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The Georgia Bulldogs got into the college football title game with an unexpected comeback for an overtime win against the Oklahoma Sooners. On Monday night, they had their championship hopes yanked away the same way.

the Alabama Crimson Tide made up lost ground, bringing the score with Georgia's Bulldogs to 20-20 with less than four minutes left in the College Football Playoff National Championship game in Atlanta.


Down to what might have been their last down, freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa flung the ball to the endzone on fourth down and found wide receiver Calvin Ridley. Georgia had been leading Alabama 20-7 in the the third quarter.

Alabama got the ball back, but kicker Andy Pappanastos pulled a 36-yard field goal wide, and the game went to overtime.

Georgia went first and managed a field goal of their own, and looked to be in good shape after a 16-yard sack of Tagovailoa on Alabama's first play. But Tagovailoa found wide receiver DeVonta Smith streaking down the left sideline for a touchdown, and Alabama's fifth national championship in nine seasons.

The Bulldogs had scored their second touchdown of the game on a 80-yard reception by receiver Mecole Hardman. Rodrigo Blankenship kicked the point-after.

After being held scoreless in the first half, Alabama got on the board with a 6-yard touchdown pass by freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to Henry Riggs III.

Tagovailoa started the second half for Alabama after a lackluster performance by starting quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Late in the second quarter, Georgia scored a touchdown on a one-yard run by Mecole Hardman. That capped off a 69-yard drive.

Blankenship earlier had kicked two field goals of 41 and 27 yards.

Georgia's freshman quarterback Jake Fromm has paced his team with a mix of medium-length passes which have set up the Bulldogs a potent running attack.

Georgia's offense dominated the game early with twice as many offensive plays as Alabama which hadn't managed to sustain a drive throughout the contest.

The game pitted Georgia's potent running game against Alabama's stout rushing defense.


Alabama is led by arguably the best college football coach in the game, Nick Saban, while Georgia is led by Kirby Smart, who spent nine years as a 

 and was looking to best the master by bringing the Peach State its first title since 1980. No former assistant coach has ever 

, tried to break the National Football League's hold on pro football and failed, was there for the first half.
The Atlanta chapter of the NAACP encouraged people to stage a 

 by waving small white towels at any mention of Trump. But apparently that didn't happen.
Chapter president Richard Rose told 

 that his group would also protest on social media, but their planned action would be limited.


"Rose said the Atlanta chapter of the NAACP will not officially participate in any physical gathering before or during the game due to weather and security concerns," reported the national daily.

It was likely that Trump would be on safe ground at a game between competitors of two deep-red states.


And in case you're wondering how popular Nick Saban is in Alabama, consider this: more than 400 voters cast their ballot during that recent special election for the 66-year-old coach as a write-in candidate. Not that Saban ever did anything to encourage that support. As 

Sports

Chris Hopkins

Author

The contest featured one team led by a legendary coach and the other led by his former assistant. Nick Saban has never been defeated by one of his ex-aides.

Alabama clinches NCAA championship 26-23 in overtime against Georgia

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