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Atlanta — The term “Game of Inch” has been attached to college football since at least 1941 when it was attributed to Illinois coach Bob Zupke. Since then, on his final night in 2022, more than 80 years later, that saying is more important than ever.
inch. seconds. The razor blade that separates victory and defeat.Those little margins of time and distance paved the way enough for Georgia to beat the reigning national champions, the Bulldogs. Ohio42–41, an all-time classic Peach Bowl college football playoff semifinal.
It was so close. that tense. That dramatic.
“My heart goes to those guys” Georgia Coach Kirby Smart said of Ohio State: “They played enough to win. We played enough to win. just is enough.
was smart just If the ball had been snapped in time, it would have been quick enough to call a crucial timeout in the fourth quarter before Ohio State’s bogus punt succeeded. Smart said Buckeyes recognized that the traditional punt was not his alignment and signaled the umpire for a timeout without help from his headset assistant. The head coach’s headset allows him to switch between his three channels on offense, defense and specials on his team, and Smart was on his channel defensively on his series. “They said something on the special team line, but I wasn’t on that line,” Smart said. But in the end, he didn’t need help. Sure smart he is play.
Officials review Georgia’s play before giving Bowers a critical first down.
Joshua L. Jones/USA TODAY Network
tight end Brock Bowers just Athletic enough to keep his body off the ground and stretch for first downs to keep his fourth-quarter drive alive in replay reviews when he was ruled lacking. “Brock was pretty dumbfounded,” said quarterback Stetson Bennett IV. Georgia he fielded after three plays He had to score a goal, but the important he turned out to be three points.
Defensive back Javon Bullard just Legal enough for a devastating hit to Marvin Harrison Jr., which was originally called Targeting before capsizing, preventing a touchdown and knocking out the superstar wide receiver for the rest of the game That hit kept Ohio State short of a three-point lead at the end of the third quarter.
If any of these three plays go in the opposite direction in a one-point game, the Buckeyes may be playing upset. TCU Nationals next week. Instead, Georgia was inches and seconds better. His day, one of the best in CFP history, teetered long into two surprising upsets after the Horned Toads knocked out Michigan in a fierce shootout, but ultimately ‘The Dogs Counted Every Inch’. rice field.
After all, Bennett just They wiped out some of their previous mistakes and performed well enough to once again lead a comeback in the 4th quarter playoffs. Alabama to the national convention. As with the Crimson Tide game at the time, Bennett’s mistakes were part of what drove his team into the red.
“I felt like I had 30 minutes of bad football,” Bennett said. He took a few bad sacks, made a few dangerous throws, and at one point threw a lateral while in the red zone where Rudd McConkie had to go down for a big loss, driving a touchdown. turned into a field goal.
Bennett said at the post-match press conference, “I freaked out and threw a lateral,” and Smart next to him closed his eyes for a few seconds, painfully remembering that bad moment. “fool.”
But then again, one of the great stories of Cinderella in the history of the sport, the diminutive ex-walk-on rose to the occasion under incredible pressure and delivered. , like several other games, was the epitome of his career.He found his way when Georgia fans were ready to give him up and the public was writing him off. rice field.
“It sets you free,” Bennett said of the “die or die” bet the dog faced. “You must, or we will lose.”
Trailing 38–24 heading into the fourth quarter, Bennett led the scoring drive for the third straight time to pull the game away from the fire. With his three possessions remaining and his six-year college career in jeopardy, Bennett completed 12 of his 14 passes for 207 yards and his two touchdowns. . It was legendary and catapulted him even further into the unlikely realm of great Georgia quarterbacks. .
The final drive was perfect: Bennett completed five straight passes, moved the center of the field to drive Georgia to the Ohio State 10-yard line, and fired an outroute to Adonai Mitchell for a touchdown. Even against Alabama last year, it was a go-ahead TD from Bennett to Mitchell.
Bennett explains the idea of the final drive: The defense rose whenever it was needed. where else would you like to be? If you score a goal with the ball in the remaining two minutes, you win. As I looked around, there were many unflinching stares from every man.
Except Georgia didn’t win the game after scoring a go-ahead touchdown. Bennett steered the Bulldogs downfield so efficiently and quickly that he had 54 seconds left before Ohio State and their brilliant quarterback, his CJ Stroud, had a last chance.
Stroud drove the Buckeyes to the Georgia 31-yard line and soon Ryan Day made a bad decision on a night he coached a great game. Instead of trying to push further into kicker Noah Ruggles’ field goal range, he ran the ball on a first down, a conservative call. Ultimately, Ruggles was left with his 50-yard attempt. He entered the game 4-0 from over 50 yards out. Now he’s sadly 0-for-5 after hooking kicks wide left instead of close.
Running back Kenny McIntosh, 126 yards from scrimmage and touchdown, watched the climactic kick from where the ball was snapped. When he saw it turning left, “I knelt down on the spot. Then I ran across the field.”
Bennett will be aiming to become a two-time national champion when the Bulldogs meet TCU for the title.
Joshua L. Jones/USA TODAY Network
On the sidelines, Bennett was again brought to tears by the emotion of the moment. This time, Bennett sobbed anew and finally fell to his knees.
That last play took place on New Year’s Day 2023 at 00:01. The man on his knees is 25 years old and started his college career in 2017. His labyrinthine path to hero status was marred by a junior college transfer. After returning to Georgia, some benching took place as Smart continued to search for a better QB. Turns out he’s had a national champion on his roster all along — and is now probably a two-time champion.
After being awarded the game’s best offensive player, Bennett walked off the podium and was inundated with one favor after another as he attempted to leave the field and make his way to Georgia’s locker room. Finally, he grabbed the aggressive lineman’s back and asked him to be the lead blocker.
Once he was clear, Bennett started running. With his left hand in the air in honor of the Bulldog fans, he could rejoice the moment he nearly slipped.On Saturday night, inches and seconds were On Georgia’s side, the dogs needed them all.
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