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2023 SEC Championship Game

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2023 SEC Championship Game
Conference Championship
Georgia Bulldogs Alabama Crimson Tide
(12–0) (11–1)
24 27
Head coach: 
Kirby Smart		 Head coach: 
Nick Saban
APCoachesCFP
111
APCoachesCFP
888
1234 Total
Georgia 70314 24
Alabama 31437 27
DateDecember 2, 2023
Season2023
StadiumMercedes-Benz Stadium
LocationAtlanta, Georgia
FavoriteGeorgia by 5.5
RefereeKyle Olson [1]
Attendance78,320
United States TV coverage
NetworkCBS
Westwood One
SEC Radio
AnnouncersBrad Nessler (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (color), and Jenny Dell (sideline) (CBS)
Mike Watts (play-by-play), Derek Rackley (analyst) and Taylor Davis (sideline) (Westwood One)
Dave Neal (play-by-play), Cole Cubelic (analyst) and Stephen Hartzell (sideline) (SEC Radio)
SEC Championship Game
 < 2022  2024 > 
2023 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
No. 4 Georgia xy   8 – 0     13 – 1  
No. 8 Missouri   6 – 2     11 – 2  
No. 17 Tennessee   4 – 4     9 – 4  
Kentucky   3 – 5     7 – 6  
Florida   3 – 5     5 – 7  
South Carolina   3 – 5     5 – 7  
Vanderbilt   0 – 8     2 – 10  
West Division
No. 5 Alabama xy$^   8 – 0     12 – 2  
No. 9 Ole Miss   6 – 2     11 – 2  
No. 12 LSU   6 – 2     10 – 3  
Texas A&M   4 – 4     7 – 6  
Auburn   3 – 5     6 – 7  
Mississippi State   1 – 7     5 – 7  
Arkansas   1 – 7     4 – 8  
Championship: Alabama 27, Georgia 24
  • ^ – College Football Playoff participant
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2023 SEC Championship Game was a college football game that was played on December 2, 2023, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. It was the 32nd edition of the SEC Championship Game. The contest featured the Alabama Crimson Tide, the West Division champions and the Georgia Bulldogs the East Division Champions.[2] The game began at 4:00 p.m. EST and was televised on CBS for the twenty-third consecutive year, and also the final SEC Championship game to be televised on the network. Alabama won the game by a score of 27–24 and, therefore, became champions of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) for the 2023 season, while ending Georgia’s 29-game winning streak that began in the 2021 Orange Bowl CFP Semifinal.

This was the final SEC Championship Game with a divisional format. On June 1, 2023, after Oklahoma and Texas were confirmed to be joining the conference in 2024, the SEC announced that it would eliminate its football divisions at that time. Future championship games will feature the top two teams in the conference standings.[3]

Teams

[edit]
Main article: Alabama–Georgia football rivalry

The 2023 SEC Championship Game featured the Georgia Bulldogs, champions of the East Division, and the Alabama Crimson Tide, champions of the West Division. It was the teams' 73rd meeting, with Alabama leading the series 42–26–4. Georgia won the latest meeting between the teams in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship, which was Georgia's first win against Alabama since 2007. This was the fourth time Georgia and Alabama played for an SEC Championship, with the Crimson Tide winning each of the previous three meetings in 2012, 2018 and 2021.

This was the 11th SEC title game appearance for Georgia and their third consecutive appearance; they first appeared in 2002 and are 4–6 overall in previous appearances, though the Bulldogs have won 14 SEC championships in total, dating back to 1942. Alabama made their 15th SEC championship game appearance, dating back to the inaugural game in 1992; the Crimson Tide entered the game 10–4 in SEC title games. Including titles earned before the championship game format, Alabama leads the conference with 29 in total, dating back to 1933. Georgia and Alabama have appeared frequently in recent SEC Championship Games; entering the game, 12 of the last 13 title games featured at least one of the two teams, with Georgia's last appearance being in 2022, and Alabama's in 2021.

Alabama Crimson Tide

[edit]
Main article: 2023 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

The Crimson Tide clinched a spot in the game on November 11, following a 49–21 rout of Kentucky.[4] Alabama's last appearance, and victory, in the game was in 2021. This would be Nick Saban’s last SEC Championship game appearance, as he retired following the conclusion of the 2023 season.

Georgia Bulldogs

[edit]
Main article: 2023 Georgia Bulldogs football team

The Bulldogs clinched a spot in the game following Missouri's 36–7 defeat of Tennessee on November 11. Georgia's last appearance, and victory, in the game was in 2022.

Scoring summary

[edit]
2023 SEC Championship
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 1 Georgia 7 0 31424
No. 8 Alabama 3 14 3727

at Mercedes-Benz Stadium • Atlanta, GA

  • Date: December 2, 2023
  • Game time: 4:11 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: n/a (game played indoors)
  • Game attendance: 78,320
  • Referee: Kyle Olson
  • TV announcers (CBS): Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (analyst), Jenny Dell (sideline)
Game information
First quarter
  • (9:31) UGA – Kendall Milton 17 yd Run (Peyton Woodring Kick) (Drive: 8 plays, 83 yards, 3:50; Georgia 7–0)
  • (3:43) BAMA – Will Reichard 43 yd Field Goal (Drive: 8 plays, 26 yards, 3:48; Georgia 7–3)
Second quarter
  • (12:04) BAMA – Jam Miller 28 yd pass from Jalen Milroe (Will Reichard Kick) (Drive: 10 plays, 92 yards, 4:32; Alabama 10–7)
  • (0:48) BAMA – Jermaine Burton 15 yd pass from Jalen Milroe (Will Reichard Kick) (Drive: 9 plays, 69 yards, 3:49; Alabama 17–7)
Third quarter
  • (8:51) UGA – Peyton Woodring 34 yd Field Goal (Drive: 5 plays, 54 yards, 1:45; Alabama 17–10)
  • (0:48) BAMA – Will Reichard 28 Yd Field Goal (Drive: 4 plays, 1 yard, 1:26; Alabama 20–10)
Fourth quarter
  • (10:16) UGA – Carson Beck 1 yd Run (Peyton Woodring Kick) (Drive: 4 plays, 35 yards, 1:37; Alabama 20–17)
  • (5:47) BAMA – Roydell Williams 1 yd Run (Will Reichard Kick) (Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:29; Alabama 27–17)
  • (2:52) UGA – Kendall Milton 1 yd Run (Peyton Woodring Kick) (Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 2:55; Alabama 27–24)

Statistics

[edit]
Statistics UGA ALA
First downs 19 20
Plays–yards 60–321 64–306
Rushes–yards 31–78 41–114
Passing yards 243 192
Passing: comp–att–int 21–29–0 13–23–0
Time of possession 28:51 31:09
Team Category Player Statistics
Georgia Passing Carson Beck 21/29, 243 yards
Rushing Kendall Milton 13 carries, 42 yards, 2 TD
Receiving Brock Bowers 5 receptions, 53 yards
Alabama Passing Jalen Milroe 13/23, 192 yards, 2 TD
Rushing Roydell Williams 16 carries, 64 yards, 1 TD
Receiving Isaiah Bond 5 receptions, 79 yards

Broadcasting

[edit]

CBS broadcast their 23rd consecutive and final SEC Championship Game. Under a new ten-year agreement that begins the following season, ABC will broadcast the championship game, with CBS beginning a full-slate of Big Ten football games, including the Big Ten Football Championship Game next season and in 2028.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Officiating crews for the 2023 college football conference championship games". December 2023.
  2. ^ "2023 SEC Championship Game: Date, time, history". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  3. ^ "SEC Establishes 2024 Football Schedule Format" (Press release). Southeastern Conference. June 1, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  4. ^ Stahl, Matt (November 11, 2023). "Alabama football clinches SEC West title with win over Kentucky". al. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
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