Alabama vs. Georgia: Crimson Tide Win Epic National Championship Game In OT

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Jan 9, 2018

We are just hours away from kickoff of the All-Southeastern Conference College Football Playoff National Championship Game between the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide and the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga.

The Crimson Tide, who lost last year’s title game in a thriller to the Clemson Tigers, return to their third straight national championship game after pummeling No. 1 Clemson in the 2018 Sugar Bowl 24-6.

Georiga, on the other hand, outlasted No. 2 Oklahoma 54-48 in double overtime to win the 2018 Rose Bowl.

Keep it right here with our live blog for score updates, analysis, highlights and reaction from the College Football Playoff National Championship Game between the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs.

End of game, 26-23 Alabama: After being sacked on first down, Tua Tagovailoa tosses a 41-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith to give Alabama the national championship.

It is the sixth chamionship for head coach Nick Saban.

First overtime, Georgia ball, 23-20 Georgia: After a gain of 3 yards on first down, Alabama stopped Nick Chubb for no gain and then sacked Jake Fromm for a loss of 13 yards, setting up a 51-yard field goal attempt from Rodrigo Blankenship. The kicker drilled the kick to give the Bulldogs a three-point lead.

Start of the first overtime, 20-20: Alabama wins the toss and they will go on defense first.

End of the fourth quarter, 20-20: It’s no good. Andy Pappanastos misses wide left and we are headed to overtime.

Fourth quarter, 0:03, 20-20: Alabama will line up to kick a game-winning field goal. It will be a 36-yard attempt.

Fourth quarter, 0:56, 20-20: Tua Tagovailoa runs over a Georgia defender on third-and-3 to give Alabama key first down at the Georgia 20.

Fourth quarter, 1:25, 20-20: Thanks to a Georiga penalty, the Tide are all the way down to the Bulldogs’ 25-yard line.

Fourth quarter, 2:56, 20-20: Alabama forces a quick three-and-out, and now the Tide get the ball at their own 35-yard line.

Fourth quarter, 3:49. 20-20: Wow! On fourth-and-4 from the Georgia 7-yard line, Tua Tagovailoa tosses a missile to Calvin Ridley for the touchdown to tie the game.

Fourth quarter, 7:10, 20-13 Georgia: Georgia goes to the “Wild Dawg” package on third-and-2, but Mecole Hardman is stopped short of the marker. Alabama gets the ball at its own 34-yard line.

Fourth quarter, 9:24, 20-13 Georgia: Alabama drives down the field thanks to 51 yards rushing from Najee Harris, but the Tide’s drive stalls and they are forced to kick a field goal. Andy Pappanastos knocks the 30-yard attempt through to cut the lead to seven.

Fourth quarter, 11:50, 20-10 Georgia: Alabama sacks Jake Fromm for a loss of 9 on third-and-4 to force a punt. The Crimson Tide take over on their own 17-yard line.

End of the third quarter, 20-10 Georiga: The Bulldogs are 15 minutes away from being crowned national champions. They’ll have a second-and-7 at their own 13-yard line to begin the fourth.

Third quarter, 0:08, 20-10 Georgia: Alabama picks up one first down but then is forced to punt after Roquan Smith made a brilliant tackle to stop Bo Scarborough short of the marker.

Third quarter, 1:55, 20-10 Georgia: The Bulldogs drive into Alabama territory, but their drive stalls and they are forced to punt. The Crimson Tide take over at their own 20-yard line.

Third quarter, 5:15, 20-10 Georgia: Alabama can’t cash in the turnover for a touchdown, but Andy Pappanastos drills a 43-yard field goal to cut the lead to 10.

Third quarter, 6:21, 20-7 Georgia: The tide might have turned. Alabama pressured Jake Fromm and his pass was batted and picked off by Raekwon Davis and returned to the Georgia 40-yard line.

https://twitter.com/SleeperAthletes/status/950577240391274496

Third quarter, 6:32, 20-7 Georiga: This could get ugly. Tua Tagovailoa is picked off by Deandre Baker at the Alabama 39-yard line. Georgia can take a commanding lead with a score here.

Third quarter, 6:52, 20-7 Georgia: That was quick. Jake Fromm hit Mecole Hardman an 80-yard touchdown to answer Alabama’s touchdown.

It was an absolute dime of a throw.

And it was reviewed to see if Hardman kept his feet in bounds.

The call was upheld but not confirmed.

Third quarter, 8:52, 13-7 Georgia: We have a freshman quarterback duel in Atlanta.

Tua Tagovailoa scrambled for a first down on third-and-7 and then completed passes for gains of, 15, 9, 14 to get down to the Georgia 6-yard line. On the next play, the freshman signal-caller hit Henry Ruggs III for a touchdown to the Tide back within six.

Here was the scramble:

And the touchdown:

Third quarter, 10:51, 13-0 Georgia: Alabama forces a three-and-out, but the officials missed a facemask call that would have given Georgia a first down near midfield. The Crimson Tide take over at their own 44-yard line after a 14-yard punt return.

Third quarter, 13:03, 13-0 Georgia: Much of the same for Alabama to start the second half, as the Crimson Tide go three-and-out to begin the third quarter. Georgia takes over at its own 36 after the punt.

Start of the third quarter, 13-0 Georgia: Alabama will get the ball to begin the second half. They’ll need to open up the playbook in order to start cutting into Georgia’s lead. And the Crimson Tide will go with freshman Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback.

Halftime, 13-0 Georgia: It has been all Georgia in the first half. The Bulldogs outgained the Crimson Tide 223-94 in the first half. Jake Fromm went 11-for-23 for 126 yards and an interception in the half, while Jalen Hurst was 3 of 8 for 21 yards.

Second quarter, 0:07, 13-0 Georgia: How bout them ‘Dogs?!

Georgia drives 69 yards in 1:05, capped off by a 1-yard touchdown run by wide receiver Mecole Hardman to take a 13-0 lead before halftime.

Second quarter, 1:26, 6-0 Georgia: Georgia forces another three-and-out and will get one more shot to extend its lead before halftime.

The Bulldogs’ drive will start at their own 31.

Second quarter, 2:14, 6-0 Georgia: Jake Fromm’s pass to Mecole Hardman falls incomplete on third-and-6 and Georgia is forced to punt (shocker).

Alabama takes over at its own 25-yard line.

Second quarter, 5:14, 6-0 Georgia: Jalen Hurts opened Alabama’s drive with a 31-yard run to get into Georgia territory, but the Bulldogs’ defense stiffened up after that to force a punt.

Georgia takes over at its own 5-yard line after the punt.

Second quarter, 7:37, 6-0 Georgia: Alabama’s defense holds Georgia to a field goal after Jake Fromm’s throw on third-and-goal falls incomplete. Rodrigo Blankenship drilled a 27-yard field goal to make it 6-0 Bulldogs.

Second quarter, 8:59, 3-0 Georgia: Jake Fromm hit Riley Ridley for a gain of 23 yards to get down to the Alabama 30. The freshman then connected with Javon Wims for 16 yards on third-and-6 to give Georgia first-and-goal at the Alabama 10-yard line.

It was a great catch by Wims.

Second quarter, 12:52, 3-0 Georgia: Jalen Hurts’ pass on third-and-6 falls incomplete and Alabama goes three-and-out. The Bulldogs will have a first-and-10 from their own 20-yard line.

Second quarter, 14:15, 3-0 Georgia: The Crimson Tide stopped Sony Michel on third-and-11 after a gain of 3 yards, causing Georgia to bring out Rodrigo Blankenship for a 41-yard field goal attempt. The redshirt sophomore split the uprights to give the Bulldogs the lead. It was a 14-play, 55-yard drive for Georgia.

End of first quarter, 0-0: Georgia will have a third-and-11 from the Alabama 27-yard line when the second quarter begins. Its been all defense so far. Georgia had 64 total yards in the quarter while Alabama tallied just 53.

First quarter, 1:24. 0-0: After Alabama sacked Jake Fromm to set up a third-and-20, running back Sony Michel ripped off a 26-yard run before being brought down at the Alabama 26-yard line.

We doubt Nick Saban was thrilled.

First quarter, 6:54, 0-0: On third-and-3, Alabama calls a quarterback draw but Jalen Hurts is brought down behind the line of scrimmage. Georgia will take over at its own 21-yard line after the punt.

First quarter, 9:11, 0-0: Georgia picks up a first down with a 14-yard pass on the first play of the drive, but then Alabama forced three straight incompletions, leading to a Georiga punt. The Bulldogs have yet to run the ball.

Alabama will have a first-and-1o at its own 20.

First quarter; 9:58, 0-0: Jalen Hurts had Calvin Ridley wide open in the end zone on second down but he overthrew him. Georgia’s defense forced Hurts to throw the ball away on third down to force a field goal. After a false start backed the Tide up 5 yards, Andy Pappanastos missed the 43-yard attempt to the left.

First quarter, 11:09, 0-0: Jalen Hurts scrambles for a first down on third-and-8 to keep the drive alive.

First quarter, 13:38, 0-0: Jake Fromm completed his first two passes and then was picked off by Tony Brown. Alabama takes over at its own 36-yard line.

First quarter, 15:00, 0-0: Alabama has won the toss and chooses to defer to the second half.

8:11 p.m.: President Donald Trump takes the field for the national anthem.

8:00 p.m.: Lee Corso has made his final headgear selection of the season.

7:53 p.m.: Everyone’s favorite bulldog is in the house.

7:51 p.m.: There’s a whole lot of Georgia fans in attendance.

7:20 p.m.: Georgia takes the field in Atlanta.

7:12 p.m.: There is some chaos outside the stadium as everything has been locked down for the arrival of President Donald Trump.

7:09 p.m.: Terrell Owens is rolling with Alabama.

7:00 p.m.: Scott Frost, who coached UCF to a perfect 13-0 record this season, had some choice words for the SEC before kickoff.

6:10 p.m.: Here comes The Tide.

6:00 p.m.: The ‘Dogs are here.

5:35 p.m.: Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn, who beat both Alabama and Georgia this season, gives the edge to the Crimson Tide on Monday night.

5:30 p.m.: The gates are open.

And the game will have some special technology for your viewing pleasure.

5:22 p.m.: Here is some pregame reading before the 8:00 p.m. ET. kickoff.

Lane Kiffin explains why Alabama is happy to be facing Georgia

Alabama’s strength coach smashes runner-up trophy to fire up Crimson Tide.

Thumbnail photo via Thumbnail photo via Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports Images
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