Tua Tagovailoa leads Alabama to comeback OT win over Georgia in national title game

E.Jay Zarett

Tua Tagovailoa leads Alabama to comeback OT win over Georgia in national title game image

Alabama completed an improbable comeback and came away with a 26-23 overtime win over Georgia in the College Football Playoff national title game Monday night in Atlanta.

The Crimson Tide were shut out in the first half and trailed 13-0. Freshman Tua Tagovailoa replaced Jalen Hurts at quarterback to start the third quarter and sparked the Alabama offense.

Alabama tied the score 20-20 with 3:49 to play in the fourth quarter and won the game in the first overtime on a 41-yard pass from Tagovailoa to DeVonta Smith.

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Tagovailoa threw for 166 yards and three scores after halftime to lead the Crimson Tide to the win, while Calvin Ridley, Henry Ruggs and Smith each caught a touchdown pass.

WHO IS TUA? Get to know Tide's hero QB 

Freshman quarterback Jake Fromm tallied 232 passing yards and a touchdown but also threw two interceptions for Georgia. Sony Michel rushed for 98 yards.

GAME CENTER: Alabama vs. Georgia stats

Sporting News provided live updates throughout Monday’s game. Here’s how Alabama came away with the title at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (all times Eastern) :

Alabama vs. Georgia: Score, results, highlights

Final score: Alabama 26, Georgia 23

12:09 a.m.: Touchdown, Alabama. Tagovailoa is sacked for a loss of 16 on first down but follows with a 41-yard touchdown pass down the sideline to DeVonta Smith and Alabama is your national champion.

12:07 a.m.: Fromm is sacked for a loss of 13 on third down. Rodrigo Blankenship enters and kicks a 51-yard field goal for Georgia to make the score 23-20. Alabama will have a chance to win with a touchdown on its next possession.

12:06 a.m.: Georgia will start overtime with the ball. Alabama won the toss and chose to play defense.

End of regulation: Alabama 20, Georgia 20

11:59 p.m.: Pappanastos misses wide left and we’re going to overtime.

11:58 p.m.: Andy Pappanastos will be attempting a game-winning 36-yard field goal for Alabama with three seconds to play.

11:57 p.m.: Alabama has it at the Georgia 16 and calls timeout with six seconds left on the clock.

11:54 p.m.: Tagovailoa keeps it and moves the chains for Alabama. It has a fresh set of downs at the Georgia 20 with 56 seconds to play.

11:51 p.m.: Alabama has moved into field goal range after a completion to Ridley, a facemask penalty on Georgia and a run by Tagovailoa.

11:48 p.m.: Fromm throws an incompletion on third down and Georgia punts. Alabama takes over at its 35 with 2:55 remaining and a chance to take the lead.

11:43 p.m.: Touchdown, Alabama. The Crimson Tide go for it on a fourth-and-4 from the Georgia 6. On the play, Tagovailoa finds Calvin Ridley in the end zone and Alabama ties the score 20-20 with 3:49 to play.

11:39 p.m.: Alabama picks up a first down on a 17-yard pass from Tagovailoa to Damien Harris and moves the chains again on a defensive pass interference penalty. Tagovailoa follows with a 20-yard completion to Jerry Jeudy and the Crimson Tide have it at the Georgia 13.

11:32 p.m.: Sony Michel comes up short of the marker on a third-down run and Georgia is forced to punt. Alabama will start at its 34 with 7:10 remaining.

11:25 p.m.: Field goal, Alabama. Georgia safety Dominick Sanders nearly comes away with a third-down interception but he fails to corral the ball before stepping out of the end zone. Andy Pappanastos follows with a 30-yard field goal and Alabama now trails 20-13 with 9:24 to play.

11:19 p.m.: Najee Harris breaks off two big runs, totaling 51 yards, to move Alabama to the Georgia 14.

11:14 p.m.: Georgia advances near midfield before Fromm is sacked on third down. The Bulldogs punt and Alabama will get the ball back on its 17 with 11:39 to play.

11:10 p.m.: Alabama defensive back Kyriq McDonald collapses on the sideline and is removed on a stretcher, according to a report by ESPN.

End of third quarter: Georgia 20, Alabama 10

11:08 p.m.: Alabama linebacker Mehki Brown was involved in a heated exchange on the sideline earlier in the quarter.

11:05 p.m.: Alabama goes three-and-out and punts.

11:03 p.m.: Georgia advances to the Alabama 39 before its drive stalls. The Bulldogs punt and Alabama takes over on its 20. 

10:57 p.m.: Field goal, Alabama. The Crimson Tide pick up a first down before Tagovailoa throws three straight incompletions. Andy Pappanastos enters and kicks a 43-yard field goal to cut Alabama’s deficit to 20-10.

10:52 p.m.: Turnover, Georgia. A Fromm pass bounces off Alabama lineman Da'Shawn Hand and into the air. Raekwon Davis picks it off and Alabama will take over at the Georgia 40.

10:48 p.m.: Turnover, Alabama. Tagovailoa overthrows his intended receiver and the pass is picked off by Georgia defensive back Deandre Baker. The Bulldogs will take over at the Alabama 39 with 6:32 to play in the quarter.

10:42 p.m.: Touchdown, Georgia. Fromm shows off his arm strength as he connects with Mecole Hardman down the sideline on a third-and-11 play for an 80-yard touchdown as Georgia’s lead grows to 20-7.

10:35 p.m.: Touchdown, Alabama. Tagovailoa completes three straight passes to Henry Ruggs, the last of which results in a 6-yard touchdown. The Crimson Tide trail 13-7 with 8:52 remaining in the third quarter.

10:33 p.m.: Tagovailoa leaves the pocket, barely escapes a sack and scrambles for 9 yards to pick up a first down for Alabama.

10:27 p.m.: Georgia goes three-and-out on its opening possession of the second half.

10:23 p.m.: Tagovailoa is sacked on third down and Alabama punts. Georgia blocks the first punt attempt, but is called for being offside. The Bulldogs will take over at their 36 after a second kick.

10:18 p.m.: Backup Tua Tagovailoa starts the second half at quarterback for Alabama. Tagovailoa was 35-of-53 passing for 470 yards during the regular season. He threw for eight touchdowns and one interception. Jalen Hurts completed just three passes for 21 yards in the first half.

10:17 p.m.: We’re back for the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Alabama will start the period’s opening drive at its 22.

Halftime: Georgia 13, Alabama 0

9:52 p.m.: Alabama takes a knee and heads to halftime trailing 13-0. Georgia outgains Alabama 223-95 in the half. 

9:49 p.m.: Touchdown, Georgia. Mecole Hardman takes a direct snap and runs it in from 2 yards out to give the Bulldogs a 13-0 lead with seven seconds remaining in the half.

9:46 p.m.: Fromm keeps for a 14-yard gain and follows with a 16-yard pass to Terry Godwin, moving Georgia to the Alabama 3 with 15 seconds to play in the half.

9:43 p.m.: Sony Michel takes a handoff and picks up 14 yards on third down and Georgia moves into Alabama territory with 39 seconds to play in the half.

9:40 p.m.: Hurts throws two incompletions and Damien Harris registers a short run, and Alabama is forced to punt again.

9:37 p.m.: Fromm throws an incomplete pass on third down and Georgia punts. Alabama will take over at its 25 with 2:14 remaining in the half.

9:35 p.m.: Fromm connects with Riley Ridley again on third down, this time for a gain of 16, to move the chains.

9:32 p.m.: Jalen Hurts runs for 31 yards on the first play of the drive. Alabama, however, fails to move the chains and punts again. Georgia will start at its 5 with 5:10 to play in the half.

9:27 p.m.: Field goal, Georgia. The Bulldogs move the chains one more time on a 16-yard pass from Fromm to Javon Wims. But their drive stalls and Rodrigo Blankenship adds a 27-yard field goal to make the score 6-0.

9:17 p.m.: Fromm connects with Riley Ridley for 23 yards on a third-and-8 play to move Georgia into Alabama territory again.

9:11 p.m.: Hurts is hit as he throws and his pass on third down falls incomplete. Alabama punts again.

9:02 p.m.: Field goal, Georgia. Fromm is sacked and the Bulldogs register two short runs before Rodrigo Blankenship kicks a 41-yard field goal. Georgia leads 3-0.

End of first quarter: Georgia 0, Alabama 0

8:57 p.m.: Sony Michel gains 26 yards on a third-down run, keeping Georgia’s drive alive. The Bulldogs now have it at the Alabama 26.

8:57 p.m.: Sony Michel gains 26 yards on a third-down run, keeping Georgia’s drive alive.

8:49 p.m.: Georgia picks up a first down on a 7-yard run by Sony Michel and moves the chains again when Alabama jumps offside. The Bulldogs have it at their 35 with 3:20 to play in the quarter.

8:46 p.m.: Georgia runs it for the first time in the game on first down. Nick Chubb gains 4 yards on the play.

8:42 p.m.: Jalen Hurts is brought down behind the line of scrimmage on a third-down keeper, forcing an Alabama punt. Georgia will take over on its 21. The Bulldogs did not run the ball on their first two drives. 

8:37 p.m.: After picking up one first down, Jake Fromm throws three straight incomplete passes and Georgia punts. Alabama will start at its 20.

8:28 p.m.: The Crimson Tide move into the red zone when Jalen Hurts scrambles for 10 yards on third down to move the chains. After a short run by Josh Jacobs, Hurts throws two straight incompletions. Kicker Andy Pappanastos enters and misses a 40-yard field goal attempt well to the left and Alabama comes away with no points. 

8:22 p.m.: Turnover, Georgia. Jake Fromm underthrows Javon Wims on a deep pass down the sideline. Alabama defensive back Tony Brown comes down with the football and Alabama will take over on its 36.

8:20 p.m.: We’re underway at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Alabama wins the toss and defers. Georgia will start the game’s opening possession at its 25.

Pregame

8:15 p.m.: ESPN’s telecast says the crowd is split about 70-30 in favor of Georgia.

7:54 p.m.: Uga X makes an appearance.

7:21 p.m.: Terrell Owens and A.J. Green are both in attendance at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

7:13 p.m.: With a win tonight, Nick Saban would tie Bear Bryant for the most national championships in the Poll Era.

7:00 p.m.: We’re about one hour from kickoff.

6:21 p.m.: It’s an all-SEC championship game.

6:05 p.m.: Alabama makes its entrance.

5:55 p.m.: Georgia has arrived at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

E.Jay Zarett