As players piled into the Alabama locker room, confetti falling off their shoulder pads and newly minted SEC Championship hats, a rendition of Rammer Jammer began. Ty Simpson swayed with a group of players in one part while Kool-Aid McKinstry did the same.

The latter was placed in concussion protocol in the third quarter of the Tide’s 27-24 win over Georgia but had returned for the party. When the first song ended, McKinstry had another in mind.

“We’re 3-0 on the get back,” he yelled into his phone camera for a rapidly growing number of Instagram Live viewers.

The ‘get back’ refers to getting even or Alabama’s goal for 2023: avenging prior losses to Tennessee, LSU and Georgia. The mindset stayed after public doubt shrouded the team following a 2-1 start. The phrase’s popularity rose this summer and UA adopted it, turning the season into a campaign for vengeance and YTB Fatt’s song of the same name the official anthem. So, McKinstry told Malachi Moore to stop messing around with the Tide-branded speaker and crank it in the belly of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Alabama players kept the receipts. Nick Saban learned to embrace it, acknowledging through the fall that some minds need different motivational drivers. (Cornerback Terrion Arnold said he’s offered Saban a “LANK” shirt for UA’s catchphrase — Let A Naysayer Know — and players were spotted postgame waving their left hands in the shape of an ‘L.’)

The result was in Saban’s 11th SEC Championship and ninth since he arrived in Tuscaloosa in 2007. But compared to those dynastic teams, UA embraced the doubt, at least partially, and made a statement to the College Football Playoff committee. Dare to leave Alabama out for risk of that get back.

“I think I couldn’t be prouder of a bunch of guys on a team that has come so far from where we were second, third game of the season,” said Saban. “I think this is a great example for a lot of people who want to be successful in terms of the perseverance that these guys showed, the character they had to overcome adversity, the resiliency that they played with. They’re truly a team.

“You know how tired I am right now? I mean, I’m happy as hell we won. My speech in the locker room after the game was one word: celebrate. I had just enough left in me to do the dance, just enough.”

The players’ yelling continued after the CBS feed cut the cameras from the awards presentation. The trophy ended up in the arms of freshman left tackle Kadyn Proctor, who carried it to one section of the stands and lifted it above his head. It eventually fell into the arms of defensive lineman Jaheim Oatis. A few minutes later, another piece of hardware entered the fray.

WWE Superstar Titus O’Neil carried a gold replica championship belt with signature ‘A’ side plates and muscled his way near a barrier blocking the public and media from the team’s walkway. Some tried to grab it from him, but O’Neil waited to snap a few photos. Besides, it’s not like he would’ve had an easy time identifying one person that much more deserving than the rest. Alabama had a few worthy contenders.

The media awarded Jalen Milroe the game’s MVP with 221 total yards and a score. The quarterback watched Bryce Young be the last quarterback to beat Georgia in 2021. In an attempt to get his starting shot, Milroe led training sessions in Tampa, Fla., but was benched when the Tide played there in Week 3. On Saturday, he joined Milroe as an Alabama SEC title legend.

Georgia transfers Jermaine Burton (receiving touchdown) and Trezmen Marshall (recovered fumble deep in Bulldogs’ territory) have a case as both made momentum-swinging plays. They also gave a halftime speech prepping teammates for UGA’s second-half, 17-point surge.

“All week we talked bout channeling our emotions, our passion for the game to be able to execute our job,” linebacker Deontae Lawson said.

The belt found its way onto the shoulders of Will Reichard, the new NCAA all-time points leader after making both his field goals.

It could’ve gone to Dallas Turner, who in the lead-up to the game watched nearly two years of film of Georgia’s offensive tackles to study the techniques they learned and how to exploit them, resulting in a sack of Carson Beck on third-and-12 and, one false start penalty later, a missed 50-yard field goal.

Or maybe Jam Miller, who shortened his name in the offseason so people would stop mispronouncing it and became a useful depth piece as the season wore on; He gave UA its first lead of the game with a 21-yard touchdown and made a mark with 10 touches.

Offensive lineman Tyler Booker used his fire early. After multiple short runs, UA averaged 2.8 yards a carry on 41 attempts and opened up the passing game, Booker waved his arms above his head after finishing a block.

“We remember everything that was said about us from earlier on,” Booker said. “We just let it drive us, let it fuel us, you know what I mean? Everybody talking all that smack, we’re like ‘OK, let’s prove them wrong. Let’s prove everybody wrong.’

“Whether it was a 5-yard gain or a 50-yard gain. It was important to us just because every completed pass, every run. Prove them wrong.”

And back in the locker room, they enjoyed their reward of accomplishing just that. The opening beats to ‘Get Back’ finally playing, the team started to bob their heads along to the beat before breaking into a familiar chorus.

Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].