Late Lee penalty lets Georgia run out clock against Alabama

Alabama’s late comeback bid against Georgia ended after cornerback Dijon Lee Jr. was penalized for a personal foul with about two minutes remaining, giving the Bulldogs an automatic first down and allowing them to run out the clock. Coach Kalen DeBoer criticized the lapse after the game, saying the team had not responded with the emotional maturity he expected. The foul came after Lee made contact with Georgia receiver Craig Dandridge following a play. With the penalty, Georgia retained possession and was able to kneel out the remaining time. Without the automatic first down, Alabama could have had an opportunity to stop the Bulldogs and get the ball back, but that possibility did not materialize. Broadcast footage showed DeBoer confronting Lee as he came to the sideline. Accounts differ on the precise words DeBoer used, so the exchange cannot be established verbatim from the material available. DeBoer’s postgame comments were clearer: he said Alabama had generally shown emotional maturity over the previous two years but did not respond as it should have in that moment. The coach also emphasized that the team needed to focus on what it could control.