ATLANTA – Kirby Smart will ask his Georgia players to perform better as the Bulldogs play for their second straight national championship next week, but the coach knows he can’t ask his players to be more resilient.
Georgia remains undefeated because the Bulldogs never gave up while rallying from two touchdown deficits in each half for a thrilling 42-41 win in the College Football Playoffs semifinals against Ohio State that ended early Sunday.
Stetson Bennett capped No. 1 Georgia’s final comeback with a last-minute 10-yard pass to Adonai Mitchell for the Peach Bowl win over No. 4 Ohio State. The win gives the Bulldogs a shot at their second straight national title.
“Our boys are extremely resilient,” said Smart. “…I had no doubt that our team would fight.”
Georgia (14-0) plays No. 3 TCU that beat No. 2 Michigan 51-45 in the Fiesta Bowl semifinals on January 9 for the national championship. The Bulldogs, who won their first national title since 1980 last season, will be playing for their first consecutive championships in school history.
Ohio State led 21-7 in the first half and 38-24 in the fourth quarter.
“If we want to have a chance to win the national championship, we have to play much better football than tonight, but we have to keep our resilience,” said Smart.
The final comeback came just after midnight on Sunday, when Noah Ruggles’ 50-yard field goal attempt for Ohio State sailed wide to the left with three seconds left, prompting a cheer on the Georgia touchline.
“That was probably the most fun game I’ve ever played in my life,” said Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud, who threw four touchdown passes. “It just sucks that it’s coming down like that.”
Ohio State (11-2) bemoaned its inability to defend its two-touchdown lead in the final quarter.
“If we’re going to win these games, we can’t give up these big, explosive plays,” said Ohio State coach Ryan Day.
Bennett’s 76-yard scoring pass to Arian Smith, followed by Bennett’s pass to Ladd McConkey in the 2-point game, cut it to 38-35.
Ruggles’ 48-yard field goal gave the Buckeyes a 41-35 lead, leaving just 2:36 for Bennett and Georgia’s offense.
“I looked around and there was just a bunch of determined, strong looks from all the guys,” Bennett said of the pre-ride crowd. “It gave me confidence.”
With 54 seconds remaining, Bennett’s go-ahead scoring pass led to Mitchell, Stroud led the Buckeyes back to the Georgia 31 with a 27-yard run.
“It was a good game,” said Bennett. “Those stats are pretty dead even across the board. Yes, that was special.”
Ohio State shut out Georgia in the third quarter while the Buckeyes led by 10 points.
Bennett, who joined Stroud as one of four Heisman Trophy finalists, finished the game strong, completing 23 of 34 passes for 398 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. He had one 3-yard scoring run.
Stroud’s second goal pass, a 16-yarder to Harrison, gave the Buckeyes a 21-7 lead. Stroud dodged the pressure on the game before matching to a diving Harrison in the end zone.
Georgia scored the next 17 points for a 24-21 lead. The Bulldogs had scoring runs of 11 yards from Kendall Milton and 3 yards from Bennett during the run.
BIG INJURY FOR BUCKEYES
Stroud completed 23 of 34 passes for 348 yards without an interception.
Stroud capped the Buckeyes’ first possession in the second half with a 10-yard scoring pass to Emeka Egbuka for a 35-24 lead – already the most points the Bulldogs conceded in a full game this season.
Marvin Harrison Jr. had five catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Egbuka had eight catches for 112 yards and one score.
SMART TIMEOUT
Ohio State protected a 38-27 lead and claimed a fake fourth-place punt and a 1st-place finish in the fourth quarter. but before a direct snap By the time Mitch Rossi produced the apparent yardage for the first down, Smart had already called a timeout.
The time-out may have saved Georgia’s comeback hopes. The Buckeyes then had to punt, and on Georgia’s next play, Bennett threw the 76-yard scoring pass to Smith.
“They weren’t in their traditional formation,” Smart said, explaining his decision to take the time-out. “One of those gut reactions that I didn’t think we had lined up right to stop it, so I called timeout.”
THE TAKE AWAY
State of Ohio: The Buckeyes scored at times with devastating speed. A quick shot and a 75-yard touchdown gave Ohio State a 28-24 lead at halftime. Stroud completed four consecutive passes in the drive, including a 37-yard scoring pass from Stroud to Xavier Johnson.
Georgia: The Bulldogs rushed for 135 yards and finished for 533 yards total. They won on offense in a night where their proud defense couldn’t stop Stroud.
INJURY REPORT
Ohio State TE Cade Stover, who was suffering from back spasms, was taken to a hospital as a precaution, the team said early in the second half. There was no immediate update.
Day said Harrison was housed under a concussion protocol big hit in the end zone by Georgia’s Javon Bullard, who was originally called to aim. After a review, officials removed the target call.
Georgia OLB Chaz Chambliss left the game late in the first half with an apparent left knee injury. Chambliss needed help leaving the field. Georgia TE Darnell Washington was on crutches on the touchline after suffering a left ankle injury in the second half.
Georgia WR Ladd McConkey (knee) had limited playing time and RT Warren McClendon (knee) was in uniform but did not start.
Buckeyes running back Miyan Williams, who missed practice this week with a stomach problem while also recovering from an ankle injury, had just three carries for eight yards in the first half, including a shot on target from the 2.
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