The No. 6 Alabama Crimson Tide pushed the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs to the brink on Saturday night in Tuscaloosa, but it wasn’t enough.
Georgia outlasted Alabama 20-17, holding the Crimson Tide’s offense to just three second-half points, which ultimately made the difference.
Following the game, however, attention turned to Alabama star quarterback Keelon Russell, who went viral for what he did on the field.
Russell Goes Viral After Georgia Loss
Despite the loss, Russell showed sportsmanship after the game. He was seen waiting behind Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton’s postgame interview so he could shake his opponent’s hand after a hard-fought matchup.
Russell stood there for well over a minute until Stockton finished the interview, waiting for the chance to tell him “good game” before leaving the field.
Check it out:
Via Brooks Austin of On3: “Caught a cool moment postgame. Keelon Russell waited to shake Gunner Stockton’s hand.”
Caught a cool moment postgame.
Keelon Russell waited to shake Gunner Stockton’s hand https://t.co/xOcnJphrRN
— Brooks Austin (@BrooksAustinBA) October 11, 2026
Since the video was posted late Saturday night after the game, it has already surpassed 1.3 million views on X and received 17,000 likes.
Russell Praised for Postgame Actions
Alabama fans already loved Russell, but now he’s receiving praise from college football fans across the country.
“Someone raised that young man right,” one fan said.
Someone else added, “This was an absolute class act by Alabama’s QB. This kid will be really good and a future first round pick.”
Another person wrote, “Classy move. That young man has a bright future ahead of him.”
“Absolutely love this about Keelon man. We gonna see yall again though!” one more fan commented.
Russell’s Performance for Alabama
While the game wasn’t a high-scoring shootout, Russell played well in his first-ever matchup against Georgia.
He completed more than 50% of his passes for 185 yards and a touchdown while rushing nine times for 41 yards.
Georgia outrushed Alabama 209-161 and finished with 455 total yards to the Crimson Tide’s 346. The Bulldogs also sacked Russell four times, creating pressure that proved costly on several occasions.
Alabama QB Keelon Russell Goes Viral for What He Did After Georgia Loss