Georgia outlasts Alabama: Bulldogs make case for No. 1 ranking with huge road win over Crimson Tide

Georgia's rushing attack had been the epitome of a by-committee approach through five games, as four backs had accumulated between 20 and 35 carries entering the Alabama game. Against the Crimson Tide, Dwight Phillips Jr. proved himself capable of being the group's alpha. The 5-10 junior totaled 10 carries for 79 yards in the second half alone as he ignited the Bulldogs with runs of 31 and 22 yards. Phillips finished with a career-high 120 yards rushing. The junior's 17 carries were also a career-high.

Kirby Smart finally has a regular season win over Alabama. Taking an 0-3 record into Tuscaloosa on Saturday, Smart notched his first regular season win over a program he once worked for as Nick Saban's defensive coordinator. It was Georgia's first win inside Bryant-Denny Stadium since 2007, the first season of the Nick Saban era at Alabama. Smart now has a 2-2 record against Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer after previously beating him in last season's SEC Championship.

No. 2 Georgia edged No. 6 Alabama 20-17 in a thriller on Saturday night as the Bulldogs improved to 6-0 (4-0 SEC) with a marquee road victory in their first significant test of the season. Peyton Woodring kicked a 23-yard field goal with 5:25 remaining to put the Bulldogs ahead before a controversy-filled final few minutes.

Alabama drove into field goal range after Woodring's go-ahead kick. Crimson Tide quarterback Keelon Russell targeted receiver Rico Scott in the end zone on a second-and-10 play with 3:30 remaining. If the deep shot panned out, it would have put the Crimson Tide ahead.

As Scott turned to make a play on the football, Georgia safety KJ Bolden clocked him in what appeared to be a clear defensive pass interference violation. However, no flag came. Georgia sacked Russell on the next play, knocking the Crimson Tide out of field-goal range.

Alabama still had three timeouts left and over three minutes remaining when it punted the football back to Georgia. The Crimson Tide needed a stop. But after a first down and a personal foul on the Crimson Tide, the Bulldogs were able to run out the clock.

The controversial no-call and the personal foul brought the officials into the spotlight late in a physical SEC clash with major College Football Playoff implications. In the end, Georgia escaped with a victory that puts the Bulldogs in prime position for a CFP spot and a spot in the SEC Championship Game.

Kalen DeBoer and Bryant-Denny Stadium were irate over a pass interference no-call after Georgia safety KJ Bolden appeared to hit Alabama receiver Rico Scott as Scott was making a play on the football. That happened on a second-and-10 with Bama on the cusp of field-goal range. Then came a sack on third-and-10 that knocked the Crimson Tide out of field goal range, forcing them to punt it back to Georgia with just over three minutes left.

Alabama's defense needs a stop to give Keelon Russell another chance.

The Crimson Tide are on the cusp of field goal range with under four minutes to play after Keelon Russell found Derek Meadows for a gain of 18.

Fourth quarter: Georgia 20, Alabama 17

The Bulldogs have retaken the lead off a Peyton Woodring 23-yard field goal. 

Fourth quarter: Alabama 17, Georgia 17

Alabama star receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams had to be helped off the field after taking a big hit. It's the second time of the game Coleman-Williams had to be helped off which included a first-half injury that led him to go to the locker room early. Coleman-Williams appeared to get hit in the head but his status is unknown. 

Fourth quarter: Alabama 17, Georgia 17

A promising Georgia drive comes up with nothing after Peyton Woodring misses from 39-yards out, That's a significant miss for a Georgia team that had momentum but got stymied before breaking into the red zone. 

End of third quarter: Alabama 17, Georgia 17

The Bulldogs have the ball and are driving as we head to the fourth quarter. Georgia was fortunate that a Gunner Stockton interception was overturned and later an under-thrown Stockton pass elicited a pass interference call. As we start the fourth quarter, Georgia will have 1st-and-10 from Alabama's 25-yard line. 

Third quarter: Alabama 17, Georgia 17

The great Conor Talty tied it up at 17-17 on a successful 39-yard field goal. Keelon Russell was cooking on that offensive drive for the Tide, scrambling for a 21-yard gain and going 3 for 4 on his pass attempts for 25 yards. This game between two SEC heavyweights has been everything you would have wanted so far. Neither team is going away any time soon. 

Third quarter: Georgia 17, Alabama 14

A tipped INT notwithstanding, Gunner Stockton is having himself a helluva game in Tuscaloosa. He's made multiple big-time throws tonight including a 30-yard one to Craig Dandridge that was right on the money in tight coverage. Stockton then kept it to himself and scored on a 14-yard run. 

He's 11 for 13 for 188 yards, one passing touchdown, one rushing touchdown and an interception. That was a strong response from Georgia to start the second half after the way Alabama took the lead right before the half. 

HALF: Alabama 14, Georgia 10

A gutsy decision from Kalen DeBoer right before halftime paid off as EJ Crowell raced in from a yard out to give No. 6 Alabama a 14-10 lead over No. 2 Georgia. The Bulldogs will start with the ball in the second half. 

Facing a second-and-goal from Georgia's 1-yard line with only time for one more play, DeBoer opted to run the ball with Crowell, who was able to get the edge on a Georgia defender and run in for the touchdown. It was an impressive two-minute drive from Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell and the Crimson Tide offense after the defense stopped Georgia. 

Georgia struck first off a 42-yard Peyton Woodring field goal in the first quarter for a 3-0 lead. The Bulldogs added to that with a Gunner Stockton to London Humphreys 20-yard touchdown pass. Stockton was efficient and effective in the first half, finishing 9 for 11 for 143 yards, one touchdown and an interception. Stockton set up the touchdown drive with a 53-yard pass to Jaden Reddell, who raced down the middle of the field. 

Alabama wasn't able to muster as many explosive plays as fans have become accustomed to seeing this season, but finally broke through in the second quarter. Trae'shawn Brown gave Alabama the big play it desperately needed with a 58-yard run. One play later, Keelon Russell got Alabama on the board with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Marshall Pritchett. Russell didn't look particularly comfortable early on against the Bulldogs, but settled in nicely in the second quarter. He finished the half 11 for 22 for 119 yards, one touchdown and one lost fumble. 

Alabama outgained Georgia, 224-192, in the first half. 

Second quarter: Georgia 10, Alabama 7

Alabama's defense is facing a critical series here coming out of the two-minute timeout. Georgia is on its own 42-yard line with all three timeouts remaining and set up to get the ball to start the second half. Gunner Stockton has been moving the ball well. Georgia adding another touchdown right before halftime could be a backbreaker. 

Alabama has had some success bringing extra pressure on Stockton. Can it dial it up a bit more to force a punt? 

Second quarter: Georgia 10, Alabama 7

No team had more explosive plays than Alabama coming into tonight's game. Through the first quarter-and-a-half, though, Alabama couldn't manage much. And then came the big breakthrough on a Trae'shawn Brown 58-yard run. The very next play Keelon Russell connected with Marshall Pritchett for a 22-yard touchdown. 

Georgia jumping out to a 10-0 lead quieted the crowd but two big plays back-to-back after the place roaring again. 

Second quarter: Georgia 10, Alabama 0

Gunner Stockton threw a dart to Jaden Reddell who raced past a step-too-slow Bray Hubbard down the middle of the field for a 53-yard gain. The very next play Stockton hit London Humphreys for a 20-yard touchdown to give Georgia a two-score lead and completely quieted the Bryant-Denny Stadium crowd. Alabama had been doing a good job bottling up Georgia's offense before Stockton found something he liked down the middle. 

Stockton is a perfect 6 for 6 for 109 yards and a touchdown. 

Second quarter: Georgia 3, Alabama 0

It has turned into a defensive slugfest here in the first half. Georgia is all over Keelon Russell, who hasn't looked super comfortable early on in this one. He's 4 for 7 for 24 yards and a lost fumble. The big play opportunities Russell excelled at last week against Mississippi State haven't been there.

Similarly, Alabama's defense hasn't given Georgia much to work with. After a terrific Alabama punt was downed at Georgia's 3-yard line, the Bulldogs couldn't manage much and had to punt after a three-and-out. Gunner Stockton is 2 for 2 for 29 yards. 

First quarter: Georgia 3, Alabama 0

Despite the penalties, Georgia put three points on the board off a Peyton Woodring 43-yard field goal. Dwight Phillips had 16 rushing yards -- plus a 17-yard rushing touchdown that was called back -- while Gunner Stockton connected with Lawson Luckie for a 26-yard gain to power Georgia's early offense. 

First quarter: Alabama 0, Georgia 0

Georgia appeared to have the first points of the game on a Dwight Phillips touchdown run...until a holding penalty brought it back. It wasn't an egregious hold but was just enough right in front of an official to get called. On the next play, Georgia got hit for a rare offensive pass interference call on a pick play that resulted in an injury to Jaden Reddell. 

If Georgia doesn't emerge with points from this drive, those penalties will loom extra large.

First quarter: Alabama 0, Georgia 0

A promising first drive for Alabama ends when Keelon Russell gets hit from his blind side and fumbles the ball on Georgia's 37-yard line. Russell didn't have much of a shot with Joseph Jonah-Ajonye on him as quickly as he was. The Bulldogs get the ball on their 39-yard line. 

We are just about to kick off here in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Georgia won the toss and has chosen to defer. It's been a rainy day in Alabama, and we'll see how it impacts Keelon Russell and this high-powered Alabama offense to start. 

For all the incredible success Kirby Smart has had at Georgia, Alabama has remained a quandary he rarely has been able to figure out. Smart has a 122-21 record while at UGA, and yet seven of those 21 losses have come at the hands of the Crimson Tide. Smart beat Alabama in last season's SEC Championship -- his first win in four tries against Bama in Atlanta -- but has yet to win a regular-season game. Smart is 0-3 all-time against Alabama, with the last two coming in back-to-back seasons against Kalen DeBoer. 

Can Kirby get his first regular-season win over Alabama tonight? His Bulldogs are 2.5-point underdogs on the road. 

President Donald Trump decided Friday he would not attend Saturday night's game as previously planned. In a post on social media, Trump wrote, "Based on the fact that a huge Hurricane/Storm is coming, it is important to have our wonderful First Responders, Law Enforcement, and others, focused on that Storm, and in no way be thinking about the safety, or presence, of the President of the United States, ME! Therefore, I will miss that potentially unbelievable Game, Alabama vs. Georgia but, hopefully, the Game will go on despite the weather!"

The absence of President Trump lessens the security measures that fans attending the game would have had to go through. Trump attended the Texas at Tennessee game earlier this season and previously attended Alabama's 41-34 win over Georgia in Tuscaloosa two years ago.