimson Tide’s Ground Game
The moment Jam Miller was ruled out ahead of the SEC Championship Game, doubt grew about the Crimson Tide’s ability to win this one. Coming into Saturday night, Alabama ranked 103rd nationally in rushing yards per game (126.2), and it averaged just $3.71$ yards per carry. It performed even worse versus Georgia. In the first three quarters, Alabama didn’t have a single carry go for more than 5 yards, and its ball-carriers averaged just $2.5$ yards per carry (excluding sacks). The inability to run the football meant third-and-longs, putting Ty Simpson in an even worse position behind this Alabama offensive line. It was only a matter of time until the Crimson Tide’s issues running the football cost them; tonight was it.
Winner: Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia Bulldogs
A week ago, the Bulldogs won despite quarterback Gunner Stockton completing just 11-of-21 passes for 90 passing yards (3.3 yards per attempt). For Georgia to win the SEC Championship Game and prove it deserved a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff, it needed Stockton at his best. He delivered. The stats might not jump off the page, but he took advantage of great field position and consistently made on-target throws to allow Bulldogs receivers to make plays after the catch.
Loser: Ryan Williams, WR, Alabama Crimson Tide
The underwhelming sophomore season for Ryan Williams continued on Saturday night. He came into Saturday with one of the highest drop rates in the nation, also seemingly struggling with his confidence. Trailing 7-0, Alabama tried to find a spark with Williams, and he connected with a 20-yard play down the sideline. From then on, he was practically non-existent. Simpson did put one near Williams downfield, but the former freshman sensation couldn’t bring it in. In 11 games this season, Williams couldn’t eclipse 600 receiving yards and he scored just 1 touchdown since Oct. 5.
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Winner: Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia Bulldogs
Similar to Stockton, it wasn’t about gaudy stats for Zachariah Branch on Saturday night. He finished under 60 receiving yards. He did, however, deliver the dagger in the fourth quarter that put Georgia up 28-7 and ensured that Alabama’s slim hopes at a comeback were crushed. Plus, with NFL scouts in attendance, Branch looked like the most explosive playmaker on the field in the SEC Championship Game.
Loser: Alabama Crimson Tide Offensive Line
It would be easy to list Ty Simpson among the losers, given he had more incompletions (20) than completed passes (19) on Saturday night. However, purely based on performance, the Crimson Tide was even worse than the quarterback. Alabama’s offensive line allowed more than a dozen pressures with 3 sacks in the SEC Championship Game, with Georgia’s pass rush blowing up just about everything Simpson wanted to do from the pocket. When you throw in the abysmal run game, it’s easy to point to Alabama’s offensive line as its biggest problem in this 28-7 loss.
Winner: Kirby Smart
Kirby Smart beat Alabama. The Crimson Tide, both with Nick Saban and Kalen DeBoer, had been his kryptonite since he took over as the Bulldogs head coach. Georgia isn’t exactly the favorite to win the national championship game this season either, so it’s not like a national title would mask some of the frustration had Georgia lost to Alabama for the second time in a season. By the second quarter, it was never in doubt that the Bulldogs were going to bury the Crimson Tide. This is a very well-earned victory for Smart, and it feels like it could be a turning point for him, with Georgia potentially about to go on a run of controlling the series.
