LIVE Updates: National Championship Game

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Harrison Reno | Jan 10, 2022

It is gameday for the University of Georgia in Indianapolis, Indiana, as they are getting set to take on No. 1 Alabama in the national championship game at 8:00 PM EST.

One of the most anticipated rematches in recent memory for Georgia fans after the previous meeting in the SEC Championship Game did not go the way many thought it would. Then No. 3 Alabama beat Georgia 41-24, dismantling the highly touted Georgia defense that many thought as "generational" throughout the season.

The loss to the Crimson Tide became the fourth of the Kirby Smart era in Athens and forced his program into a CFP Semifinal matchup with No. 2 Michigan. A previously thought marquee opponent for the Bulldogs suffered the same fate as many on Georgia's regular-season schedule this year, pure domination from the first snap.

Georgia beat the Wolverines 34-11; Georgia's vaunted defense held Michigan scoreless for three quarters before Michigan scored a "garbage time" touchdown.

Many expect this fifth meeting in the previous five seasons to be another classic. However, even after the dominating performance from Alabama in Atlanta, Georgia came away with a lot to learn after making fixable mistakes, ala the blown coverages on defense, Georgia currently sits as a 2.5 point favorite over Alabama in Vegas.

Injury Report

QB, JT Daniels (COVID) - IN
RB, Kenny McIntosh (Hamstring) - IN
RB, Kendall Milton (Knee) - IN
DL, Devonte Wyatt (Knee) - IN
EDGE, Nolan Smith (Elbow) - IN
OT, Jamaree Salyer (Foot) - IN
DB, Chris Smith (Knee) - IN
WR, Jermaine Burton (Groin) - IN
WR, Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint (Ankle) - IN
WR, Justin Robinson (Hamstring) - IN
WR, Dominick Blaylock (Hamstring) - IN
WR, Arian Smith (Leg) - OUT
WR, Ladd McConkey (undisclosed) - IN
WR, George Pickens (COVID) - IN
Brock Bowers (Shoulder) - IN
OL, Tate Ratledge (Foot) - OUT
DB, Tykee Smith (Knee) - OUT
CB, Jalen Kimber (Shoulder) - OUT
LB, Rian Davis (Quad) - OUT

Projected Starters

Offense

QB: Stetson Bennett
RB: Zamir White and James Cook
TE: Brock Bowers or Darnell Washington
X: Adonai Mitchell or Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint
Z: Jermaine Burton
Slot: Ladd McConkey or Kearis Jackson
LT: Jamaree Salyer
LG: Justin Shaffer
C: Sedrick Van Pran
RG: Warren Ericson
RT: Warren McClendon

Defense

DE: Travon Walker
NT: Jordan Davis
DT: Devonte Wyatt
JACK: Nolan Smith
MIKE: Nakobe Dean
MONEY: Quay Walker or Channing Tindall
SAM: Robert Beal
STAR: Latavious Brini or William Poole
Left Corner: Kelee Ringo
Right Corner: Derion Kendrick
SS: Lewis Cine
FS: Chris Smith

First Quarter

Georgia won the toss and deferred to the second half.

(0-0) 14:20: First two Alabama plays are runs, taking them into a third and two.

(0-0) 13:20: Jordan Davis strips Bryce Young and Nakobe Dean takes it back for a touchdown. Play is under review and overturned.

(0-0) 13:01: Young finds Latu for a gain of nine bringing up another Alabama third down.

(0-0) 12:01: A pitch to Robinson picks up the first down yardage.

(0-3) 10:01: Young tries to find Billingsley on third and five, a slip from the Alabama tight end causes an incompletion.

(0-3) 9:55: Bennett fakes the handoff and gets sacked by Christian Harris on the first offensive play for Georgia.

(0-3) 8:26: Bennett picks 14-yards for a third and five after a delay of game on Bama on gives Georgia five yards back from 3rd and 24. Georgia picks up a delay of game on third and four. Georgia will punt as Bennett throws it away.

(0-3) 7:46: Alabama starts on their own 20 and throws a screen to Williams for a loss of one. Young finds Williams again on a slant for a first down.

(0-3) 6:00: Georgia's defense gets off the field on third and short.

(0-3) 4:35: Georgia takes over on their own 25-yard line. Two straight Georgia runs to make it third and nine. Alabama's defense forces another three and out.

(0-3) 4:18: Two straight Georgia runs to make it third and nine. Alabama's defense forces another three and out. Alabama fair catches the punt and is hit by Georgia and is called for a kick/catch interference giving up 15 yards. Alabama takes over at 45.

(0-3) 4:07: A run to the outside by Alabama picks up 4-yards. Another extra man pressure gets Georgia's defense off the field

(0-3) 3:26: A illegal hands to the face backs Georgia up to their own five.

(0-3) 2:26: Bennett finds Washington on second and six picks up a first down, the first first down of the game for Georgia.

(0-3) 1:26: Bennett finds Picken on a deep shot to the Alabama 29.

Second Quarter

(0-3) 14:00: Bennett finds Burton on a slant for nine yards and a first down.

(3-3) 12:35: Bennett picks up four yards on third and goal. Podlesny connects on the field after Georgia drove 87 yards.

(3-3) 12:35: Young finds William on a deep ball (40-yard) up the seam to the Georgia 45. Williams goes down after no contact and immediately grabs his knee.

(3-3) 11:55: A false start on Alabama backs them up for a third and six. Young finds Bolden and is held short of the first down, Georgia collapses the pocket again.

(3-6) 11:12: Will Richard connects on a 45-yard field goal, Jameson Williams walked with the trainers to the locker room.

(3-6) 11:12: McIntosh takes to the Alabama 40-yard line on the kick return but is called back for holding, another costly penalty.

(3-6) 11:05: False start will back Georgia up again.

(3-6) 10:54: Cook picks up 4-yards on third and twelve. Forcing another Georgia punt.

(3-6) 9:00: Bryce Young finds his tight end Latu for a massive gain of 61-yards down to the Georgia eight-yard line.

(3-9) 7:49: Channing Tindall brings Bryce Young down for a sack on third down. Alabama connects on its field goal.

(3-9) 5:13: Georgia moves Jamaree Salyer to right guard and Broderick Jones comes on at left tackle. Bennett finds Mitchell for a first down on third and four.

(3-9) 4:33: Dallas Turner sacks Bennett on first down, backing Georgia up to their Alabama's 39.

(6-9) 3:09: Bennett finds Kearis Jackson for a gain of nine on third and fourteen, putting Georgia in field goal range. Podlesny connects on a 49-yard field goal.

(6-9) 2:39: Devonte Wyatt pressure Bryce Young on second and seven forcing an incompletion. Georgia jumps on third and seven for an offside.

(6-9) 2:39: Hall picks a first down on third and two, getting them into Georgia territory.

(6-9) 1:45: A Young incompletion on second down brings up a third and eight. Young throws a bullet to Bolden but it is incomplete. Bama punts and pins Georgia on their own ten.

(6-9) 0:22: Two consecutive runs inside their own territory don't draw a timeout from Saban until now on third and five for Georgia.

Third Quarter

(6-9) 15:00: Zamir White picks up a first down on the first play of the drive.

(6-9) 14:00: White picks up another first down on a ten-yard run.

(6-9) 13:00: Georgia's drive stalls out after an intentional grounding penalty from Bennett on first down backs them up. Georgia found Cook to get it back to third eight. Bennett then threw it away on third down to force a punt.

(6-9) 12:00: Christopher Smith comes up with the first turnover of the game, picking off an overthrown ball from Bryce Young. Georgia takes over on the Bama 43.

(6-9) 11:12: Georgia cannot capitalize on the turnover going three and out.

(6-9) 7:12: Alabama picks up a first down on third and short.

(6-9) 6:20: Robinson battles Lewis Cine for a gain of 6, making it third and short.

(6-9) 4:20: Alabama picks up a third down and one, Georgia's defense is struggling, getting to get very tired.

(6-9) 3:20: Georgia's pressure forces an incompletion on second and eleven. Third down sees Young fires an incomplete pass in the face of two blitzing Georgia backers.

(6-9) 3:20: Georgia blocks an Alabama field goal attempt.

(6-9) 2:20: James Cook picks up a 67-yard run down to the Bama 13.

(13-9) 1:20: Kenny McIntosh picks up a facemask, Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter check in the game. Zamir White gets into the endzone.

Fourth Quarter

(13-9) 14:10: Bryce Young finds a receiver to a gain of 28-yards down to Georgia's 5-yardline.

(13-12) 13:02: Georgia pressure Young on third and goal and force an overthrow that would've been a touchdown if thrown accurately. Richard connects on a 21-yard field goal, Georgia's defense bends but doesn't break.

(13-12) 11:35: A fake play that ends with a toss to McConkey loses three yards on second down. Bennett under pressure on third and eight throws it away, the refs rule it a fumble recovered by Alabama. The play is under review. The call stands.

(13-12) 10:59: A incomplete pass by Young gets hit by Wyatt and draws a roughing the passer to put Bama inside the ten.

(13-18) 10:14: Under pressure, Young finds Latu for a touchdown. Alabama goes for two but does not get it.

(13-18) 10:08: Bennett finds Burton for a first down on a play action pass.

(13-18) 9:33: Bennett draws a defensive pass interference on a double move to Burton on a deep ball.

(19-18) 8:09: Bennett takes a cost that loses eight yards, backing Georgia up for a second and eighteen. Bennett unloads a bomb to Adonai Mitchell for a 40-yard touchdown pass. Georgia hands it off to Cook on the two point conversion but doesn't get it.

(19-18) 7:21: Bryce Young on third and twelve throws a good pass to Bolden on a dig that is broken up by Poole.

(26-18) 3:33: Bennett found Bowers for a touchdown pass in the flats.

(33-18) 1:09: Kelee Ringo picks off Bryce Young and returns it for six

FINAL: Georgia 33, Alabama 18

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Published Jan 10, 2022

HARRISON RENO