Georgia Destroys TCU To Win Second Straight National Championship

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Talent won. 

TCU was the underdog, and TCU became the first college football Cinderella. The glass slipper was smashed to pieces at halftime after 10 days. The national championship game was varsity against JV, starters versus backups, and yes, the SEC against everyone else. 

Georgia put an end to an amazing season by defeating Texas Christian 65-7 on Monday night. It was the largest margin for victory in the national championship game and any bowl game. Georgia’s third consecutive national title and its second straight title was secured with a record of 15-0. The Bulldogs could have easily been given the trophy in Atlanta, having won the Peach Bowl. That’s how easy this was. 

“It seems like for the past three or four months, we’ve been looking to see if somebody could beat us,” quarterback Stetson Bennett said. “And we just ran out of games. 

“Nobody could.” 

After one sack on Max Duggan deep in TCU’s own territory, Georgia’s Bear Alexander looked up at the sea of fans wearing purple behind the end zone and waved goodbye. Only 42 seconds remained in the first period. 

As it turned out, the Bulldogs had enough time to intercept Duggan twice more and add 22 yards of Adonai Mitchell touchdown to their incredible first-half point total. It was 38-7. The second half began with a 30-minute procession of red and black confetti, and a trophy presentation. 

Horned Frogs, thank you for coming. Perhaps next time. 

“They’re a great team,” Duggan said. “Everybody knows how good they’ve been this year and prior years and we knew that.” 

It may have been something the Horned Frogs knew. But now they’ve felt it in a historic way. 

“This team is special,” Kirby Smart, Georgia coach “because they didn’t have a flaw.” 

This team has replaced Alabama as the standard in this sport, with Smart equaling his former boss Nick Saban’s feat of back-to-back titles, which the Crimson Tide won in 2011-’12. Georgia won the championship one year after taking down Alabama in the playoff. The team played two close games and held onto the top of the CFP rankings in every iteration. 

After becoming one of the sport’s most unlikely stories by leading Georgia to the national title last year, Bennett put the finishing touches on a legendary tale. Blackshear, Ga. native, threw for 304 yard and four touchdowns. He also ran for two more touchdowns in his final game with Georgia. He is the sixth and final quarterback to win back-toback national titles as a starting quarterback. By far and away, he’s also the most unlikely — a former walk-on who once transferred to Jones Community College and had to prove himself time and again to Smart and offensive coordinator Todd Monken to earn the starting job. 

On Monday, he couldn’t miss. Smart, Monken, and anyone else in crimson could not miss. TCU was defeated by Georgia at the line-of-scrimmage. TCU’s pass-catchers, especially tight end Brock Bowers, and receiver Ladd Mconkey proved too difficult to handle. Its secondary, questioned after a rocky performance in the semifinal against Ohio State, blanketed Quentin Johnston and the rest of TCU’s receivers just about all night. Even Duggan couldn’t batter his way out of this one. 

“I’m going to enjoy watching this tape,” Bennett said. 

TCU was able to hold on for a few seconds, but it was only during the first quarter. Derius Davis, already down 10-0, took advantage of a rare Georgia coverage break to run 60 yards, setting up an easy 2-yard Duggan score. 

For just a second, it looked like the ’Dawgs might be vulnerable. Bennett led them down the field and McConkey caught balls of 11, 11 & 37 yards. This coverage-bust touchdown was key to a 70-yard, four-play drive. 

Halftime was over, and Bennett had led Georgia on three more touchdown drives, of 92, 26 and 22 yards. All for touchdowns, and without any TCU responses. 

The Horned Frogs made their season this season by returning to the Big 12, when everything seemed hopeless. This was against the SEC speed & strength. There was no way. 

“I think we’re setting that standard,” McConkey added. “No one’s [won back-to-back titles] in the CFP era. For us to go and be the first team, it’s a great feeling.” 

With 13:25 left in the fourth quarter, Bennett was pulled. Smart called a timeout to establish a curtain call. Georgia led by 45 points at the end of the quarter. He was greeted by a sea of red and a standing ovation. 

“That was special, coming off and seeing coach Smart,” Bennett said. “That was really cool.” 

Talent won, but it turned out that Bennett wrote the underdog story that TCU couldn’t.