The Dawgs survive a game for the ages in a 42-to-41-point victory over Ohio State University to advance to the College Football National Championship.
Blood, sweat, and tears weren’t enough to measure the intensity of the matchup. The Buckeyes ability to score on command with Marvin Harrison was appalling to Georgia fans everywhere, and Georgia would try it’s best to answer, but at some points during the game it just didn’t feel like enough.
To close the second half, Georgia did it’s best to catchup on a 21-to-7 Ohio State lead getting to 21-21 and even scoring a field goal to get the lead, 24-21. But in less than a minute C.J. Stroud and Marvin Harrison Jr. answered the call and put together a 75 yard, 55 second drive to go up 28-to-24 killing Georgia’s newfound momentum. Throughout the entire game it seemed like the Dawgs were just playing catchup.
Momentum was the name of the game. There were plenty of momentum shifts yesterday, but the sequence of possessions that best embodies what this game was to Georgia fans were the last three scores of the game.
The story of the night was really just C.J Stroud and his impressive receiving core, led by Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka. There was no stopping them, but the Dawgs found a way to limit their production as the game went on. In Ohio State’s second to last possession in the fourth quarter Georgia managed to hold them to just a field goal; it was crucial to the Bulldog’s victory.
In Georgia’s possession following that, Stetson Bennett flipped the switch. All night it seemed like we were seeing him at 50%. He seemed uncomfortable, jittery, flustered. But not this go ‘round. Bennett was 5 for 6 for 72 yards and a touchdown to go up 42-41 to the one and only A.D. Mitchell, and it didn’t stop there. That touchdown alone was euphoric, but it wasn’t anywhere close to the end.
The 51 seconds that Georgia left on the clock were more than enough for Ryan Day and C.J. Stroud. They drove all the way to the Georgia 31-yardline to try and attempt a game-winning field goal, but it was by no means prime position for a kick.
The Buckeyes tried to edge closer, but were met by an inspired and lively Georgia defense. Stroud has already turned a would-be coverage sack into a 27-yard scramble, but he was brick walled from that point forward. Ohio State would try a run and a pass to make things easier for their kicker Noah Ruggles, but it was to no avail. The run was for a loss and the pass was out of bounds. On fourth down, Ruggles attempted a 50-yard field goal and missed wide left right as the clock struck midnight to begin the 2023 calendar year.
Georgia encountered a beast. Fought until the end. And right when all hope was lost, they were rewarded with victory instead of defeat. It was against all odds. But that’s exactly what this team is about. They weren’t supposed to do this after losing 15 players to the NFL, but here they are. Proving the doubters wrong. Against. All. Odds.