ATLANTA —For Georgia, it was more of the same against Alabama. Despite being a favorite and having one of the best defenses in recent history, it didn’t change the final outcome.

Alabama rolled up 31 points on five straight drives in the second and third quarter before picking off Stetson Bennett twice to secure a 41-24 win. That’s the same score Alabama beat Georgia by last season when the two teams met. Bennett was also the quarterback that day for Georgia.

It’s the seventh-straight time Alabama has beaten Georgia dating back to 2007. Alabama coach Nick Saban is now 7-1 against Georgia since becoming the head coach of the Crimson Tide. Georgia is now 0-4 against Alabama with Kirby Smart as the head coach.

Related: Georgia football falls to Alabama again

The loss is Georgia’s first of the season, dropping the Bulldogs to 12-1. It’s the third straight loss in the SEC championship game for the Bulldogs.

Georgia will now wait to learn its College Football Playoff fate. The Bulldogs were helped by an Oklahoma State loss earlier on Saturday, but will still wait to see if they make the playoff.

Disastrous second quarter for Georgia

Georgia owned the second quarter this season. In the first 12 games of the year, the Bulldogs outscored opponents 162-7.

Alabama though moved the ball with ease against the vaunted Georgia defense in the frame, racking up 24 points in the quarter. All of Alabama’s touchdown drives were 75-plus yards as the Bulldogs had no answer for Alabama’s Bryce Young.

The quarterback set an SEC record for passing yards in the first half with 286 yards. He found Jameson Williams for a 67-yard touchdown before then hooking with John Metchie for a 13-yard touchdown.

The Bulldogs actually held a 10-0 lead after Darnell Washington scored on the first play of the quarter. The Bulldogs also tied the game up with a 32-yard catch and run from Ladd McConkey with 2:06 remaining.

But Young once again carved up the Georgia defense. This time he used his legs to move the ball, as he had 40 rushing yards in the second quarter. Young did fumble on Alabama’s final drive of the half, but he was able to recover it despite being surrounded by Georgia defenders.

Young ended up scoring two plays later, this time running it in for an 11-yard touchdown.

Coming into the game Georgia had not given up more than 17 points in a game all season. Alabama bested that number in one quarter.

Bryce Young goes supernova

Young locked up the Heisman Trophy on Saturday. Jordan Davis and Will Anderson might get invited to New York but they’d only be there to see Young give his acceptance speech.

Young had every answer for this Georgia defense. A week after getting sacked seven times against Auburn, the Alabama offensive line kept Young clean all night.

He finished the game with 421 yards passing and 4 total touchdowns in the game. His best throw of the night came on Alabama’s opening drive of the third quarter, threading a 55-yard touchdown pass behind the Georgia defense to Jameson Williams.

As well as Young played, part of it also falls on how poorly the Georgia defense played. The Bulldogs passing defense got torched giving up more points in the game than it had in any month this season.

The Crimson Tide racked up 537 yards in the game. Alabama at one point scored on five consecutive possessions, turning a 10-0 deficit into a 31-17 lead.

Eventually, Georgia got some stops as it finally began to pressure Young, but if you can’t bring down Young, he’s going to rip you apart. Georgia got zero sacks in the game.

Redzone issues doom Georgia offense

Georgia had success moving the ball offensively. Right up until it got into the red zone.

The Bulldogs had four drives inside Alabama’s 20-yard line in the first three quarters. The first one ended in a field goal. The second resulted in Washington’s first career touchdown catch.

The first two Georgia drives of the second half got deep into Alabama territory. But the Bulldogs came away with zero points.

Bennett was intercepted on a pass intended for Brock Bowers, stopping a Georgia drive. The Bulldogs then forced a 3-and-out from Alabama’s offense, only to once again drive deep into enemy territory.

But Georgia couldn’t pick up a first down, turning it over after pressure by Alabama led to an errant pass.

The Georgia defense once again forced a punt but Bennett then threw the ball directly to Alabama’s Jordan Battle. He returned the interception to put Alabama up 38-17, essentially ending the game.

Georgia had opportunities to keep the game close in the second half. But Bennett proved incapable of making the plays when Georgia needed it most.

Georgia football news and notes

Georgia did get positive news on the injury front in this game, as Chris Smith returned for the Bulldogs. He missed the last two games with a knee injury.

Jamaree Salyer also got the start at left tackle. He missed the last four games with a foot injury for the Bulldogs. Kearis Jackson also played for Georgia after leaving the Georgia Tech game early.

The Bulldogs did make a schematic change, playing William Poole at the star position. This was his first start all season for the Bulldogs. Latavious Brini had started all previous 12 games for Georgia at the position.

Brock Bowers set SEC championship game records for receptions and receiving yards by a tight end. He also tied the school record for touchdown receptions in a season, sharing the mark with Terrence Edwards who had 11 in 2002.

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