In a battle reminiscent of the Super Bowls of the 1980s, Georgia outplayed, surpassed and outplayed TCU en route to a 65-7 win at Monday’s CFP national championship.
TCU came to the board thanks to broken reporting in the first quarter. But the result was a bright spot on the screen as a Stetson Bennett-led Bulldogs offensive drove the Horned Frogs to an impassable deficit. In fact, the lead was so big that Georgia didn’t need its All-SEC quarterback in the fourth quarter.
With 13:25 in the rules and Georgia leading 52-7, head coach Kirby Smart called a time-out so he could take Bennett out of the game. The work of the upcoming two-time national champion was done. It was curtain time for his final appearance in a Georgia uniform.
The Bulldogs fans who made the winter trip to Southern California showed their appreciation with a standing ovation as Bennett hugged Smart and his teammates on the Georgia sidelines. Sophomore Carson Beck then took over at quarterback for what was surely an unexpected season in the national championship. The Bulldogs scored two more touchdowns to further extend their lead.
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Bennett, a former walk-on, was named offense MVP by leading Georgia to its first national title since 1980 when he won the championship against SEC rival Alabama last year. He showed himself again Monday, completing 18 of 25 passes for 304 yards and four touchdowns. He added 39 yards and two more points on the ground. He again earned offensive MVP honors. That’s the stuff of college football legends.
Bennett more than earned his moment in the proverbial sun.
Stetson Bennett hugged Kirby Smart during his fourth-quarter curtain call on Monday. (Jayne Kamin/Portal)