The Georgia Bulldogs became the first program to win back-to-back college football playoff national championships Monday.
Georgia dominated TCU with a 65-7 win, which was the widest margin ever in a bowl game.
Last season, the Bulldogs beat the Alabama Crimson Tide in the national championship game to capture the school’s first title in over 40 years.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban was at SoFi Stadium for Monday’s championship game and offered his opinion on a controversial hit on a star wide receiver during Georgia’s semifinals game.
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Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) of the Ohio State Buckeyes is helped off the field after injuring himself in the third quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium December 31, 2022 in Atlanta . (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
“Well, I think the play on Marvin Harrison Jr. was also purposeful,” Saban said on College Gameday.
Late in the third quarter of the Peach Bowl, Bulldogs defenseman Javon Bullard delivered a hard punch to Harrison. Officials initially flagged Bullard for aiming, but a referee in the dressing room later canceled the call.
The hit knocked Harrison out of the game and he was unable to return due to concussion. Ohio State was up 35-24 when he got injured and lost the game 42-41.
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Ohio State coach Ryan Day said after the game that Harrison’s loss had an impact on the outcome of the game.
“To say that losing Marvin had an impact on the game absolutely did,” Day said on ESPN.
Saban made a guest appearance on ESPN’s television show during the audition and halftime of the national championship game. During the broadcast, Saban said he believed the target call should have stayed put.
Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) of the Ohio State Buckeyes attempts to catch a pass during the third quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs at Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 31, 2022 in Atlanta. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Ohio State would have received an automatic first down had the call not been lifted. Advancing the ball and getting a new set of downs didn’t guarantee the Buckeyes would have scored a touchdown on the drive, but the call seemed to help swing momentum.
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After the penalty flag was lifted, Ohio State settled for a field goal and extended their lead to 38-24.
Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. celebrates his touchdown catch against Georgia in the first half of the Peach Bowl December 31, 2022 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Social media went into an uproar during the halftime show when ESPN college football analyst and former Bulldogs linebacker David Pollack declared that Georgia football was the nation’s top program.
“We love the Cinderella story and we love it when that happens, but that’s not really the Cinderella ending. Georgia, obviously, over the past few seasons we’ve really seen them conquer college football.” Pollack said as Georgia led TCU 38-7 at the end of two quarters.
A stone Saban, sitting right next to Pollack, stared at the former Georgia bulldog for a long time.
“Incredible work. This is a young football team,” added Pollack.
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Saban led the Crimson Tide to a 10-2 record that season, giving Alabama fifth place in the last College Football Playoff ranking of the year. Alabama dominated the Big 12 champions, Kansas State, 45-20 in the Sugar Bowl.
Chantz Martin is a sportswriter for Fox News Digital.