Dawgs find way to top ’Bama
Athens (Ga.) Banner-Herald
INDIANAPOLIS – Let the record show for the history books that Georgia’s 41-year wait between national championships officially ended at 11:57 p.m. on Jan. 10.
The 2021 Bulldogs football team sent a ravished fan base that had seen five different other SEC programs have their victory celebrations during that drought out of Lucas Oil Stadium into the frigid Midwest air to revel and raise a glass for finally finishing the season No. 1.
Coach Kirby Smart in his sixth season finally knocked off mentor Nick Saban and his Alabama juggernaut 33-18.
Georgia turned back the Crimson Tide to snap a seven-game losing streak to them and denied the Tide a second straight national title in winning the program’s first national title since 1980. The coach of that team, Vince Dooley, was on hand.
Here are five takeaways from the victory that gave Georgia a 14-1 final record:
Georgia gets over hump against Alabama
The Bulldogs vanquished their Alabama demons once and for all.
It lost to Alabama on a walk-off touchdown pass in overtime to end the 2017 season, lost a rematch in the 2018 SEC championship game when Jalen Hurts came off the bench to rally the Tide and won the rematch of this year’s 41-24 SEC championship game loss on Dec. 4.
Maybe this one was in part for Chris Conley, who caught that deflected pass in 2012 at the 5-yard line when time ran out at the Georgia Dome in another SEC title game loss to the Tide.
Or for Dominick Sanders and Malkom Parrish, who had fingers pointed in their direction after Tua Tagovailoa’s 41-yard touchdown pass gave Alabama a 26-23 overtime victory to win the 2017 national title.
Smart won in his fifth meeting against Saban, becoming just the second former Saban assistant to beat him along with Jimbo Fisher. Saban is now 25-2 against head coaches who were on his staff.
JENNA WATSON/INDYSTAR
Go-ahead play for the ages
Alabama had its second-and-26 to win the national title in 2017. Georgia four years later scored on a secondand-18 to change the complexion of the game after Alabama just went ahead.
The play came not in overtime but with 8:09 to go.
Stetson Bennett heaved a 40-yard touchdown to Adonai “A.D.” Mitchell on the right side of the end zone. The freshman receiver won a physical battle for the ball with Khyree Jackson.
It gave Georgia the 19-18 lead that stood after James Cook’s two-point conversion run was stopped on the outside.
Bennett a national champion QB
The question that persisted all season now has an answer: Can Georgia win a national championship with Bennett as quarterback?
Bennett completed 17 of 26 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns – both in the fourth quarter – with no interceptions. The second came on a short pass to the left side for a 15-yard touchdown to Brock Bowers with 3:33 to go.
Bennett, the former walk-on who returned on scholarship from junior college and fell to third string on the depth chart this offseason, still made winning plays after a controversial fourth-quarter turnover.
Georgia just had grabbed the lead for the first time. On a third-and-8 at the Georgia 27, linebacker Christian Harris chased down Bennett, who tried to throw it but the ball came out and was ruled a fumble recovered by Brian Branch.
The play with 11:35 to go gave Alabama the ball at the Georgia 16. Georgia fans booed.
“I wasn’t gonna be the reason we lost,” Bennett said.
A Devonte Wyatt roughing-thepasser penalty – Georgia’s 10th of the day –gave the Tide the ball at the Georgia 11.
Bryce Young was pressured and threw across his body to hit tight end Cameron Latu for a 3-yard touchdown. Alabama led 18-13.
Finding life when it needed it
Georgia averaged a measly 4.9 yards per play and 2.9 yards per carry before it found some life down 9-6 in the third quarter.
Senior James Cook found room to run up the middle, broke a tackle at the Georgia 45 and went down the left sideline 67 yards to set up the game’s first touchdown for either team.
Georgia brought in the big boys – including defensive lineman Jalen Carter – as Zamir White went in on a 1-yard third-quarter touchdown run. It came on a play where the snap was bobbled.
Georgia had reason to feel a bit fortunate to be trailing only 9-6 at the half considering the Bulldogs had seven penalties for 49 yards in the first two quarters. It finished with 10 for 70.
Young can’t get it done
Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young threw for 205 yards in the first half, but Georgia kept the Crimson Tide out of the end zone. His pass with 54 seconds to go was picked off and returned 79 yards for a TD.
Georgia did well in the red zone by forcing field goals.
The Crimson Tide had secondand-6 at the Georgia 6 but was forced to settle for a 37-yard field goal after a Channing Tindall sack.
Alabama’s first scoring drive ended with a 37-yard field goal after a thirddown pass fell incomplete.
“We’re burning the boats,” Smart said after the game. “The only way home is through them.”