ATLANTA — After losing face-to-face for much of the 2022 Peach Bowl, No. 1 Georgia rallied late to beat No. 4 Ohio State 42-41 to advance to the College Football Playoffs. We made it to the semi-finals. With this win, the defending champion Bulldogs will enter his CFP National Championship, where they will face No. 3 TCU in Inglewood, Calif. on Monday, Jan. 9.
Ohio kicker Noah Ruggles sealed the result after a heroic go-ahead drive from Georgia was followed by the Buckeyes driving into a potential game-winning try position in the final minute. missed a 50-yard field goal attempt with 3 seconds left to do so.
Leading 38-24 early in the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes had a chance to retake a two-possession lead with less than four minutes remaining. The Bulldogs defense produced a huge stand and Ohio State scored his goal on the field to make it 41. -35 2:43 remaining.
From there, Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett IV led the drive to keep the Dogues undefeated for years. Bennett hit Adonai Mitchell for a 10-yard touchdown with 54 seconds left to give Georgia its first lead since the second quarter.
Ohio State had two timeouts to go, enough time to get into field goal range. A wide that ended late in the third quarter following a big hit in the end zone he did just that, despite navigating the fourth quarter without giving receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. the lead.
The Buckeyes scored more against the Dogues than any other team this season, but ultimately ended up with a valiant run for redemption after an embarrassing loss to Michigan to close out the regular season. The bid was slightly short.
Delivered by the “postman”
Stroud dominated Bennett for much of the night and was absolutely spectacular for the Buckeyes in both arms and legs. But just when it mattered most, Bennett came up with another storybook moment for his fairy tale career. The former walk-on delivered the biggest fourth-quarter comeback in CFP history.
The Bulldogs outscored Ohio State 18-3 in the final 15 minutes as Bennett completed 10 of 12 passes in the frame. He found Ariane Smith wide open for a 76-yard touchdown, going 38-35 midway through the quarter and 5-of-5 on a go-ahead drive that ended in a strike to Mitchell. completed. Bennett finished 23 of 34 for 398 yards and earned MVP honors for the game with three touchdowns, an interception and a rushing touchdown.
A giant stand when it matters most
Georgia came out with the nation’s second-leading scoring defense, scoring just 12.8 points per game, while the Buckeyes scored 28 in the first half alone. But when the chips dropped, Georgia came up with a few key stops, and oddly enough, with 8:58 left, Georgia’s Kirby smartly said his coach had taken a timeout. Could have saved the Dawgs game.
Facing 4 and 1 at their own 34-yard line, the Buckeyes lined up to punt before executing a successful fake. However, as play unfolded, it became clear that Smart had called a timeout just before the snap. The Georgia staff sniffed out the fake just in time and the Buckeyes actually chose to punt after timeout.
Bennett’s 76-yard strike to Smith followed on the first play of UGA’s next drive. On Ohio State’s next possession, the Buckeyes were moving football with a chance to take a 45–35 lead as he faced 2 for 5 at his 18-yard line in Georgia. The Bulldogs applied pressure and fired Stroud to give him 12 losses.
Major injuries for both teams
Ohio State tight end Cade Stover left the game for a back spasm after recording 7 yards on one catch and was taken to a local hospital. The senior entered with 35 receptions for 399 yards and 5 touchdowns. Late in the third quarter, Harrison Jr. was hit hard at the back of his zone at the end and required on-field treatment. He did not return after collecting five catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns. His absence hampered the Buckeyes as Stroud tried to put the team in place for a game-winning score in the final minute.
Georgia brought Mitchell back into the game after missing much of the season due to injury, but the Bulldogs quickly lost another top target as Darnell Washington was sidelined and did not return in the first half. . The well-built junior tight his end, he achieved one catch for nine yards before departing. His status would grow at the College Playoff National Championship, similar to that of wide receiver Rudd McConkie, who played while apparently limping with a knee injury.
