Ty Simpson completed 24 of 38 passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 17 Alabama held on for a 24-21 win over No. 5 Georgia in a Southeastern Conference clash on Saturday night in Athens, Ga.
Isaiah Horton and Germie Bernard had one touchdown reception apiece and Simpson added a score on a quarterback scramble for Alabama (3-1, 1-0 SEC), which ended Georgia’s 33-game home winning streak and hasn’t lost in Athens since 2003.
Chauncey Bowens had 12 carries for 119 yards and a touchdown to lead Georgia (3-1, 1-1), which suffered its first home loss since 2019. Gunner Stockton completed 13 of 20 passes for 120 yards for one touchdown.
Alabama outgained Georgia 397-357, including a 280-130 advantage through the air.
The Crimson Tide jumped to a 14-0 lead on back-to-back touchdown passes by Simpson.
Bernard opened the scoring with a 6-yard TD reception with 7:41 left in the first quarter. He leaped to make the catch across the middle of the end zone.
Horton followed with a 6-yard scoring grab in the opening minute of the second quarter. Simpson planted his feet and found Horton open in the back of the end zone.
Georgia pulled within 14-7 on the following possession. Colbie Young got free down the right sideline and caught a high-arching pass from Stockton for the easy 38-yard score.
The Crimson Tide made it 17-7 on a 24-yard field goal by Conor Talty with 8:30 left in the first half.
Georgia cut the deficit to 17-14 with 2:08 remaining before the break. Bowens took a pitch left and sprinted across the goal line from 2 yards out.
Alabama answered with an eight-play, 75-yard scoring drive that took only 1:34 off the clock. Simpson finished the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run to put the Crimson Tide on top 24-14.
Josh McCray brought the Bulldogs within 24-21 on a 1-yard plunge across the goal line with 6:30 remaining in the third quarter. He fought off a pair of defenders to muscle into the end zone.
Alabama defensive lineman James Smith was penalized for targeting in the third quarter and ejected for the remainder of the game. The call set up a first-and-goal for Georgia, which capitalized two plays later on McCray’s touchdown.
On its final three possessions, Georgia punted twice and turned the ball over on downs as Alabama squashed the host’s hopes of a late comeback.
-Field Level Media
