In preparation for the national championship game next week, Kirby Smart will ask his Georgia players to perform better, but he knows that he cannot ask them to be more resilient. Georgia remains undefeated thanks to their never-say-die attitude, as they came back from two-touchdown deficits in both halves to beat Ohio State in an exciting 42-41 victory in the College Football Playoff semifinal. The game ended early on Sunday morning.
Stetson Bennett sealed the win for the top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs with a 10-yard, last-minute scoring pass to Adonai Mitchell in the Peach Bowl against the fourth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. This victory gives Georgia the opportunity to defend their national title.
“Our guys are extremely resilient,” Kirby Smart told members of the media during a postgame interview “… I had no doubt our team would come out fighting.”
Georgia (14-0) will face No. 3 TCU in the national championship game on January 9th. TCU defeated No. 2 Michigan 51-45 in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal. This will be the Bulldogs’ chance to make history as they aim to win back-to-back national titles for the first time in school history, having previously won their first national championship since 1980 last season.
Ohio State led Georgia 21-7 in the first half and 38-24 in the fourth quarter.
The final comeback for Georgia was secured just after midnight on Sunday when Noah Ruggles’ 50-yard field goal attempt for Ohio State missed wide left with three seconds remaining, causing a celebration on the Georgia sideline.
“If we’re going to win these games we can’t give up those big, explosive plays,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said to the media during a postgame interview.
Ohio State (11-2) was disappointed with their inability to hold onto their two-touchdown lead in the final quarter. Bennett’s 76-yard touchdown pass to Arian Smith, followed by Bennett’s 2-point conversion pass to Ladd McConkey, brought Georgia within three points at 38-35. Ruggles’ 48-yard field goal gave the Buckeyes a 41-35 lead, leaving Bennett and Georgia’s offense with only 2:36 to respond.
Bennett led Georgia to the go-ahead touchdown with a pass to Mitchell with 54 seconds remaining, and Ohio State fought back with a 27-yard run by Stroud to the Georgia 31. The missed field goal set off the Georgia celebration and left Bennett in tears. Ohio State had shut out Georgia in the third quarter while adding 10 points to their own score.
Bennett, one of four Heisman Trophy finalists along with Stroud, had a strong performance, completing 23 of 34 passes for 398 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, and also scoring a touchdown on a 3-yard run.
Stroud’s second touchdown pass, a 16-yarder to Harrison, gave Ohio State a 21-7 lead. Stroud escaped pressure before passing to a diving Harrison in the end zone.
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