Week 5 of the college football season left fans on the edge of their seats until past the final whistle.
Here is a recap of the three most thrilling games from this weekend.
Crimson Tide rolls over Bulldogs
Even though Nick Saban wasn’t roaming the home sideline, the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs (3-1, 1-1 SEC) still couldn’t overcome the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0, 1-0). The Crimson Tide stormed out to a 28-point lead early in the second quarter, setting the stage for what looked like a blowout.
But in a clash between two of college football’s powerhouses, it’s rarely that simple.
The Bulldogs fought back hard in the second half despite being down 30-7 heading into halftime. Slowly, Georgia chipped away at Alabama’s lead, sparking the second-half comeback effort with an 80-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter. However, the fourth quarter was where the top-ranked Bulldogs came to life.
Georgia scored three touchdowns in the final quarter, including a 67-yard strike from quarterback Carson Beck to wide receiver Dillon Bell to take the lead with just over two minutes remaining. The score put Georgia on top for the first time in the game, as they boasted a 34-33 lead following a failed 2-point conversion.
After a 28-point comeback, it seemed like momentum was firmly in Georgia’s hands. But Alabama, as great teams do, found a way to respond.
In a play that will go down in Alabama history, quarterback Jalen Milroe hit wide receiver Ryan Williams down the right sideline. Williams, just 17 years old, displayed tremendous body control, pulling down Milroe’s throw over a defender. He did a quick spin and raced to the end zone to regain the Alabama advantage. The Crimson Tide converted the 2-point conversion for the final points of the night and escaped, winning 41-34.
Milroe completed 27 of his 33 passes for 374 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He also was the leading rusher of the game, adding 117 yards along with a pair of touchdowns. Williams finished his first SEC contest with six catches for 177 yards and a go-ahead touchdown.
Beck finished his night with 27 completions on 50 attempts. He tossed three touchdowns and three interceptions, including one in the end zone on the Bulldogs’ final drive. This was also Beck’s first multi-interception game of his career.
Next week, now No. 1 ranked Alabama will travel to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville. Georgia will host Auburn in Athens as they look to get back in the win column against the struggling Tigers.
Miami prevails despite controversial call
The Miami Hurricanes (5-0. 1-0 ACC) defeated the Virginia Tech Hokies (2-3, 0-1) Friday 38-34. The Hokies seemed to have the upper hand on the Hurricanes the whole game, keeping a two-possession lead for much of the game.
This masterclass of a game will likely be remembered for a single play — the last. Virginia Tech was in a 4-point deficit with three seconds remaining in the contest when they decided to toss up a Hail Mary. The ball floated and landed in a pile of five players. Wide receiver Da’Quan Felton seemingly came down with the ball to win the game for the Hokies.
But after further review, the pass was called incomplete — Miami barely escaped.
Hurricanes quarterback Cameron Ward finished completing 24 of his 38 pass attempts for 343 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. He also tacked on 57 rushing yards and a score on the ground.
Virginia Tech’s quarterback Kyron Drones finished with 189 yards on his 19 completions. He also added a pair of touchdowns and an interception. Running back Bhayshul Tuten had himself a night, rushing for 141 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries for the Hokies.
Next week, both teams will head west for conference play. The Hurricanes will take on the California Golden Bears and the Hokies will play the Stanford Cardinals.
Wildcats down the Rebels
In another absurd game this weekend, the Kentucky Wildcats (3-2, 1-1 SEC) shocked the Ole Miss Rebels (4-1, 0-1).
Ole Miss was seemingly stunned by the Wildcats, who had a 2-2 record heading into the matchup. Lane Kiffin and the Rebels must have been busy in the third week when Kentucky put the nation on notice and took the then-No. 1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs down to the wire.
The Wildcats took the lead late in the game after battling for scoreboard position for most of the game. A fumble near the end zone could have been disastrous for Kentucky, but instead tight end Josh Kattus fell on the ball in the end zone to give the Wildcats a 20-17 lead with over two minutes left in the game.
Ole Miss tried to piece together a game-winning drive, but kicker Caden Davis hooked a 48-yard field goal attempt left to spoil the comeback efforts.
The historic game marked Kentucky’s first win in Oxford since 1978. Wildcat head coach Mark Stoops also recorded his highest-ranked win in his career of 12 years, taking down the then-No. 6 Rebels.
Kentucky has a bye next week while the Rebels travel to South Carolina, a team that beat Kentucky 31-6 earlier this season.
Week 6 of the college football season will kick off Friday night with Michigan State traveling to Oregon to take on the No. 6 ranked Ducks.
