The Georgia Bulldogs won the National Championship Game in the College Football Playoff once morest the Alabama Crimson Tide 33:18, crowning themselves national champions for the first time since 1980. After a tough start, the Dawgs turned up mightily in the fourth quarter.
The first half of the National Championship Game 2022 between Alabama and Georgia at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis / Indiana was characterized by strong defenses and mostly conservative offensive play. However, it also started with a moment of shock for Alabama, because early in the first attack series, Heisman winner quarterback Bryce Young lost a fumble in a supposed sack, which Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean carried to a touchdown in the end zone. On closer inspection of the pictures, however, the correct decision was made that the pass was incomplete and thus the complete play was negated.
The Crimson Tide then marched into the Red Zone, but was not stopped there for the last time. Kicker Will Reichard finally scored from 37 yards for an early lead.
Afterwards, both sides sprinkled occasional shot plays – Georgia QB Stetson Bennett, for example, found wide receiver George Pickens for a 52-yard pass, which was preceded by a field goal by the Bulldogs to 3: 3 in the meantime. Bama, in turn, had a 40-yard pass to wide receiver Jameson Williams, who injured his knee during the action and had to get out. A big blow for the Crimson Tide, following all, following John Metchie in the SEC Championship Game once morest Georgia, the team also lost their second 1000-yard receiver. And later, tight end Cameron Latu managed a 61-yard catch. In the red zone, however, both teams initially failed to find the end zone. The bottom line was that Alabama took a 9-6 lead for the break.
In the third quarter, Georgia continued to be less offensive, but the defense and the special team began to play. First, Safety Christopher Smith managed an interception once morest Young. That one had tried a deep shot at tight end Jahleel Billingsley, but that one broke off the route a little too early with a good cover. Then Georgia managed once more no more than one more punt. This was followed by a long series of attacks once morest Bama, which ended once more with a field goal attempt. Reichard’s kick from 48 yards was blocked by Jalen Carter.
Alabama vs. Georgia: Bulldogs awaken following field goal block
And this play was like a wake-up call for the rest of the team, because suddenly the offense also worked. Running back James Cook brought his team into the Red Zone with a 67-yard run and a little later it was Zamir White who completed the fast drive with a 1-yard touchdown run for the first Georgia lead of the evening.
This should last longer, because the third Red Zone trip Bamas immediately followingwards ended with a field goal from Reichard, this time from 21 yards. After that, however, events rolled over. Linebacker Christian Harris struck a lightning bolt once morest Bennett and slot cornerback Brian Branch captured the ball just before the touchline for a turnover. In fairness it has to be mentioned that the referee’s fumble decision was close to an incomplete pass. In any case, Bama took over in the Red Zone and accepted the gift. In the end, Young Latu found a 3-yard touchdown pass to make it 18:13 – the subsequent 2-point conversion failed. There were a little more than ten minutes left to play.
Georgia was unimpressed and hit back directly. After a completion over 15 yards and a pass interference once morest cornerback Khyree Jackson, Bennett made short work and fired a 40-yard touchdown pass to freshman receiver Adonai Mitchell. Since Georgia’s 2-point conversion also failed, the Bulldogs’ lead was only one point (19:18). And that’s not all, because following a defensive stop, Georgia marched across the field once more. Against several Blitzer Bamas, Bennett finally found the tight end Brock Bowers by screen for a 15-yard touchdown to the preliminary decision 3:33 minutes before the end.
It was over when Young threw a pick-six to cornerback Kelee Ringo in almost desperation mode. The ball was thrown too short and had no chance of reaching a Bama receiver. A little later, Young threw another interception.
Georgia was crowned national champion in college football for the first time since 1980 and for the second time overall.
College Football Playoff: National Championship Game 2022
Alabama Crimson Tide (13-2, #1) – Georgia Bulldogs (14-1, #3)
Result: 18:33 (3: 0, 6: 6, 0: 7, 9:20) BOXSCORE
Alabama vs. Georgia key stats
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This is only the third National Championship Game since the introduction of the then Bowl Championship Series in 1998 in which no team scored a touchdown in the first half. Previously, this only happened in 2000 between Oklahoma and Florida State following the 2000 season and between Alabama and LSU following the 2011 season.
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Even more: This is the first National Championship Game in which there were five field goals in total in one half.
- Bennett has now thrown 7 touchdown passes this season that went over at least 40 yards. That’s the most for Georgia since Jake Fromm in the 2017 season.
The star of the game: The Bulldogs’ defensive front
The key to the game was Georgia’s defense. They held Alabama on one touchdown on four Red Zone trips, keeping the team in the game for a long time. The most important part was the defensive front, in which Trevon Walker, Devonte Wyatt and Co. actually dominated the entire game over the line of scrimmage and repeatedly put Young under pressure and thus disrupted his rhythm. That led to 2 sacks and numerous inaccurate passports.
Flop of the Game: Bryce Young (Quarterback, Alabama)
The Heisman winner had a difficult time once morest this defense and had to do without his two most important receivers following the failure of Williams at the latest. This led to coordination problems, he also appeared nervous early in the game, then hasty late and made mistakes that led to turnovers and a pick-six. The sophomore will be back, but that wasn’t his evening.
Analysis: Alabama vs. Georgia – the tactics board
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Bama noticed early on that the respect for the strong pass Rush Georgia from the defensive line and by Blitzes was great. Accordingly, offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien relied on a pronounced quick-passing game with numerous screens, swing passes and passes to running backs in the flat early on. Outside zone runs and pitch plays were also interspersed – everything to avoid the pass rush. Bama moved noticeably away from the latter following the break and largely put the game in Young’s hands.
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Bama’s offense also got creative when it came to positioning the skill positions. Bama mostly relied on 11 people, but often let a wide receiver appear in the backfield, while the running back was often moved outwards via motion. Anything to soften Georgia’s man coverage. One means for this was the use of mesh concepts and short crossers to force linebackers into mismatches with wide receivers.
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At Georgia it was surprising that Bennett wasn’t a bigger part of the Run Game, as he had announced during the week. When he left the pocket, that mostly only by means of bootlegs or rollouts. Scrambling, on the other hand, was just as rare as runs following zone reads. Once he tried 3rd Down in the Red Zone, but was suddenly stopped.
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