Georgia Bulldogs beat TCU to repeat as football champions: NPR

Georgia Bulldogs’ Xavier Truss celebrates with teammates after his team’s first touchdown against the TCU Horned Frogs in the College Football Playoff national championship game on January 9, 2023 in Inglewood, California.

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Georgia Bulldogs’ Xavier Truss celebrates with teammates after his team’s first touchdown against the TCU Horned Frogs in the College Football Playoff national championship game on January 9, 2023 in Inglewood, California.

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The University of Georgia Bulldogs showed why they are the best team in college football again. Georgia defeated Texas Christian University 65-7 with a relentless and dominant performance in the national championship game. finish invincible and repeat as national champions.

65 points the goal was scored by Georgia are the most (BCS/College Football Playoff) in the championship game.

TCU came in a a huge underdog and the team had no answer for Georgia. After the kickoff, Georgia stopped TCU’s opening drive and then scored first on a 21-yard rush by senior quarterback Stetson Bennett. The Bulldogs marched down the field in less than three minutes through TCU’s defense.

It was a sign of things to come.

TCU quarterback Max Duggan is sacked in the second quarter during the College Football Playoff national title game on Jan. 9, 2023.

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TCU quarterback Max Duggan is sacked in the second quarter during the College Football Playoff national title game on Jan. 9, 2023.

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UGA forced a fumble on the Horned Frogs’ next drive, and the turnover led to Georgia’s second 24-yard field goal to go up 10-0 midway through the first quarter.

But third-ranked TCU answered on its next drive. Quarterback Max Duggan marched the Horned Frogs 75 yards for the score. Like Georgia QB, Duggan, Heisman runner-up, rushed for the goal to cut the Bulldog lead to 10-7. That would be TCU’s only points of the game.

Georgia immediately responded with a 37-yard Bennett touchdown pass to extend the lead to 17-7. The Bulldog defense stopped TCU on its next drive, then marched 92 yards to sophomore Stetson Bennett, who rushed for a touchdown for a 24-7 Georgia lead in the second quarter.

Duggan’s interception led to one more Bulldog touchdown before halftime.

Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett #13 reacts after a touchdown pass in the first quarter against the TCU Horned Frogs in the College Football Playoff National Championship game on January 9, 2023.

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Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett #13 reacts after a touchdown pass in the first quarter against the TCU Horned Frogs in the College Football Playoff National Championship game on January 9, 2023.

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Georgia simply dominated, leading 38-7 at the break and scoring on all six of its possessions (the first team to do so in the playoffs). The Bulldogs racked up 354 yards of offense in the half and averaged 9 yards per play.

TCU started the second half on a positive note, forcing a Georgia punt. But the Horned Frog offense stalled again and the Bulldogs picked up where they left off with Bennett’s second touchdown pass to extend the lead to 45-7.

With 11 minutes left in the third period, the game was practically over.

Bulldog quarterback Stetson Bennett scored six touchdowns (two rushing and four passing) and was ejected 95 seconds into the fourth quarter.

Georgia entered the contest undefeated (14-0) and the defending champion. Led by Bennett (a former walk-on QB), Georgia won the Southeastern Conference as the best conference in college football. Georgia was No. 1 for most of the season.

Texas Christian is a private university in Fort Worth, Texas registration about 12,000. It came into the championship game with a 13-1 record and the Big 12 Conference champion. Before the season began, TCU was picked seventh in the conference and was a 200-1 Long Shot to win the national championship. But the Horned Frogs surprised legions of football fans all season long with their ability to win. However, they couldn’t find a way past Georgia in the most important game of the year.

The Southeastern Conference has dominated the Division I FBS College Football Playoff. From 2014, when YKP started, an SEC team has won the title six times. Before Georgia, no team had repeated as a national champion in the ACP era.

One notable bulldog did not get to witness the victory. Georgia’s famous mascot Uga X did not travel to Southern California for the championship game. The Bulldog is a regular at Georgia games, wearing a UGA uniform and hanging out in the air-conditioned doghouse on the sideline. His owners said WTOC television cross-country flight would have been too difficult for a 9-year-old bulldog.

It’s safe to say that Uga X is enjoying the upcoming victory parade in Athens, Ga.