Georgia locks up first-round bye in College Football Playoff as Bulldogs smother Alabama in SEC title game

Georgia's defense shut down Ty Simpson and the Crimson Tide offense on the way to a dominant victory in the SEC Championship Game

Georgia got its revenge against Alabama, dominating with defense and cruising to a 28-7 win in the SEC Championship Game to lock up back-to-back conference titles. The victory all but secures a bye to the quarterfinals for the Bulldogs, who entered the weekend ranked No. 3 in the College Football Playoff and may have the résumé to climb even higher after such a commanding showing. Now 12-1, Georgia can argue it has "beaten everyone on its schedule," with its only loss a 24-21 defeat to this same Alabama team in September.

But the payback stretches beyond 2025 and even this two-year set against the SEC's premier programs. Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer was 2-0 against Georgia entering Saturday, and Kirby Smart carried a 1-7 career mark against the Tide, with five of those losses coming to Nick Saban -- his former boss and mentor. This performance echoed Smart's breakthrough national title win over Alabama, adding a deeper personal layer to the triumph.

Georgia set the tone early when it blocked a punt to set up a short field, then paired strong special teams with a balanced offense that capitalized in the red zone. The Bulldogs led 14-0 at halftime, opened the third quarter with a defensive three-and-out and quickly stretched the margin to 21-0. 

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson spent much of the game under pressure and posted one of his roughest stat lines of the season (19 of 39 for 212 yards, one touchdown and one interception), worsened by the Tide's total inability to run the ball.

Now attention turns to the playoff picture -- both Georgia's national championship ceiling and Alabama's positioning after a lopsided loss. Ranked No. 9 entering the weekend, the Crimson Tide seemed safely inside the 12-team field, but the margin of defeat will spark plenty of arguments from Notre Dame and Miami fans hoping for movement on the bubble.

For now, the dominant storyline is Georgia snapping a four-game losing streak to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game and claiming back-to-back league titles for the first time since Herschel Walker powered three straight from 1980-82. Smart has flipped the script on Alabama for the first time since the 2021-22 seasons, and he heads into the playoff with a team playing well enough to chase the same goals that group accomplished four years ago.

CFP impact of Georgia over Alabama

No. 3 Georgia (12-1): After Alabama snapped their 30-game home winning streak in September, the Dawgs returned the favor in dominant fashion inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. UGA added an SEC title to its exceptional resume while snapping Smart's ugly skid in the rivalry . The worries associated with Georgia's defense -- following that first matchup -- have evaporated since. The Dawgs turned their aggression all the way -- at the right time, too.Georgia's projected to receive a bye as the No. 2 seed in the playoff bracket behind the Big Ten champion (Ohio State or Indiana). 

The Dawgs would start their CFP journey in the Sugar Bowl quarterfinal on Jan. 1 against the 7-10 winner. Georgia lost to Notre Dame in last year's playoff, a game that marked Stockton's first career start. This year, UGA enters the postseason having won nine straight games, including victories over Ole Miss, Texas, Georgia Tech and now Bama -- opponents that  combined to go 39-10 this season.

No. 9 Alabama (10-3): The Crimson Tide will anxiously await Selection Sunday with unexpected nerves after their worst loss of the season, a result far uglier than their Week 1 setback at Florida State given the stage and implications. CBS Sports projects that the committee will ultimately choose Alabama and Notre Dame (10-2) as the final two at-large teams with Miami (FL) (10-2) being left out of the field. BYU losing to Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship Game opened an additional spot. If the Tide are indeed chosen, they will be the first three-loss, at-large selection in playoff history and the first team to make the field despite losing two games by double digits.

CBS Sports was here every step of the way with live updates, highlights and analysis. Scroll down below for takeaways from Georgia's dominant win over Alabama. 

[Dec 6, 2025 at 8:44 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Some notable achievements and historical reference points coming out Georgia's 28-7 win against Alabama, courtesy of CBS Sports Research: 

- Georgia notched its fifth win against an AP-ranked team this season, which is tied for the most FBS with Oklahoma. 

- Georgia now moves into solo third for the most SEC Championship Game wins with six, trailing only Alabama (11) and Florida (7). 

- This is Alabama's first loss in the SEC Championship Game since losing to Florida in 2008. The Crimson Tide went 9-0 in SEC Championship Games from 2009-23, including four wins against Georgia in that stretch. 

- Alabama's seven points is tied for the fewest of any team in an SEC Championship Game, matching Auburn's seven points in a loss to Georgia in 2017. 

- Rare company: Georgia became just the 3rd team in the AP poll era (since 1936) to win 65 games in a five-season span. This run, which dates back to the start of 2021 and includes a 65-5 record, puts the Bulldogs in the same company as 2015-19 Clemson and 2014-18 Alabama. 

[Dec 6, 2025 at 7:55 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Kirby Smart was Alabama's defensive coordinator during its 21-0 win over LSU in the 2011-12 BCS National Championship Game -- a rematch of LSU's 9-6 regular-season victory that's still considered one of the era's defining defensive masterpieces. LSU barely crossed midfield that night and never threatened to score.

For a stretch on Saturday, Georgia's domination carried a similar feel. Alabama had run just three snaps in Georgia territory and trailed 21-0, evoking memories of that old-school suffocation.

Alabama eventually hit a few big plays and finally got on the board -- expected for an offense with that much talent -- but one thing the Crimson Tide never generated was a run game.

They finished with minus-3 rushing yards on 16 attempts, a figure heavily skewed by Georgia's three sacks worth minus-23 yards. Even after adjusting for sacks, Alabama managed only 20 yards at 1.5 yards per rush attempt, one of the most jarring stat lines from championship weekend.

Alabama was without starting running back Jam Miller, and jump-starting the ground game must be a priority as the Tide prep for the postseason. Ty Simpson and Alabama's receivers can threaten any defense, but that attack becomes far easier to defend when opponents don't have to respect the run.

[Dec 6, 2025 at 7:47 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton earned SEC Championship Game MVP honors after completing 20 for 26 passes for 156 yards and three touchdowns in the Bulldogs' 28-7 win. While his 6.0 yards per attempt doesn't jump off the page, the performance was efficient and timely. He completed 77% of his throws and went 8 for 10 on third down.

Stockton also earned tough yards in the run game, finishing with 39 net rushing yards on 13 attempts -- tied for the team high with starting running back Nate Frazier.

Stockton has rarely been mentioned in the Heisman Trophy conversation and often doesn't leap off the stat sheet on a typical Saturday. But this MVP honor underscores how valuable he is in Georgia's biggest moments. The Bulldogs leaned on quarterback runs early to move the chains, and the overall offensive balance -- 156 passing yards and 141 rushing yards -- reflected Stockton's steady influence.

With every game from here on out carrying national championship stakes, Georgia should feel confident in the quarterback leading it into the College Football Playoff.

[Dec 6, 2025 at 7:30 pm ET · Brad Crawford]

No. 3 Georgia (12-1): After Alabama snapped their 30-game home winning streak in September, the Dawgs returned the favor in dominant fashion inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. UGA added an SEC title to its exceptional resume while snapping Smart's ugly skid in the rivalry . The worries associated with Georgia's defense -- following that first matchup -- have evaporated since. The Dawgs turned their aggression all the way -- at the right time, too.Georgia's projected to receive a bye as the No. 2 seed in the playoff bracket behind the Big Ten champion (Ohio State or Indiana). 

The Dawgs would start their CFP journey in the Sugar Bowl quarterfinal on Jan. 1 against the 7-10 winner. Georgia lost to Notre Dame in last year's playoff, a game that marked Stockton's first career start. This year, UGA enters the postseason having won nine straight games, including victories over Ole Miss, Texas, Georgia Tech and now Bama -- opponents that  combined to go 39-10 this season.

No. 9 Alabama (10-3): The Crimson Tide will anxiously await Selection Sunday with unexpected nerves after their worst loss of the season, a result far uglier than their Week 1 setback at Florida State given the stage and implications. CBS Sports projects that the committee will ultimately choose Alabama and Notre Dame (10-2) as the final two at-large teams with Miami (FL) (10-2) being left out of the field. BYU losing to Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship Game opened an additional spot. If the Tide are indeed chosen, they will be the first three-loss, at-large selection in playoff history and the first team to make the field despite losing two games by double digits.

[Dec 6, 2025 at 7:06 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

4Q: Georgia 28, Alabama 7

Alabama decided to go for it on 4th and 2 from their own 12-yard line, and after Ty Simpson's pass sailed incomplete it took Georgia just three plays to punch it into the end zone and regain a 21-point lead in the contest. For Zachariah Branch, the score caps what has been a strong showing here in the SEC Championship Game (5 catches, 53 yards and a score) and for the Bulldogs it all but seals back-to-back SEC crowns. The two short field touchdowns, first off the blocked punt and then off the turnover on downs, will prove incredibly impactful on the final score as Alabama does its debrief after the game.

[Dec 6, 2025 at 6:57 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

4Q: Georgia 21, Alabama 7 

Georgia did get one first down and use a little bit of clock, but after a long punt from Brett Thorson the Crimson Tide will take over with 9:06 remaining looking to cut into the Bulldogs' lead. Ever since going up 21-0 early in the third quarter, Georgia's offense has been decidedly less effective with just 42 total yards and two first downs across its next three possessions. If Alabama can score here on its next possession, the momentum would be on the side of the Tide and it will be interesting to see if Georgia could flip the switch after a couple conservative possessions.

[Dec 6, 2025 at 6:49 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

4Q: Georgia 21, Alabama 7

Is it time for the comeback? Alabama might have saved face with a 9-play, 91 yard drive that ended with a Germie Bernard 23-yard touchdown to cut Georgia's lead to two scores. The Bulldogs seemed to have Alabama pinned in a bad spot twice only to see the drive extended by penalties, and now that Alabama reached the end zone both the personal foul and the pass interference have proven to be costly. The Crimson Tide still have just one net rushing yard in the game, but now at least there's a little bit of confidence for an Alabama offense that has been under fire all afternoon from Georgia's front.

[Dec 6, 2025 at 6:39 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

END 3Q: Georgia 21, Alabama 0 

It remains all Georgia as the 2025 SEC Championship Game heads to the fourth quarter. Alabama has run just three plays in Georgia territory in three quarters and has just 103 yards of offense for the game. It's been total domination for the Dawgs when Ty Simpson and the Alabama offense have had the ball, and combined with some steady play from Gunner Stockton have really set up the Bulldogs for a streak-snapping win. 

Georgia will still need to run the ball effectively and continue to get stops in order to make the final 15 minutes a coronation, but currently it's looking like Alabama will need an all-time comeback to reverse course. That's going to bring up a host of other College Football Playoff-related conversations, but for now the focus remains on the field in Atlanta where Alabama needs to worry about stacking first downs before arguing about CFP resumes.

[Dec 6, 2025 at 6:33 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

3Q: Georgia 21, Alabama 0 

Four straight three-and-outs for Alabama offense is not what the Crimson Tide needed to climb back into this game. Georgia has been so effective at limiting big plays, it's made life tough on Ty Simpson to push the ball down the field and the dink-and-dunk approach just isn't moving the sticks at all. Ty Simpson is currently 9-of-17 for 72 yards, which combined with the interception would mark one of its worst performances of the season. It's a credit to Georgia's defense and also a statement on Alabama's struggles to run the football, especially with Jam Miller out due to injury.

[Dec 6, 2025 at 6:12 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

3Q: Georgia 21, Alabama 0 

Alabama got the ball first coming out of the locker room and went three-and-out after Ty Simpson was under pressure on 2nd and long and then sacked for a loss of nine yards on third down. Then Zachariah Branch put together a quick spurt in the return game to get Georgia's first offensive possession of the half started in Alabama territory. 

From there it took just six plays to go 40 yards before Nate Frazier walked in a nine-yard touchdown to give Georgia a 21-0 lead. 

A deep pass from Gunner Stockton to Lawson Luckie really set up the Bulldogs in scoring position, then it was just a matter of executing in the red zone which Georgia has been perfect at today. Three red zone opportunities have been turned into three touchdowns, and now it's getting late early for an Alabama team that is currently getting out-gained 208-62. 

It's worth also noting how Gunner Stockton has played so far in this SEC Championship. Stockton is 15-for-21 for 110 yards and two touchdowns. It's not the most explosive performance at 5.2 yard per attempt but it's been efficient and effective in keeping Alabama's defense from selling out to stop the run. 

[Dec 6, 2025 at 5:57 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Some notes from the first half, courtesy of CBS Sports Research: 

- Georgia is 60-3 over the last 5 seasons when leading by 7+ points at halftime 

- Alabama is trialing by 14+ points for the first time since the season opening loss at Florida State 

- Georgia has won 52 straight games when leading by 14+ points (last loss: 2020 vs. No. 8 Florida)

- Alabama was shut out in the first half for the first time since the 2021 Iron Bowl, a game where the Crimson Tide tailed 7-0 at halftime but came back to win 24-22. 

- If Alabama were to come back and win, it would tie the largest comeback (14 points) in SEC Championship Game history. The record is currently held by Alabama, which came back from 14 down to beat Georgia in the 2018 SEC Championship Game. 

[Dec 6, 2025 at 5:39 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

HALFTIME: Georgia 14, Alabama 0 

Through 30 minutes in Atlanta, it's been all Bulldogs. Georgia heads to the locker room with a 14-0 lead after dominating the first half in every phase. Alabama crossed midfield just once, and that drive ended with a Ty Simpson interception. Georgia turned the takeaway into a long touchdown march and earlier blocked a punt to set up a short 21-yard scoring drive for its other touchdown.

Even with both scores aided by the defense and special teams, Georgia also controlled the offensive battle. The Bulldogs hold a sizable edge in total yards (168-70) and first downs (10-4). Kirby Smart pointed to the line of scrimmage -- along with avoiding turnovers -- as the keys to closing out the SEC Championship in the second half. 

[Dec 6, 2025 at 5:05 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

2Q: Georgia 14, Alabama 0 

The Dawgs go 57 yards in 14 plays after Ty Simpson's interception, wearing down Alabama's defense with 7:44 ticking off the clock through the march. The drive finished with Gunner Stockton's short toss to Dillon Bell in the end zone on 3rd and Goal from the 5-yard line, and suddenly the Dawgs have a two-touchdown lead with less than nine minutes left in the first half. 

For those keeping track at home, that's now 14 points off two huge defensive/special teams plays for Georgia. Though the lead on the score board is starting to catch up in the box score as well, where the Dawg are out-gaining Alabama 115-50 and have twice as many first downs and 49 more rushing yards.

[Dec 6, 2025 at 4:52 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

End 1Q: Georgia 7, Alabama 0 

The first quarter has been a big one for Georgia thanks to its defense and special teams. First the Dawgs' blocked punt sets up a short touchdown run and then after Alabama finally starts moving the ball down the field a tipped Ty Simpson pass is intercepted and returns out near midfield. Georgia will have the ball to start the second quarter, leading by a touchdown and currently out-gaining Alabama 65-50.

[Dec 6, 2025 at 4:39 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

1Q: Georgia 7, Alabama 0 

Georgia's defense has held Alabama to just one first down and forcing the Crimson Tide to punt has paid off in a field-flipping special teams play for the Bulldogs. Cole Speer broke through the protection and blocked the punt which was recovered deep in Alabama territory. From there it took just four plays to go 21 yards and score the first touchdown of the game, putting the Dawgs on top early.

[Dec 6, 2025 at 4:29 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

1Q: Alabama 0, Georgia 0 

Alabama ran the ball with Daniel Hill on first and second down to set up a manageable 3rd and 3 for their first possession of the game. But a misdirection hand-off to all-purpose wide receiver Lotzier Brooks is snuffed out by Georgia's defense and stopped for no gain. Now we're back to where we started, with Georgia's offense taking over at its own 30-yard line and Alabama yet to attempt a pass in the game.

[Dec 6, 2025 at 4:23 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

1Q: Alabama 0, Georgia 0 

Georgia hit one big play with a short pass to Zachariah Branch that he carried for 17 yards, but otherwise the first possession of the game was a win for Alabama's defense. The Crimson Tide stuffed a couple of rushing attempts and drew a holding call that set Gunner Stockton and the offense well behind the sticks, ultimately leading to a punt. Now we see the first possession for Alabama, taking over from their 18-yard line after a booming Brett Thorson punt. 

[Dec 6, 2025 at 4:16 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Obviously, there's nothing left to do but kick this thing off. A few notes as we get set. 

- Alabama won the coin toss and will defer to the second half, so Georgia's offense will be on the field first. 

- Malachi Toliver will be the starting center in place of Drew Bobo for Georgia. Toliver is a redshirt freshman with limited experience. 

- Daniel Hill will be the lead running back for Alabama in place of Jam Miller. Hill, a sophomore, has 217 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the season. 

[Dec 6, 2025 at 3:59 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Kirby Smart talked during the preseason about how this year's team is particularly young with it's reliance on first and second-year players. it should not be a surprise, then, that this group has gotten better throughout the season. One place where that's particularly evident is on defense, where the Bulldogs have kept opponents locked down over the last month. Since the start of November, no Georgia opponent has scored more than 21 points and in total the Bulldogs have allowed just 12.6 points per game over the last five games. 

[Dec 6, 2025 at 3:32 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

While nothing is certain given a College Football Playoff selection committee that has shown some truly impressive flexibility with their decision-making, the playoff impacts of the SEC Championship Game seem to lay out pretty simply. 

Both teams are probably in the 2025-26 College Football Playoff: When Alabama moved out of the No. 10 spot to No. 9 after beating Auburn, it was protected from any bid-stealing situation like BYU beating Texas Tech (a result that is no longer an issue after Texas Tech's emphatic win in Dallas). Now the Crimson Tide could be moved down in the event of a lopsided loss to the No. 10 seed, but it would likely not fall all the way out of the bracket. 

Neither team is guaranteed a bye to the quarterfinals: Georgia currently holds a spot what would get a bye at No. 3, and if the Bulldogs win they would certainly have one of the top two seeds in the field and get a bye to the quarterfinals for a second year in a row. However, a loss to Alabama could result in falling out of the top four while also not guaranteeing a bye for Alabama. The committee, again with their incredible flexibility, could certainly argue that beating Georgia is worth jumping from No. 9 to No. 4 or No. 3, but the Tide would be passing multiple one-loss teams to get there. 

But ... Bracketology probably isn't on the minds of either team: This is Alabama and Georgia. This is Kirby Smart and the pursuit of another SEC Championship. This is Kalen DeBoer still looking to put his stamp on the Alabama program by adding a trophy to the trophy case. While we can discuss seeding and byes and brackets on the outside, the game that is about to take place is bigger than bracketology. 

[Dec 6, 2025 at 3:21 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

One of the keys to both Kalen DeBoer's wins against Georgia over the last two seasons have been a hot start. Last season, the Crimson Tide raced out to a 30-7 halftime lead in what would become a 41-34 thriller of a win. Then earlier this year, Alabama took a 24-14 lead into the locker room that it was able to defend all the way to a 24-21 win. 

So if you were to break it down by half across the last two meetings: 

1st Half: Alabama 54-21 (+32) 

2nd Half: Georgia 34-11 (+23)

Overall: Alabama 65-Georgia 55 (+10) 

[Dec 6, 2025 at 2:53 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

The final availability report for the 2025 SEC Championship Game has been posted, and Alabama running back Jam Miller is indeed out for the game, along with Crimson Tide tight end Josh Cuevas. Offensive lineman Kam Dewberry is not listed after being questionable early in the week, indicating he is good to go. 

For Georgia, the players previously listed as out remain out and Zion Branch has been upgraded from questionable to "game-time decision." 

[Dec 6, 2025 at 2:50 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Some notes on the gambling side of things, via CBS Sports Research: 

Georgia (-1.5) vs Alabama, O/U: 47.5

UGA: 5-7 ATS, Under is 7-5

ALA: 7-3-2 ATS, Under is 8-4

- ALA: 4 upset wins vs UGA since 2021 (T-most in any FBS matchup in span)

- UGA: won 8 straight games, each by 4+ pts, since Sept 27 loss at Alabama

- UGA: under total in 3 straight games (45 total pts or fewer in each)

- ALA: 8-3 SU as underdog since 2008 (including win vs UGA this season)

- ALA: under total in 4 straight & 8 of past 9 games

[Dec 6, 2025 at 2:36 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Both Alabama and Georgia are dealing with some notable injuries coming into the 2025 SEC Championship. Georgia will be without starting center Drew Bobo, who got injured in the regular season finale against Georgia Tech, as well as multiple other starters like Colbie Young and Jordan Hall who have been injured for a few weeks now. Alabama has it's own injury issues with LT Overton ruled out for the game with an illness, and a questionable status assigned to starting running back Jam Miller and tight end Josh Cuevas. 

Check back closer to kickoff for an updated injury report for the 2025 SEC Championship Game. 

Alabama

• DB Kameron Howard – Out
• LB Kelby Collins – Out
• LB Jah-Marien Latham – Out
• DB Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. – Out
• DL LT Overton – Out
• RB Kevin Riley – Out
• OL Mal Waldrep Jr. – Out
• DL Jeremiah Beaman – Out
• RB Jam Miller – Questionable
• OL Kam Dewberry – Questionable
• TE Josh Cuevas – Questionable
• TE Danny Lewis – Questionable

Georgia

• WR Colbie Young – Out
• TE Ethan Barbour – Out
• RB Bo Walker – Out
• DB Kyron Jones – Out
• DL Jordan Hall – Out
• OL Drew Bobo – Out
• DB Zion Branch – Questionable

[Dec 6, 2025 at 2:24 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Alabama and Georgia both started 2025 with new full-time starters at quarterback, and since both have arrived here in the SEC Championship Game with top-10 rankings and national title aspirations its fair to say both campaigns have been a success. Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson has the best touchdown-to-interception ratio in the SEC with 25 touchdowns and just four interceptions, while also ranking third in the conference with 3,056 passing yards on the season. Gunner Stockton has been effective for Georgia as well, though in different ways. Heading into the SEC Championship Game, Stockton ranks second only to Diego Pavia in the SEC for completion percentage (70.2%) and has racked up 28 total touchdowns (20 passing, eight rushing) on the season. 

[Dec 6, 2025 at 2:12 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer is 19-4 in 23 games against AP Top 25 teams as a head coach, including a 6-1 record against top-10 opponents. Since arriving at Alabama, DeBoer is 7-1 against top 25 teams with the lone loss being the 23-21 defeat against Oklahoma on Nov. 8. At one point during his tenures at Fresno State and Washington, DeBoer had a 12-game winning streak against ranked opponents that only came to an end in the national championship game against Michigan.

[Dec 6, 2025 at 2:01 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Georgia trailed in seven of its eight SEC games this season yet finished with a 7-1 record thanks to clutch play and great second half adjustments. The Bulldogs were down on the road in wins at Tennessee and Auburn, and threw haymakers back and forth with Ole Miss in a 43-35 win in Athens. Even the one SEC loss this season, against Alabama in September, included a second half shutout by the Georgia defense and multiple possessions where the Bulldogs had a chance to tie or take the lead. The only SEC game where Georgia went wire-to-wire was a 35-14 home win against Kentucky.