ATLANTA — Georgia was one play from ending a 30-year wait for a shot at another national championship.
Instead of a celebrating a comeback to remember, Aaron Murray and the No. 3 Bulldogs will have to live with coming up 5 yards short.
“It came down to one play to win the SEC championship and play for the national championship,” Murray said.
Georgia’s last-minute rally ended on the Alabama 5 as time expired, giving the No. 2 Crimson Tide a 32-28 victory in Saturday’s SEC Championship Game.
Alabama (12-1) advances to the national championship game against Notre Dame. Georgia (11-2) was denied its first national championship game since the 1982 season.
Only 1:08 remained when Georgia took possession at its 15. It seemed to be too much field and too little time. Murray said the Bulldogs were confident. “We have run four or five successful one-minute drives this season already,” he said. “We did move the ball extremely well, and we had a chance to win it.”
Murray completed four passes, three to tight end Arthur Lynch and one to Tavarres King. The offense remained on the field when an interception by Alabama’s Dee Milliner was overturned when video review determined the ball hit the ground.
The last completion, a 26-yarder to Lynch, gave the Bulldogs a first down at Alabama’s 8. Murray believed Georgia could run two plays with 15 seconds remaining. He said he sensed Alabama’s defense wasn’t prepared if he could pull off a quick snap, so instead of spiking the ball the ball to stop the clock, he tried a fade pass intended for Malcolm Mitchell in the back corner of the end zone.
“It’s either a catch and a touchdown or it’s an incomplete pass and we still have time for a play, to take a quick shot with it,” Murray said.
Instead, the ball was tipped. George receiver Chris Conley caught the deflection and was tackled at the 5. With no timeouts remaining, Georgia couldn’t run another play.
“It probably would have been the greatest comeback in Georgia history,” Murray said. “It was exciting, that’s for sure.”
Exciting and deflating. Georgia players collapsed on the field. Some remained down on one knee, staring in stunned disbelief, as confetti began to fall on Alabama’s celebration.
King called the last play “insane.”
“It’s just something crazy that happens like that,” King said. “It’s just crazy. A crazy moment.”
Murray had another description.
“It stinks,” the quarterback said.
Murray completed 18 of 33 passes for 265 yards and 1 touchdown and threw 1 interception in the game that carried the potential to define his career.
Instead, the game belonged to AJ McCarron and the Crimson Tide.
Sports, Pages 23 on 12/02/2012