Alabama football: 3 takeaways from the Tide’s 2023 SEC Championship win

Georgia and Alabama football played yet another classic SEC Championship Game, and as has become all-too-common in this game, Alabama football came away with the victory.

1. Milroe magic

This week’s edition of the Jalen Milroe show was a little less shocking than last week in the Iron Bowl, but it was just as important. On the arm, and legs, of Milroe, Alabama is likely headed to the College Football Playoff.

The box score isn’t flashy. He completed 13 of his 23 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns, and he added 29 rushing yards on 14 carries.

What was so vital about Milroe’s performance was when he made the plays.

For example: With 1:26 left in the fourth quarter, Alabama faced third-and-21 from their own 46-yard line. Milroe completed a 17-yard pass to Amari Niblack to give the Tide fourth-and-4. Milroe then found Isaiah Bond to keep the drive alive. Two plays later, he threw a touchdown pass to Jermaine Burton to put the Tide ahead by 10 heading into halftime. Those three plays made up 55 of Milroe’s 192 yards, and they may have been the most important three plays of the game.

There was also the final possession of the game. Georgia had just scored to bring the Bulldogs within three points, and momentum was back in their corner. On 1st down, needing a couple of first downs to stave off the Georgia rally and win the SEC Championship, Jalen Milroe ran for 30 yards to break the back of the Georgia defense. Then, on second-and-8 with 1:49 remaining and still needing one more first down to truly ice the game, Milroe again carried the ball, this time for nine yards and an Alabama first down. The game was won.

Milroe’s evolution has been perhaps the most impressive part of Alabama’s 2023 campaign, and on Saturday, the latest chapter in his story was written.