Freshman sensation Ryan Williams saved No. 4 Alabama from an epic collapse against No. 2 Georgia on Saturday night.
Williams made an incredible 75-yard go-ahead TD catch with 2:18 to go to give Alabama a 41-34 win over the Bulldogs. Look at his ability to adjust to the football while it was in the air, the awareness to stay in bounds and the spin move to make the Georgia defenders miss.
The TD came as Alabama was on the verge of blowing a 28-0 first-half lead. Georgia had gone ahead 34-33 — its first lead of the game — just 13 seconds before Williams crossed the goal line when Carson Beck hit Dillon Bell for a 67-yard TD pass after Bell had gotten behind Alabama’s secondary.
The Bulldogs still had plenty of time after Williams’ TD and got all the way to the Alabama 20. This time, another freshman sealed the game. Zabien Brown picked off Beck in the end zone with 43 seconds to go as Beck tried to beat him one-on-one.
It was the second straight play Georgia had targeted Brown in single coverage with a bigger receiver in Colbie Young.
“I knew he’s a smart guy and sooner or later he’d read what’s going on and make a play,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said after the game on ABC.
Georgia scored 19 straight points after Alabama had gone up 33-15 with 1:23 to go in the third quarter. That field goal was set up by another improbable catch by the 17-year-old Williams.
Outside of Williams’ heroics, Alabama’s offense was in a funk for the second half. It was a stark contrast to the first half, when Georgia was helpless to stop the Crimson Tide.
Milroe accounted for three of Alabama’s first four TDs and combined with Jam Miller to produce a highlight that shouldn’t get lost in what Williams did. As Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer made the smart decision to go four it on a fourth and short in Georgia territory, Milroe took a shotgun snap with Miller alongside him in the backfield.
Miller made a block that knocked Jalon Walker’s helmet off. The hit allowed Milroe to get to the edge and he turned upfield along the sideline for a 36-yard TD run.