Dawgs alone on top! Georgia Bulldogs win national title for first time in more than four decades

INDIANAPOLIS — The Georgia Bulldogs overcame their nemesis Alabama on Monday night, winning their first national championship in more than 40 years.

The Dawgs overcame a contentious late fumble call that seemed to swing momentum toward Alabama and came away with a long-coveted national title.

For ongoing reactions to the momentous victory, follow the Twitter accounts of our sports reporters Maria Martin and Reggie Chatman Jr. who are at the game in Indianapolis. Additionally, you can find updates from the UGA campus from 11Alive reporter Jon Shirek, who is at Stegeman Coliseum for the official school watch party.

RELATED: When is the last time Georgia beat Alabama?

Find updates below:

2nd half

• After 41 years the Dawgs are national champions!
• Have another look at the play that is about the make Georgia - the Georgia Bulldogs! - national champions.

• The celebrations can begin in Indy, and in Athens, and in Atlanta, and across the state of Georgia. Extra point makes it 33-18 with 54 seconds left. The Dawgs are going to be national champions.
• PICK SIX. PICK SIX!!! An interception returned for a touchdown is going to seal things - the Dawgs are going to be national champions!
• Just over a minute left. Bama keeps taking shots downfield and the Bulldogs' defensive backs keep making plays.
• TOUCHDOWN DAWGS. Bennett's little loft to Brock Bowers frees up the star tight end and he takes it 15 yards in for the TD. UGA is up eight with about 3:30 to go.

• Huge pass interference call brought Georgia to the Alabama 24. Dawgs look like they smell blood on this drive.
• Georgia chewing up clock and yardage with this drive so far. Four plays, 23 yards and almost two minutes so far. Little more than five minutes left in the game.
• Dawgs respond! Bennett hits Adonai Mitchell, who pulls down an incredible 40-yard touchdown grab to make it 19-18. Two-point conversion fails.

• The bizarre fumble call leads to an Alabama touchdown. Tide back up 18-13, with UGA keeping it a five-point game by snuffing out the two-point conversion attempt.
• Alabama takes over inside the 20 on a call that will probably be remembered for a long, long time.

• Really weird call as Stetson Bennett tries to get rid of the ball before being sacked. They called it a fumble on the field and reviewed it. Though it didn't seem terribly different from the play right at the beginning of the game where a fumble by Bryce Young was reversed as an incomplete pass, they upheld the call.
• Bama field goal brings it back to 13-12. UGA defense holding down strong in the red zone may well wind up being the difference in this one.
• Think that touchdown got Bulldogs fans going? 

• You wonder if that's the kind of lift the Georgia defense needed back in the SEC Championship Game to really take things the distance.
• TOUCHDOWN DAWGS. 1-yard run for Zeus White makes it 12-9, extra point is good. 13-9 Georgia.

• Maybe, just maybe, a big breakthrough for the Dawgs as James Cook cuts up the middle, breaks a few tackles and then takes it down the sideline to the Alabama 13 for a 67-yard gain.
• A long, methodical drive for Alabama's offense - and a tiring, draining one for the Georgia defense - ends with a blocked field goal. Huge for UGA to come out of that without allowing any points.

• Three-and-out following the interception.
• UGA's first drive of the second half didn't amount to anything - the questions about whether Stetson Bennett should be replaced in this game will not be going away easy - but an interception by Christopher Smith gets the Dawgs the ball back.

1st half

• That's it for the first half. 9-6. 
• Jack Podlesny gives his 49-yard field goal attempt a mighty boot and connects as Georgia pulls back within three, 9-6. If kicking is your thing, this is definitely your game.
• One positive sign you could take away from this sorta sluggish first half if you're a Georgia fan is that a lot of the drives that turned into touchdowns for Bama in the SEC Championship Game are instead turning into field goals tonight.
• Huge sack by Channing Tindall to snuff out any hope of a touchdown for the Tide. Another field goal makes it 9-3.

• Shades of the SEC Championship Game: Bryce Young's big-play ability burns the Dawgs on a 61-yard completion with Cameron Latu. Bama knocking on the door of scoring again.
• Field goal for the Tide gives them a three-point lead again, 6-3.
• Big gain for Alabama on a pass downfield to Jameson Williams, but the Crimson Tide star receiver appeared to catch his leg awkwardly planting down and has now come off the field.

• UGA can't get into the end zone following the Pickens catch, but a Jack Podlesny 24-yard field goal is good to make it even at 3-3.
• Stetson Bennett shutting up some of his haters: The QB shows off his arm and hits George Pickens way downfield for an electric 52-yard gain.

• This one may loom for a while. Jordan Davis got to Bryce Young and appeared to force a fumble the Dawgs returned for a quick touchdown. It would have been a huge momentum swing for Georgia, but the refs wound up ruling it an incomplete pass on review. No TD. Alabama drove downfield and settled for a field goal. 3-0 early.