The No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide went from dominating the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs to nearly becoming victims of a historic comeback in their Week 5 showdown. In what was head coach Kalen DeBoer’s first SEC matchup and his inaugural meeting with Georgia’s Kirby Smart, Alabama came out swinging, stunning the Bulldogs with a commanding first-half performance. By halftime, the Crimson Tide had built an impressive 23-point lead.
However, Georgia responded with a ferocious second-half comeback, cutting into Alabama’s lead and eventually taking a 34-33 advantage late in the fourth quarter. Carson Beck’s 67-yard touchdown pass to Dillon Bell seemed to shift the momentum entirely in Georgia’s favor. But as he had done all game, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe rose to the occasion.
On the very first play of Alabama’s ensuing drive, Milroe connected with freshman standout Ryan Williams for a 75-yard touchdown, regaining the lead and ultimately securing a hard-fought 41-34 victory. While this game-winning touchdown was pivotal, Milroe’s performance went beyond just clutch plays—he also made college football history.
According to ESPN’s Cole Cubelic, Milroe became the first player in AP Poll history to throw for 300 yards, rush for 100 yards, and score two rushing touchdowns against a top-five opponent. Considering the AP Poll has been in existence since 1936, this is an extraordinary accomplishment for the young quarterback.
Milroe ended the night with an outstanding stat line, completing 27 of 33 passes for 374 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 117 yards and adding two more scores on the ground. His dual-threat abilities were on full display, and his performance was instrumental in Alabama maintaining their unbeaten record.
In addition to making history, Milroe’s dominant display catapulted him to the top of the Heisman Trophy race. According to FanDuel, Milroe (+170) is now the clear favorite, surpassing Miami’s quarterback (+500) and Colorado’s two-way star Travis Hunter (750+), who had entered the weekend as strong contenders.
With Alabama now sitting at 4-0, Milroe and the Crimson Tide will take a well-deserved break before returning to action on October 15 against Vanderbilt.
