INDIANAPOLIS – Alabama comes to the National Championships with just one of their two best performing receivers this season. Jameson Williams has started, but John Metchie III is without a uniform after being ripped off by the ACL in last month’s SEC championship against Georgia.
Going into Monday night’s game, Williams and Metchie accounted for 56% of Alabama’s received yards.
Alabama lost the second half of their dynamic reception duo towards the end of the second quarter. Williams suffered a non-contact knee injury during a 40-yard pass, and never returned.
THAN: Jameson Williams injury update
It was a heartbreaking end to the former Ohio State transfer, who became a star in Tuscaloosa and was one of the keys to Alabama’s win over Georgia in the SEC Championship game. The partisan crowd fell silent as he descended, then joined together to applaud him as he left the field and then he heard from the Alabama faithful as he returned to the locker room for his assessment. more.
Before Williams left the game, he had 65 yards on four catches, leading Alabama at the time. He also had the longest game at the time with a 40-yard catch. That play led to the goal that gave Alabama a 6-3 lead.
Full-back Bryce Young tried his best to adjust, finishing with 369 yards of pass, but Tide was eventually overtaken by Georgia in the fourth half and fell 33-18. The game was over when, once in play after Alabama dropped a potential first catch inside Georgia 20, Young launched an intercept that was hit 79 yards by Kelee Ringo to settle the goal.
During the game, Young was the most finished finisher Cameron Latu, who ended the night with 102 yards of receiving and Alabama’s lone touchdown. Latu’s highest receiving night of the season before Monday night was just 58 yards in November.
Agiye Hall, who previously had only 20 yards this season, finished with 52 yards from just two receptions. Hall had a 28-yard reception in Alabama’s game nine early in the third quarter, which also ended with a goal.
THAN: Final score Alabama vs. Georgia, results
Traeshon Holden (28 yards), Brian Robinson Jr (28 yards), Ja’Corey Brooks (47 yards) and Slade Bolden (48 yards) also stepped up to help Alabama move the ball. Young just couldn’t complete anything in the red area.
Young led Alabama to the track 17 times in the third round, taking the team from their own 2-yard line to Georgia’s 30-yard line. The drive eventually ended with a blocked goal attempt. The drive took seven and a half minutes, but Alabama finished with a zero score.
Alabama ran 27 turns with 139 yards in their last two drives, and they have three points to show for it.
Georgia 13, Alabama 12 with 12:59 left in the fourth quarter.
– Bill Bender (@BillBender92) January 11, 2022
The youngster passed Stetson Bennett 145 yards, but only threw a pass that hit the ground. And, Young was penalized for losing on a two-point effort after his touchdown. Alabama couldn’t get past Georgia’s defense – Young threw two interceptions and was fired three times.
THAN: Alabama, OSU, Georgia lead way too early for Top 25
Young’s one-touch pass on Monday night was the lowest of his season. The 2021 Heisman Trophy winner threw a total of 45 touchdowns in the title match. He threw three touchdowns when Alabama played Georgia in the SEC championship last month.
After an encounter with Alabama, Georgia then scored 20 unanswered points to be crowned national champion. Alabama’s last three drives resulted in a triple hit and hit out for negative two yards, picking six and seven shots, 16 yards out on time.
Williams, a high school senior, did not declare for the NFL Draft, and it is unclear what role his injury will play in that decision.
