Georgia linebacker Alec Ogletree (9) reaches for a blocked field goal before returning it for a touchdown during the second half of the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game against Alabama, Saturday in Atlanta.
Alabama players, from left, Nick Perry, Jeremy Shelley, and Carson Tinker celebrate after their 32-28 win in the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA game against Georgia Saturday in Atlanta.ATLANTA — They will be talking about this one for years to come.
The 21st version of the Southeastern Conference football title game was the most memorable yet, as No. 2-ranked Alabama outlasted No. 3 Georgia 32-28 Saturday in a classic that contained five lead changes and four in the second half.
A 45-yard touchdown pass from Crimson Tide quarterback AJ McCarron to Amari Cooper with 3:15 remaining was the deciding score, but Alabama still had to survive a late Georgia threat that ended at Alabama’s 5-yard line when time ran out.
“This conference will test your mettle,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “There are a lot of good teams in this conference, and we beat a really good one out there today. We kind of had that ‘I would not be denied’ attitude.”
Alabama clinched a berth in the BCS championship game against No. 1 Notre Dame with Saturday’s triumph before a deafening Georgia Dome crowd of 75,624. The official announcement will be made tonight, but the Crimson Tide (12-1) will be Miami-bound for the Jan. 7 title matchup.