SEC Football

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart believes Saturday's 41-24 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship Game reinvigorated his squad entering the College Football Playoff. 

"It didn't do any damage," Smart told reporters after the loss. "What it did was reinvigorate our energy. It re-centers you, right? Their greatest thing is when [the Tide] lost their game against Texas A&M, they garnered some focus and some attention. To me, that's an opportunity for a wake-up call, if anything."

Saturday's game was Georgia's seventh consecutive loss to Alabama, though it was the team's first defeat of the 2021 season. 

It was a surprising loss for the Bulldogs as they entered with the top-ranked defense in college football. The Bulldogs were allowing just 230.9 yards and 6.9 points per game entering Saturday's contest.

The Crimson Tide put up 536 yards of total offense against Georgia, making Smart's defense look foolish. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young completed 26-of-44 passes for 421 yards and three touchdowns, in addition to rushing for 40 yards and a score. The sophomore signal-caller also broke SEC title game records for total offense and passing yards. 

The Georgia offense, meanwhile, was limited to 449 yards. Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett also tossed two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, in the loss. 

While Smart is disappointed with how his team played, he also lauded Young and the Alabama offense in his postgame comments, saying, "Give their defense and Bryce Young and their offensive skill players a lot of credit. They played really well, very accurate, explosive, and [Young] is hard to get down on the ground, which caused us a lot of problems defensively."

Alabama head coach Nick Saban also spoke after Saturday's game, saying the win for his team made people gain "a little respect" for the Crimson Tide moving forward. 

Smart and the Bulldogs might get another shot at Saban the Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff. It's widely expected that Georgia, Alabama, Cincinnati and Michigan will be the final four, but the seedings won't be known until the is released on Sunday.  

Alabama wide receiver John Metchie III is reportedly believed to have suffered a torn ACL in Saturday's 41-24 win over Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, per ESPN's Mark Schlabach. 

If that's the case, it's a huge blow to the Alabama offense as he will miss the College Football Playoff. 

Metchie missed the entire second half of Saturday's game after injuring his leg on a noncontact play while running a route with 56 seconds remaining in the second quarter. The 21-year-old cut back and fell to the ground clutching his left knee before walking off the field under his own power. 

"John Metchie is probably going to be out now, and we have a couple other guys that may be injured," Tide coach Nick Saban said. "It creates a lot of opportunity for a lot of other players. Hopefully, we'll be able to get them to step up."

Metchie finished the game with eight catches for 97 yards and a touchdown. His loss is a tough blow for Alabama, as he led the team with 90 catches and ranked second with 1,045 receiving yards, in addition to seven touchdowns. 

With Metchie sidelined, Jameson Williams shined against Georgia, catching seven passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns. The 21-year-old has 68 catches for 1,445 yards and 15 touchdowns this year. 

In addition to Metchie and Williams, Slade Bolden finished Saturday's game with five catches for 54 yards, and tight end Jahleel Billingsley had two catches for 27 yards. With Metchie sidelined, both players will need to step up in the postseason. 

However, quarterback Bryce Young put together an impressive performance against the top-ranked Georgia defense, even without Metchie. He threw for 421 yards, which is an SEC title game record, three touchdowns and rushed 40 yards and another score on three carries. 

If Young can pull off two more similar performances in the playoffs, Alabama could be national title winners for the second successive year. The Crimson Tide will learn their playoff fate when the CFP rankings are released on Sunday.  

The No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide didn't have much trouble with the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs en route to a 41-24 win in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday.

After the game, Alabama football head coach Nick Saban credited the media's pessimism regarding the Crimson Tide's chances in this game as motivational fuel for his players in the week leading up to this matchup.

The "rat poison" remark refers to a comment Saban made after the Crimson Tide won 27-19 over Texas A&M in October 2017. It specifically calls to his disdain for positive press the team was receiving prior to an ugly victory of the Aggies.

Michael Casagrande of al.com provided those quotes.

We just didn't play as well tonight, and you have to give them a lot of credit for it. I'm trying to get our players to listen to me instead of listening to you guys. All that stuff you write about how good we are, all that stuff they hear on ESPN, it's like poison. It's like taking poison. Like rat poison.

Many pundits had Georgia, a 6.5-point pregame favorite, winning this game.

Instead, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young torched the vaunted No. 1 Georgia defense to the tune of 421 passing yards and three touchdowns. Alabama's defense did well enough to win this game, intercepting quarterback Stetson Bennett twice and sacking him three times.

Now, Alabama and Georgia are both assuredly headed to the College Football Playoff, with their seedings to-be-determined. The Crimson Tide will likely be No. 1, while Georgia figures to slot in at No. 2 or No. 3, setting up a potential rematch in the national title game.

It wasn't supposed to be this easy. It couldn't be. Not after Georgia allowed a grand total of 83 points during the regular season. And certainly not after Alabama struggled to muster up any offense against Auburn in the Iron Bowl just a week ago.

This was the Bulldogs' moment, so we thought. After watching the Crimson Tide dominate the SEC over the past decade, this felt like a potential changing of the guard.

Then quarterback Bryce Young came out and obliterated the very notion.

With everything to gain, he torched a defense that many, including the individual on the other end of this keyboard, was labeling as one of the best ever. In doing so, he wrapped up the Heisman and secured a spot in the College Football Playoff for Alabama.

Oh, and with a 41-24 win over Georgia, the No. 1 football team in America, Nick Saban's group once again cemented itself as college football's most menacing juggernaut until further notice.

But let's start with Young, because there is no other place to begin. The sophomore QB didn't just deliver his best game of the year; given the competition and the stakes, one could make an argument it's one of the best games a quarterback has played in recent memory.

It didn't take long to know what kind of night it would be. Young started early, and his 286 passing yards in the first half against the Bulldogs was an SEC Championship Game record. (You might as well get used to reading that.)

For some added perspective, Georgia allowed more than 286 yards passing in only one full game this year leading into Saturday.

Kudos, Tennessee.

While Alabama spent much of the second half milking clock, Young still finished with 461 yards of offense. This was also an SEC Championship Game record. He scored four touchdowns, which is remarkable when you consider how irregular the moments were for Georgia during the season.

His deep throws were on point. His timing was perfect. And his legs, which he has used brilliantly all year, were once again a factor. 

Young's ability to escape Georgia's pressure early on allowed for his speedy wide receivers to get open. And although he normally likes to extend plays rather than run down field, Young's 40 rushing yards were vital.

And his 421 passing yards? You guessed it. This was also an SEC Championship Game record.

Even when wideout John Metchie III, one of his favorite targets, left the game in the second quarter with an injury, Young did enough in the final 30 minutes to move the offense.

Credit should also be given to the Alabama offensive line, which looked like a different unit this weekend after struggling mightily against the Tigers. It kept Young clean, which made the output possible.

What happens next is pretty clear. For Young, he will win the Heisman.

In fact, given the magnitude of this performance, the voting likely won't be close. Young heads into this week having scored 46 touchdowns and thrown only four interceptions.

His stats were already Heisman-worthy. This performance just pushed an already compelling resume over the top.

He's had a brilliant year that, at times, felt like it wasn't getting the appreciation it deserves. Given the success Alabama had last season with Mac Jones at quarterback and DeVonta Smith at wide receiver, perhaps we are just numb to it.

At this point, however, none of that matters. Young did everything necessary and more, and he'll take center stage with the award in hand come next weekend.

Even bigger for Alabama, it made a compelling case to the College Football Playoff Selection Committee it should be the No. 1 seed when the four-team field is officially announced Sunday.

Heading into Saturday, this felt in doubt. For as much as Alabama is celebrated, Georgia was thought to be the better team and the likely victor in the latest installment. That was not be.

"What these guys wanted to gain was more respect," Saban told reporters after the win. "Not just the fact they were underdogs, but you guys gave us a lot of really positive rat poison. The rat poison you usually give us is fatal. This rat poison you gave us this week was yummy."

Forget about just making the final four. That conversation is over. The Crimson Tide likely needed a win to crack the playoff, and it got that and then some. While it will be official on Sunday, this, like the Heisman, seems like all but a formality now.

Winning the SEC and making the playoff has almost become routine at Alabama. It is no longer the hope, it is the expectation.

But that cannot and should not take anything away from what Young just did. This is a performance, no matter what happens next, that should carry onward.

Amid an endless sea of Alabama accolades and individual brilliance, this still feels like an outlier.

To seamlessly deconstruct a defense that has largely been a brick wall—a defense that was playing its way into conversations about its all-time historical standing—is something that transcends Alabama's natural excellence.

The stakes couldn't have been higher. And in 60 pristine minutes of football, Young put the Crimson Tide in a position to conquer the sport again while positioning himself to win one of the most coveted awards in all of sports.

The work, of course, is not complete. Alabama and Young will not be satisfied with individual awards and access to a four-team playoff it regularly dominates. In many ways, they're just getting started.

But Young's Saturday is one we will remember. He had everything to gain and everything to lose, and he left no doubt along the way. Alabama might be used to this kind of game no matter how many records fell, although it never gets old.

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban believes his squad earned a little more respect following Saturday's 41-24 win over the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game. 

“Everybody wanted to gain a little respect, and I think maybe we did," Saban said, per David Cobb of CBS Sports. 

Saban added, per Dan Wolken of USA Today: "What these guys wanted to gain was more respect. Not just the fact they were underdogs, but you guys gave us a lot of really positive rat poison. The rat poison you usually give us is fatal. This rat poison you gave us this week was yummy."

It sure seems like Alabama earned that respect, too, with many on Twitter recognizing the Crimson Tide after their big win:

Alabama played great on both sides of the ball against Georgia. The Crimson Tide offense, led by quarterback Bryce Young, put up 536 yards of total offense. To put that into context, the Georgia defense entered the SEC Championship Game allowing just 230.9 yards and 6.9 points per game.

Young completed 26-of-44 passes for 421 yards and three touchdowns, in addition to rushing for 40 yards and a score. The sophomore signal-caller also broke SEC title game records for total offense and passing yards. 

As for the defense, Alabama limited Georgia to 449 yards of total offense and also forced two interceptions. The second pick tossed by Stetson Bennett was returned for a touchdown. 

While Alabama has been viewed as one of the top programs in the nation for a long time, the team was often not viewed to be on the same level as Georgia. In addition, the Crimson Tide have been ranked behind both Cincinnati and Michigan at points this season despite losing just one game. 

With the opportunity to win a second successive national title, Alabama surely won't be overlooked in the College Football Playoff.  

Ole Miss head football coach Lane Kiffin has decided against jumping on the latest coaching carousel.

The university announced it agreed to a new contract with Kiffin, who has led the No. 8 Rebels to a 10-2 record. Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated later reported details of Kiffin's new deal on Monday:

Reports previously connected Kiffin to the University of Miami, with Andy Slater of Fox Sports 640 South Florida notably stating in November that the 46-year-old would leave for South Florida if the Hurricanes' job opened up.

Kiffin is staying in Oxford, however, as Ole Miss appears headed for a New Year's Six bowl amid one of the best seasons in school history.

Nick Suss of the Mississippi Clarion-Ledger wrote the deal will keep Kiffin in Oxford through 2025. It's a one-year extension for Kiffin, per Suss, who added details on the coach's contract the last time he and the school agreed to a new deal last February.

Kiffin signed his most recent extension on Feb. 28, 2021. That contract gave Kiffin a base salary of $4.5 million for 2021, plus a $500,000 retention bonus for staying in Oxford through Dec. 31. Those values increased by $250,000 each year counting the retention bonus, culminating in a contract worth $5.75 million in 2024.

Big-name coaches have made huge moves in recent days, with Lincoln Riley headed from Oklahoma to USC and Brian Kelly going from Notre Dame to LSU.

Kiffin, though, will not be the next coach to create a massive wave in the college coaching landscape.

He's in his second year in Oxford after leading the Rebels to a 5-5 record last year. The Rebels have doubled their win total despite a litany of injuries on the offensive side of the ball. Despite that, Heisman Trophy candidate and quarterback Matt Corral has led an explosive offense that crushed the SEC this year.

Kiffin has been rewarded for his team's success, and now the Rebels will look to finish the year on a high note in a likely New Year's Six bowl appearance. The latest projections from CBS Sports' Jerry Palm have Ole Miss playing Pitt in the Peach Bowl.

Alabama quarterback Bryce Young was outstanding in Saturday's SEC Championship Game against Georgia, a 41-24 win for the Crimson Tide.

The 20-year-old broke the SEC title game records for total offense and passing yards, the latter of which was held by Mac Jones, per AL.com's Mike Rodak. Young completed 26 of 44 passes for 421 yards and three touchdowns, in addition to rushing for 40 yards and a score on three carries.

Young's performance helped Alabama clinch a spot in the College Football Playoff, and it certainly helped his Heisman Trophy odds.

The sophomore has been one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC and all of college football this year. He entered the SEC Championship Game having completed 68.9 percent of his passes for 3,901 yards and 40 touchdowns against four interceptions.

In addition, Young tied the Alabama single-season record for most passing touchdowns in a season with 43. Tua Tagovailoa set that record in 2018.

Few thought Young and the Alabama offense would be able to carve up the top-ranked Georgia defense, but the quarterback was unstoppable Saturday.

The Georgia defense entered the SEC Championship Game allowing just 230.4 yards per game. Young and the Alabama offense put up 365 yards in the first half alone. In addition, Georgia was also allowing just 6.9 points per game before Saturday's contest. Alabama put up 24 in the first half.

Young was also the first player since Cam Newton in 2010 to have 300 or more yards of total offense in an SEC title game half, according to ESPN Stats and Info.

Setting records is nothing new for Young, though. He shattered the Alabama record for passing yards in a game with 559 in a 42-35 win over Arkansas in November.

With all of that being said, Young still has a long college football career ahead of him, and he's only going to improve, which should scare the rest of the nation.  

The SEC Championship Game had massive College Football Playoff implications, and the No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide came out on top, defeating the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs 41-24 on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

While Alabama's win essentially guarantees a berth in the CFP, Georgia likely had already clinched a top-four spot despite the loss.

Alabama has played in 14 SEC Championship Games, including appearances in three of the last five. The win marks its second straight season as the SEC's best and 10th overall championship.

The Crimson Tide are now 10-4 in the conference title game.

Notable Player Stats

Bryce Young, QB, ALA: 26/44 for 421 YDS, 3 TD and 3 CAR for 40 YDS, 1 TD

Stetson Bennett, QB, UGA: 29/47 for 340 YDS, 3 TD, 2 INT

Jameson Williams, WR, ALA: 7 REC for 184 YDS, 2 TD

Brock Bowers, TE, UGA: 10 REC for 139 YDS, 1 TD

Bryce Young Makes his Case for the Heisman

Young had one of his best games of the season on Saturday night against Georgia, and his efforts have the Crimson Tide headed to the College Football Playoff for the second straight year.

The 20-year-old got out to a rough start, though. Alabama punted on its first two drives before Young led the Crimson Tide on two consecutive touchdown drives.

Young hit Jameson Williams for his first touchdown on a 67-yard pass with 14:12 remaining in the second quarter.

That's when things started to click for the Alabama offense. Young recorded his second touchdown on a 13-yard pass to John Metchie III with 9:46 remaining in the second quarter to give the Crimson Tide a 14-10 lead.

Young then led Alabama on a 79-yard drive before Will Reichard knocked in a 33-yard field goal to give the Crimson Tide a 17-10 lead. While Georgia responded with a quick touchdown to tie the game, Young came up clutch just before halftime, rushing in for an 11-yard score with 26 seconds remaining in the half.

Even though Metchie was ruled out in the second half with a leg injury, it was no problem for the Alabama offense, as Young opened the second half with a 55-yard touchdown strike to Williams.

Though the offense stalled thereafter, Young had already done enough damage to not only lock in a CFP berth but significantly help his Heisman Trophy resume, too.

While his Heisman odds improved with a 317-yard, two-touchdown performance in a win over Auburn in the Iron Bowl, Young's performance against Georgia may have made him the front-runner for the award, as he shredded what had been the best defense in all of college football:

Players such as C.J. Stroud and Matt Corral also have strong cases in what has been a close Heisman race, but none have accomplished the historic feats that Young achieved on Saturday night.

Georgia Defense Doesn't Live Up to the Hype

The Georgia defense entered the SEC championship game allowing just 230.4 yards and 6.9 points per game. However, the Bulldogs were unimpressive against the Crimson Tide and failed to meet the expectations that they had established during the regular season.

Young and the Alabama offense put up 365 yards and 24 points in the first half alone. 

The team's defensive struggles continued into the second half, as it allowed Young and Alabama to score a touchdown on their first drive of the third quarter.

Many took note of how poorly Georgia's defense played on Saturday night.

Georgia's top-rated defense entered Saturday's game allowing just 151.5 passing yards per game—by far the best mark of any team in the nation—yet Young nearly tripled that mark.

The Bulldogs were also allowing just 78.9 rushing yards per contest before the SEC championship game. It allowed Alabama to rush for 116 yards.

While their impressive regular-season stats should be commended, it may have been partially fueled by the unranked or low-ranked teams they faced all season. Tennessee and Florida were arguably the best offenses the Bulldogs played.

The Gators have averaged 470.2 yards of total offense per game, while the Volunteers have averaged 459 yards per contest. Most of the other teams Georgia faced didn't even come close.

Stetson Bennett's subpar play didn't help either, tossing two interceptions, one of which Alabama returned for a touchdown. Regardless, if the Georgia defense plays like they did on Saturday in the CFP, the Bulldogs can kiss their national title hopes goodbye.

What's Next?

Both teams are most likely on their way to the College Football Playoff. Now they await the official bracket.

No college football team in the country has been as dominant as Georgia this season. But no program in the SEC has had as much success over the past decade than Alabama. But only one of these two schools will become this year's SEC champions on Saturday.

The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide are facing off in a huge clash at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. In addition to the conference title being on the line, this game will have big implications for the College Football Playoff, as Georgia is currently ranked No. 1 and Alabama is at No. 3.

The Tide are looking to win their seventh SEC title in 10 years, while the Bulldogs are aiming to win their first since 2017. It's the first time the two teams are facing each other in the conference championship game since 2018, when Alabama won.

Here's everything else you need to know heading into this year's SEC Championship Game.

2021 SEC Championship Game Info

Date: Saturday, Dec. 4

Start Time: 4 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Preview, Predictions

Georgia's defensive numbers this season are ridiculous. It's been rare to see a team shut down opposing offenses as much as the Bulldogs have through their first 12 games of the year. And that's a big reason why they're unbeaten this season.

At this point, Georgia ranks first in the country in both points (6.92) and total yards allowed (230.8) per game. No other team is allowing fewer than 15 points per game.

How much of that can be attributed to the Bulldogs' schedule? We may be about to find out.

The SEC East was a bit down this year, as no team other than Georgia had fewer than three conference losses. The Bulldogs' most challenging non-conference game was their opener against Clemson, but the Tigers have had a disappointing season, as they have three losses heading into bowl season.

If Georgia wants to prove that its defense hasn't just been impressive because of its opponents, then it can shut down Alabama's offense. The Crimson Tide are led by quarterback Bryce Young, one of the front-runners for the Heisman Trophy, and they have plenty of playmakers for him to get the ball to.

But Alabama's offense wasn't too impressive in its regular-season finale at Auburn. It went nearly four full quarters without scoring a touchdown, before finally coming back to rally for a four-overtime victory. The Tide likely will need to avoid that kind of a slow start in order to have success against the Bulldogs.

Even though Georgia has been the better team to this point, the program has struggled against Alabama in recent history. The Crimson Tide have won the previous six meetings between the schools, with the Bulldogs' last victory coming in 2007.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart doesn't want his players to think about what's happened to past teams.

"This year is this year," Smart said, per Paul Newberry of the Associated Press. "I don't think there's any overlap between the two. I know people want to make it that, make it some kind of overlap, but every year is independent of the previous."

And that's why the Bulldogs are going to finally break through to beat the Crimson Tide.

While its defense shuts down Alabama early, Georgia will have enough success on offense to score a couple early touchdowns. The Crimson Tide will try to come from behind again this week, but they're going to fall short as the Bulldogs' defense will make a late final stand.

Georgia will go on to be the No. 1 seed in the CFP, while Alabama will miss out for only the second time since the system was implemented in 2014.

Prediction: Georgia 27, Alabama 20 

The Georgia Bulldogs need to beat an old foe in the form of the Alabama Crimson Tide to finish off their undefeated run through SEC play.

It seems fitting that Alabama is the final hurdle to overcome for the top-ranked Bulldogs to earn the No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoff. Georgia has not beaten Alabama since 2007, and it fell short against the Crimson Tide on three occasions during the Kirby Smart era.

Smart is one of the many former Nick Saban assistants who have failed to beat the Alabama head coach. Jimbo Fisher became the first former Saban assistant to beat his old boss when Texas A&M upset Alabama on October 9.

Saturday's SEC Championship Game is the perfect setting for Smart's Bulldogs to take out the frustration from previous losses to Bama.

Georgia comes in with the top-rated defense and has rolled the majority of its opponents this season. A win would feel even sweeter because it would likely knock Alabama out of College Football Playoff contention.

SEC Championship Game Info

Date: Saturday, December 4

Start Time: 4 p.m. ET 

TV: CBS

Live Stream: CBSSports.com or CBS Sports app

Odds

Spread: Georgia (-6.5)

Over/Under: 48.5

Moneyline: Georgia -255 (bet $255 to win $100); Alabama +205 (bet $100 to win $205)

Via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Preview

Georgia came close to beating Alabama in two of the teams' three meetings under Smart.

The Bulldogs lost the 2017 season CFB Playoff National Championship in overtime when Tua Tagovailoa connected with DeVonta Smith for a game-winning touchdown pass.

Alabama won the rematch in the 2018 SEC Championship Game by seven points. The Crimson Tide also won the regular-season meeting between the two sides last season.

Georgia is better equipped to beat Alabama this time around because of the defensive unit it has built up throughout the season. The Bulldogs have held all of their opponents to a maximum of 17 points, and they have stud players in every layer of defense.

Defensive lineman Jordan Davis was considered a dark horse to win the Heisman Trophy at one point in the season. Linebackers Nakobe Dean and Channing Tindall lead the team in tackles and combined for 9.5 sacks. Derion Kendrick and Christopher Smith are tied with Dean for the team lead of two interceptions. The defensive backs do not have high interception totals because of how well they played in coverage.

Georgia has had an answer for every type of offense it has seen this season. It limited the high-powered Tennessee Volunteers to 17 points and shut out the run-heavy Arkansas Razorbacks. The top-rated FBS defense will be prepared for anything that Bryce Young and the Alabama offense throw at it.

Alabama comes into Atlanta with something to prove because it struggled to produce points on the road in Auburn last time out. The Crimson Tide needed a late 97-yard game-tying drive to level the Iron Bowl and send it to overtime. They eventually won in the fourth overtime.

The Crimson Tide also experienced struggles earlier in November when they mustered just 20 points against LSU. Alabama's defense has not played to its typical high standard, either, allowing 35 points to Arkansas on Nov. 20 and being gashed for 41 points by Texas A&M in Week 6.

Saban's team is more vulnerable than it will ever be, which is why Georgia has such a great opportunity to become the king of the SEC on Saturday.

Georgia will get Alabama's best fight, but the Bulldogs should gain separation thanks to its fantastic defense.

Prediction: Georgia 31, Alabama 17

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