By: Michael Spiers

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

For years, there has been one place that has given Georgia football fans more heartburn than just about anywhere else in college football. That place is Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

It doesn’t matter how good the Bulldogs have been, how many five-star recruits Kirby Smart has signed, or how many championships Georgia has won; when Alabama is on the other sideline, there’s always been that little voice in the back of every Georgia fan’s mind wondering what could possibly go wrong.

Well, Saturday night, that voice finally got a little quieter.

Georgia walked into Bryant-Denny Stadium and walked out with a 20-17 victory over Alabama, improving to 6-0 and delivering what might be one of the most satisfying regular-season wins of Kirby Smart’s coaching career.

And make no mistake, this was a big one.

Georgia hadn’t won in Tuscaloosa since 2007. Smart had never beaten Alabama on its home field as Georgia’s head coach. For a program that has accomplished just about everything imaginable over the past several years, this was one of the few boxes left unchecked. Consider it checked.

What made Saturday night’s victory particularly impressive wasn’t that Georgia played a perfect game. The Bulldogs didn’t. There were mistakes, missed opportunities, and plenty of moments when Alabama looked ready to take control.

But Georgia did something championship teams have to do. It found a way to win when everything wasn’t going its way.

Quarterback Gunner Stockton deserves a tremendous amount of credit. There were plenty of questions entering the season about whether he could lead this offense through the toughest parts of an SEC schedule. He completed 18 of 22 passes for 249 yards against Alabama, in Tuscaloosa, should answer a few of those questions.

Stockton wasn’t flashy. He didn’t need to be. He was poised, efficient, and didn’t let the moment become bigger than the game.

And how about Dwight Phillips Jr.? His 120 rushing yards gave Georgia the balance it needed and reminded everyone that the Bulldogs can still line up and play physical football when the situation demands it.

But the most encouraging part of the night was probably Georgia’s defense. They held Alabama to 17 points on its home field, that is no small accomplishment. The Crimson Tide have plenty of offensive weapons, and there were stretches when it looked like they might break the game open.

Instead, Georgia kept battling, made critical stops, and gave its offense the opportunity to finish the job.

That’s the kind of football Kirby Smart has built his program around.

Now, I’m not suggesting Georgia should start making hotel reservations for the national championship game. There’s still a lot of football left to play, and anybody who follows the SEC knows things can change in a hurry.

But Saturday night felt different. For years, Alabama was the standard Georgia was chasing. Even after the Bulldogs finally broke through and won a national championship, trips to Tuscaloosa remained unfinished business.

This victory wasn’t about proving Georgia belongs among college football’s elite. That argument was settled a long time ago.

It was about proving the Bulldogs can walk into one of the most intimidating environments in the country, absorb everything Alabama throws at them, and still be the better team when the clock hits zero.

And for Kirby Smart, who spent years working under Nick Saban before building his own powerhouse in Athens, there has to be something particularly satisfying about that.

Georgia didn’t just beat Alabama on Saturday night.

The Bulldogs beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa, stayed undefeated, and reminded the rest of the country that the road to a championship might very well run through Athens.

As a Georgia fan, I can tell you this much: I don’t care whether the final score was 20-17 or 50-17. Walking out of Tuscaloosa with a victory feels pretty darn good.

How ’bout them Dawgs!