National Championship Game: Alabama Defeats Georgia, 26-23

ATLANTA, GA — A true freshman quarterback who had seen no significant playing time all year led the Alabama Crimson Tide to their fifth National Championship under head coach Nick Saban. Tua Tagovailoa revived a sluggish Crimson Tide offense just enough to lead the Tide to a comeback, 26-23 victory over Georgia in overtime Monday night in the college football National Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

"Was that a good game or what?" Saban said after the win. "It was a great football game. You've got to give Georgia credit. They played really well."

The win kept Saban undefeated in matchups with his former assistant coaches. Georgia's Kirby Smart, in only his second year at the helm of the SEC Champion Bulldogs, served as defensive coordinator under Saban for the better part of a decade at Alabama.

An overtime touchdown pass from Tagovailoa to Devonta Smith marked Alabama's first lead of the entire game and came after Tagovailoao took over from starter Jalen Hurts to start the second half and eventually seal the win.

In a packed stadium full of fans from home-state Georgia and neighboring Alabama, some boos were mixed with loud cheers when President Donald Trump took the field before the game. Fans at the matchup took to Twitter before the game began as they waited in the rain to enter the stadium while Trump's motorcade arrived.

After Alabama won the coin toss and deferred their option to the second half, Georgia received the opening kickoff and appeared to have converted a long pass on third down when Alabama defensive back Tony Brown ripped the ball from the hands of UGA receiver Javon Wims for an interception.

Alabama marched the ball down the field, but after losing field position due to a false start penalty on a field goal attempt, kicker Andy Pappanastos missed badly.

The remainder of the first quarter was largely a defensive struggle. But Georgia put together a 13-play drive late and, less than a minute into the second quarter, Rodrigo Blankenship converted on a 41-yard field goal to put the Bulldogs up, 3-0.

After stuffing the Alabama offense, Georgia put together another drive that started at their own 20-yard line. Wims made a circus catch at Alabama's 10-yard line to keep the drive alive, but the Crimson Tide defense tightened up there and the Bulldogs were forced to settle for another Blankenship field goal for a 6-0 lead with 7:37 remaining in the half.

Neither team was able to mount much offense until Georgia got the ball back with 1:19 left in the half. Freshman quarterback Jake Fromm marched the Bulldogs all the way down to the Alabama 2-yard line where the drive appeared to stall.

But Fromm was hit late on a third-down passing attempt, giving Georgia a first down at the one-yard line. From there, sophomore running back Mecole Hardman took a direct snap and, after faking a handoff to Sony Michel, he ran the ball in for the touchdown.

The Blankenship point-after gave Georgia a 13-0 lead going into halftime.

A sack by Butkus Award-winning linebacker Roquan Smith ended Alabama's second-half opening drive after three plays and Georgia appeared to block an Alabama punt, but a questionable offside penalty on the Bulldogs gave the Crimson Tide another chance to get the punt away.

Georgia punted and freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa – who replaced Alabama starter Jalen Hurts to start the second half — drove the Crimson Tide down the field, hitting Henry Ruggs on a touchdown pass that, with the PAT, brought the score to 13-7.

Georgia wasted little time responding, though, as Fromm hit Hardman on an 80-yard scoring strike. Blankenship's point-after made the score 20-7 with 6:52 to go in the third quarter.

Two plays later, Georgia's Deandre Baker intercepted an ill-advised throw from Tagovailoa. But on Georgia's first play afterward, Alabama defensive lineman Raekwon Davis hauled in an interception of Fromm after an errant pass bounced off of another defensive player.

The Tide converted the turnover into points with a Pappanastos field goal that made the score 20-10 with 5:15 to go in the third.

After an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Alabama's Mekhi Brown, who punched a Georgia player then appeared to go after one of his own coaches on the sideline, third-string Georgia quarterback Brice Ramsey flirted with a fourth-down pass before pooching a punt to the Alabama 20-yard line.

The teams traded punts again. As the fourth quarter began, Alabama drove deep into Georgia territory. UGA's Dominick Sanders appeared to intercept a Tagovailoa pass in the endzone, but instant replay confirmed the ruling on the field, which was that he didn't have possession when he went out of bounds.

Alabama was able to tally another field goal, making the score 20-13 with 9:24 remaining in the game.

Georgia went three and out on the ensuing drive and the Tide took over with 7:10 to play. With 3:48 remaining, Alabama pulled even for the first time in the game on a touchdown pass from Tagovailoa to Calvin Ridley.

Alabama took over on a Georgia punt with 2:55 to go. They drove all the way down for what looked like a chip shopt for Pappanastos, who appeared to slip on the attempt with three seconds remaining.

Georgia got the ball first in overtime but couldn't move the ball at all. Blankenship's 51-yard field goal kept Georgia's hopes alive, though.

With Georgia ahead 23-20, Alabama got the ball and suffered a long sack on the first play. But the second was a scoring strike from Tagovailoa to Devonta Smith to end the game.

Also See: Saban: Tagovailoa Gave Team A Spark

PHOTOS: Alabama head coach Nick Saban celebrates after overtime of the NCAA college football playoff championship game against Georgia Monday, Jan. 8, 2018, in Atlanta. Alabama won 26-23. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)