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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, December 30, 2007

Georgia tops Alabama, 26-23, in OT

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

The Georgia defense wrapped up Alabama and held off the Crimson Tide for a 26-23 overtime victory.

KELLY LAMBERT | Athens Banner-Herald

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ALABAMA | SEPT. 22

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Alabama football team rallied from a pair of 10-point deficits in Saturday night's game against Georgia, but Bulldog quarterback Matthew Stafford hit receiver Mikey Henderson in the end zone in overtime to hand the Tide its first loss of the season, 26-23, in front of a sold-out Bryant-Denny Stadium.

"I'm very, very proud of the way the team responded and played in the second half," said Alabama head coach Nick Saban. "We came back in the game on several occasions, we had an opportunity to have a chance to win the game in overtime, so the competitive spirit, the resiliency, the overcoming adversity, the getting it turned around, getting adjustments made were all positives."

Georgia took a 20-10 second-half lead with a 6-yard touchdown run from tailback Knowshon Moreno and a 47-yard field goal from kicker Brandon Coutu with just over 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter before Alabama answered with a 22-yard field goal from Tiffin to cut the lead to 20-13.

After a Georgia punt gave the Tide the ball at its own 12-yard line, Wilson then led the offense on a late touchdown-scoring drive for the second week in a row, this time on a 12-play, 88-yard scoring drive that ended in a six-yard touchdown run from the quarterback to tie the game at 20 with 1:09 left in the game.

Coutu missed a 47-yard field goal as time expired to force overtime. After receiving the ball, Alabama was held to a 42-yard Tiffin field goal to take a 23-20 lead. On Georgia's first play from scrimmage, Stafford hit Henderson in the left side of the end zone for the game-winner.

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