Bulldogs come up short in SEC Championship, falls to Alabama

ATLANTA — The University of Georgia’s 29-game win streak has come to an end with a loss in the SEC Championship.

The No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide beat the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs 27-24 in the championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers and wide receiver Ladd McConkey returned from injuries.

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Bowers missed consecutive games early in the season following an ankle injury that required surgery. He returned to play in victories over Mississippi and Tennessee before missing last week’s 31-23 win at Georgia Tech with lingering soreness.

Georgia didn’t wait long to take advantage of Bowers’ return. Quarterback Carson Beck passed to Bowers for a 23-yard gain on the Bulldogs’ first snap.

Wide receiver Ladd McConkey, who also missed last week’s game with an ankle injury, did not start but also played in the opening series and caught a 15-yard pass. Kendall Milton capped the opening drive with a 17-yard touchdown run.

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That run pulled the Dawgs to an early 7-0 lead, but they couldn’t hold onto it. The Tide had raised the score 17-7 with a last-minute touchdown heading into halftime.

The Bulldogs tried closing the gap, but the Crimson Tide answered back and extended their lead each time.

Only time will time if either team ends up in the College Football Playoff and if the Dawgs can keep up their bid for a three-peat national championship.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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