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

E.Jay Zarett

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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