Milroe-Williams TD connection helps No. 4 Alabama beat No. 2 Georgia 41-34 in DeBoer’s SEC opener

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Georgia and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe and Carson Beck put on quite a show even with another Crimson Tide coach lurking on the sidelines.

Ryan Williams caught a 75-yard touchdown pass from Milroe with 2:18 left and No. 4 Alabama beat No. 2 Georgia 41-34 Saturday night in a wild Southern Conference debut- Is for Tide coach Kalen DeBoer.

Then, Alabama’s other freshman sporting a No. 2 jersey, defensive back Zabien Brown, intercepted Carson Beck’s pass in the end zone to secure the victory.

“We pushed each other to the limit,” DeBoer said.

That’s no surprise with two teams battling for SEC and even national supremacy almost every year. It was DeBoer’s initiation into a captivating rivalry between SEC powerhouses that added another memorable chapter, even without Nick Saban on the sidelines facing Georgia protégé Kirby Smart.

DeBoer’s postgame message wasn’t so different.

“We hope to win these games,” he said. “Of course the locker room is full of enthusiasm, but I also want to make sure they realize that this is what is expected. There is a lot of season left.”

The dynamic 17-year-old Williams turned to catch Milroe’s deep pass in tight coverage, made a quick spin and sprinted down the right sideline. Milroe then hit Germie Bernard for the two-point conversion for the Tide (4-0, 1-0).

“I did a spin and it was like slow motion,” Williams said. “It looked faster on the screen.”

It was pretty quick.

The long TD pass came one play and 13 seconds after Carson Beck’s 67-yard bomb to Dillon Bell gave the Bulldogs (3-1, 1-1) their first lead of the game.

A rematch of last season’s SEC championship game, also won by Alabama, turned into a scintillating quarterback duel.

Milroe completed 27 of 33 passes for 374 yards with two touchdowns and an interception that bounced to the receiver. He also ran for 117 yards and two touchdowns. Williams had six catches for 177 yards.

Beck completed 27 of 50 passes for 439 yards with three touchdowns. He also threw three interceptions in the first multi-interception game of his career, but put on a show in the second half.

Beck is 16-2 as a starter with the two losses coming against the Tide.

The Bulldogs scored three touchdowns in the final 9:46. Alabama got the only one it needed.

Milroe led Alabama to touchdowns on its first four drives against a defense that was the only one in FBS not to allow one entering the game.

“Obviously we weren’t really prepared and that’s on me in the first half,” said Smart, who is just 1-6 against Alabama while dominating almost the entire world.

The Bulldogs trailed 28-0 a few minutes into the second quarter, their 42-game regular-season and 28-game SEC regular-season winning streaks seemingly almost over by halftime.

Georgia and Beck fought back instead of folding.

“We played poorly in the first half,” Beck said. “I don’t think we need to watch the film to see that we didn’t play our best. You know, it starts with me. I have to be better.

“But I’m happy with the way we fought, we brought it all back and took the lead, but we just couldn’t close it out.”

Georgia: Looked vulnerable for a program that has won two of the last three national titles over the past two games, including a 13-12 win over Kentucky. But the Bulldogs showed they didn’t get anywhere with the dominant second half.

Alabama: So far, the Tide have shown no signs of slipping under DeBoer, especially offensively, rolling on the road against Wisconsin and surviving at home against their recent SEC foe.

Alabama will move up at least one spot in the AP poll. The Bulldogs’ play in the second half likely means they won’t fall far.

Former President Donald Trump, the current Republican nominee, was on hand for the game. Trump was introduced early in the second quarter, leading to chants of “USA!” USA!” and waving to the crowd from a luxury box.

Georgia attempted fourth down five times and made them all. That helped make up for a 3-for-15 performance on third down.

Alabama: At Vanderbilt on Saturday in its first SEC road game.

Georgia: Hosts struggling Auburn on Saturday.

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