Oct. 10, 2026Updated Oct. 11, 2026, 2:09 a.m. ET
TUSCALOOSA, AL – Texas got toasted, Indiana got tested and Georgia simply sent a message to all of college football: Once again, the sport’s best team belongs to Kirby Smart and resides in Athens.
Overcoming a 14-10 halftime-deficit, soon-to-be-top-ranked Georgia outslugged host, seventh-ranked Alabama 20-17 in the latest iteration of the SEC’s most physical rivalry.
More importantly, the Bulldogs looked nothing like the groups that whiffed in their previous two College Football Playoff appearances and much more like the terror squads Smart deployed at the onset of this decade.
Georgia — which already has annihilated Oklahoma, last seen Saturday afternoon surfing the Red River Rivalry over Texas, and vanquished Vanderbilt — forged ahead not only with the most inviting path to the SEC championship game but to the No. 1 seed in the CFP.
Pickup-driving, win-amassing Gunner Stockton guided the Georgia offense with aplomb. The running game showed mettle with two starters out, amassing 206 yards and keying the go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter that finished with a Peyton Woodring field goal with 5:25 left.
The leading rushing was Dwight Phillips, who carried 17 times for 120 yards and a touchdown. Bo Walker added 69 yards on his 10 carriers.
But it was Stockton that made most of the big plays. He finished 18 of 22 for 249 yards and a touchdown. His 17-yard throw on Elyiss Williams on third down extended the final drive of the game that resulted in the Bulldogs running out the clock.
The win was just the third in 10 games for Georgia coach Kirby Smart against the school where he was defensive coordinator under Nick Saban before returning to his alma mater to lead the Bulldogs. The victory also ended a drought in Tuscaloosa for Georgia. It’s last win at Alabama came in 2007.
Alabama led 14-10 at halftime after quarterback Keelon Russell orchestrated an 80-yard drive in 12 plays culiminated by a 1-yard touchdown run by on the final play of the second quarter.
Things were more difficult after halftime with the Tide only able to score three points, a 39-yard field goal by Connor Talty in the third quarter that tied the game after Georgia opened the half with a touchdown drive.
Russell, making his sixth career start, finished 16-for-30 with 185 yards passing and a touchdown. He had Alabama in position to either tie or take the lead late in the fourth quarter. A second-down pass into the end zone went incomplete after Georgia defensive back KJ Bolden appeared to make contact with receiver Rico Scott. There was no flag for pass interference, resulting in a chorus of boos from Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Russell was sacked on the next play, moving the Crimson Tide out of field-goal range and forcing a punt.
Georgia took over with 3:10 left and never gave Alabama another opportunity. The drive was extended by Stockton’s pass to Williams. The game was clinched when Crimson Tide defensive back Dijon Lee Jr. committed a personal foul on a second-and-3 run by Walker.
The call sent Smart into an early celebration with two minutes left on the clock of a victory that could be the first of multiple matchups between two teams that proved they’re worth of being national title contenders.
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