Sports
Kalen DeBoer Grabs First Signature Win As No. 4 Alabama Staves Off No. 2 Georgia
The eyes of the nation were on Tuscaloosa Saturday night and first-year head coach Kalen DeBoer delivered for his first signature win.
TUSCALOOSA, AL — First-year Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer and 17-year-old freshman receiver Ryan Williams both shined in their first signature win as No. 4 Alabama beat No. 2 Georgia 41-34 Saturday night in Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
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In a coming-out-party similar to Nick Saban's 41-30 signature win in Athens in the 2008 "Blackout Game," the Crimson Tide came out slugging and jumped out to a 30-7 lead going into the half, thanks to several big plays from Williams and junior quarterback Jalen Milroe.
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The Bulldogs settled in on offense in the second half, though, and went on to score 19 points in the fourth quarter after the Georgia defense buckled down and found ways to force mistakes.
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck, who was 16-1 as a starter coming into the game, struggled in the first half before breaking out in the comeback effort that saw the Bulldogs grab a 34-33 lead with 2:31 to go.
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Alabama answered immediately with a bobbling circus grab by Williams for a 75-yard score from Milroe that set up a successful two-point pass to Germie Bernard.
Georgia wasn't finished, though, and drove the field into the Crimson Tide red zone.
Alabama defensive back Zabien Brown snagged one in the end zone and threw his arms out to celebrate slamming the door on the Bulldogs for the 41-34 win.
Milroe went 27-for-33 through the air for 374 yards, while also leading the team on the ground with 117 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns.
The Crimson Tide (5-0, 1-0 SEC) will return to action next Saturday when Alabama goes on the road against Vanderbilt.
Kickoff is set for 3:15 p.m. local time and SEC Network will carry the broadcast.
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