Stetson Bennett leads Georgia to first national title since 1980

INDIANAPOLIS — Georgia broke its four-decade national championship drought Monday when quarterback Stetson Bennett pulled off a one-for-the-ages bounce-back performance.

Moments after losing a disastrous fumble, he launched a gorgeous 40-yard touchdown pass that gave the No. 3 Bulldogs a 33-18 win over No. 1 Alabama, securing Georgia’s first national championship since 1980.

Bennett (and the rest of the Bulldogs) started slowly at Lucas Oil Stadium. The former walk-on was sacked on Georgia’s first offensive play. He lost the ball on the second, though he recovered the fumble. Then the Bulldogs (14-1) had a delay-of-game penalty, and his third-down throw went incomplete.

Alabama’s offense also didn’t get much going early in a defensive slugfest. The first-half score (9-6) called to mind the 2011 Game of the Century between Saban’s Crimson Tide and LSU. This one, at least, was more exciting than that snooze-fest, in a defensive duel that was based more on speedy athleticism than slobber-knocking hits.

The biggest blow of the half came without much contact at all when Alabama star receiver Jameson Williams’ left knee buckled. His departure — combined with the season-ending loss of John Metchie in the last game against Georgia — led to more playing time for freshman Agiye Hall, a former top-50 national recruit from Bloomingdale High. Hall looked ready enough; he picked up 24 yards on a third-down conversion in the second quarter.

Both teams had flashes of explosiveness. Williams’ injury came on a 40-yard catch. Tight end Cameron Latu had a 61-yard catch and run. Georgia picked up 52 on a gorgeous diving catch by George Pickens.

The Bulldogs hurt themselves (repeatedly) with penalties. They were flagged seven times in the first half with everything from a delay of game to a kick-catch interference to a holding penalty that negated a big kickoff return. Their first drive of the second half was derailed by penalty, too, with an intentional grounding on a flea flicker.

The turning point came at the end of the third quarter with a big-time two-play sequence for the Bulldogs. First defensive lineman Jalen Carter —a former five-star prospect from Apopka — blocked a 48-yard field goal that would have extended the Tide’s lead to 12-6.

On the next play, running back James Cook rushed right, bounced left and raced 67 yards down the left sideline. Cook is another elite talent Florida’s big programs let escape; he’s a former top-50 national recruit from Miami and the younger brother of former Florida State star Dalvin Cook. Georgia finally capitalized, with Carter coming in as a blocking fullback to clear the way for Zamir White’s 1-yard, go-ahead touchdown rush.

Alabama trimmed the deficit in the fourth quarter, thanks in part to a 28-yard catch by Hall. But the Georgia defense held inside the 5, and the Tide had to settle for a chip-shot field goal.

Georgia gave the ball right back on a catastrophic play. Alabama linebacker Christian Harris flew at Bennett. The hit knocked the ball out of Bennett, and Brian Branch nonchalantly corralled it at the sideline. The comedy-of-errors fumble gave ‘Bama the ball at the Georgia 16. Four plays later, Young rolled right and found tight end Cameron Latu for the go-ahead touchdown and an 18-13 lead.

Bennett made up for it with a throw that backed up the confidence coach Kirby Smart showed in him all season. On second and 18, Bennett launched a gorgeous 40-yard throw to the right side of the end zone. Adonai Mitchell fought off his defender and snagged the ball to put Georgia ahead 19-18 with 8:09 left.

Georgia’s defense then played like the one that was historically great through the regular season, not the one Alabama (13-2) lit up in the SEC championship game. The Bulldogs forced a three and out on the next drive, and Bennett found tight end Brock Bowers for a 15-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead.

Georgia cornerback Kelee Ringo added a 79-yard interception return for a touchdown in the final minute to end the Bulldogs’ historic drought and set off a raucous celebration among the Georgia-leaning crowd of 68,311.