Kirby Smart’s mentor got the best of him again in Atlanta.

Georgia’s 29-game winning streak came crashing down on Saturday night at Mercedes Benz Stadium, a 27-24 defeat to Nick Saban and Alabama in the SEC championship game. It was the top-ranked Bulldogs’ first loss since they also lost to the Crimson Tide in the 2021 conference title game, two days short of two years ago.

RELATED: Kirby Smart: Georgia still playoff-worthy despite SEC title game loss

Smart does have a significant victory over Saban — in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in Indianapolis at the end of the 2021 season. But in the relatively friendly confines of Atlanta, he’s 0-4 vs. the man under whom he coached for nine years in Tuscaloosa.

It left Smart having to do something he had not done in a while — speaking to his team after a loss.

“Guys in there, two classes of guys in that (locker) room that have not lost a game,” Smart said. ” … It was a sad… Really upset guys. Guys really care about this team. The culture is really good on this team. They were hurt in there, rightfully so.”

It was three big Alabama drives that did in Georgia. The Crimson Tide (12-1) went 92 yards in 10 plays to take the lead for good at 10-7 early in the second quarter, then followed that up with a 9-play, 69-yard drive just before the half that made it 17-7 at the break.

After Georgia (12-1) got back within 20-17 with 10:16 remaining in the game, Alabama again drove for six points with a 9-play, 75-yard march to take what proved to be an insurmountable 10-point lead with 5:47 to play. These were the kinds of drives not often seen against the Bulldogs’ 5-star-prospect-laden defense, particularly not three in the same game.

Georgia also left points on the field offensively. The Bulldogs had first down at the Alabama 19 midway through the second quarter, but two running plays netted minus-2 yards and quarterback Carson Beck was sacked on third down.

That brought on Peyton Woodring for a 45-yard field-goal attempt, but a false start moved the ball back five yards. Woodring’s attempt was no good off the upright, the kind of disastrous sequence that looms large in a game ultimately decided by three points.

“A lot of momentum swings like we thought,” Smart said. “A field goal that hits the dang upright after an offsides. We spotted them 10 just off of a turnover, a touchdown on a busted coverage by a freshman.

“When you give good teams those things, they’re going to be hard to beat.”

Even so, Georgia got back in the game in the third quarter. But a fumble on an end-around was recovered by Alabama linebacker — and former Bulldog — Trezmen Marshall at the Georgia 17 with 2:14 left in the quarter, leading the Will Reichard’s 27-yard field goal to make it 20-10 after three.

“We’ve obviously practiced that play a ton,” quarterback Carson Beck said. “It’s a simple flip back. I’m not exactly sure what happened. I’ll have to go see it on film. I wasn’t able to see the replay. I flipped it. Next thing I knew all the guys were running, the ball’s on the ground.”

Beck’s 1-yard sneak pulled the Bulldogs back within 20-17 with 10:16 left in the game, but the Georgia defense could not get a stop. Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe calmly drove his team for a touchdown, a drive the included four completions for 57 yards to Isaiah Bond and ended in Roydell Williams’ 1-yard run that all but ended the Bulldogs’ hopes with 5:47 to play.

After Georgia scored again on Kendall Milton’s 1-yard run on fourth down with 2:52 to play, Milroe victimized the Bulldogs again. He ran 30 yards on Alabama’s next play, and then nine yards for a second first down that allowed the Crimson Tide to kill the clock for the victory.

“With how good of an athlete he is, it’s a real big challenge,” Georgia linebacker Smael Mondon said. “As far as defending him, some plays he did good on, some plays could have fitted better on. That last drive, just got to fit it better.”

Georgia outgained Alabama 321 yards to 306 in the game, but looked out-of-sync offensively. The Bulldogs ran for only 78 yards on 31 attempts and went only 4-for-12 on the third.

Being banged up probably contributed to that somewhat. All-America tight end Brock Bowers was in-and-out of the lineup all night, though he did catch five passes for 53 yards.

Right guard Tate Ratledge — who like Bowers missed last week’s game vs. Georgia Tech — went the distance, as did receiver Ladd McConkey, who had 38 yards on three catches. Receiver RaRa Thomas did not play.

“We didn’t have quite as much continuity as maybe we’ve had out there,” Smart said. “Look, it’s tough, guys. When Brock Bowers doesn’t practice for 15 days, and Ladd doesn’t practice for 15 days, they go out in the game, timing and rhythm is critical.

“But give Alabama some credit. They played good defense, did a good job.”