Stetson Bennett threw a pair of touchdown passes in the fourth quarter as Georgia scored 20 straight points and defeated Alabama, 33-18, to win the College Football Playoff National Championship Game Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Bulldogs finished 14-1 and avenged their lone loss of the season, a 41-24 defeat to the Crimson Tide (13-2) in the SEC Championship Game in December.
The CFP title game was hard-hitting and tight throughout. Alabama took advantage of a turnover by Georgia and moved ahead 18-13 on a pass from Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young to tight end Cameron Latu with 10:14 left.
The Bulldogs then got in gear thanks to Bennett, the lesser-known of the quarterbacks.
Bennett first took advantage of an Alabama offside and threw a 40-yard TD pass to Adonal Mitchell to give Georgia the lead.
With 3:33 left, Bennett threw a TD pass to Brock Bowers for a 26-18 lead.
From walk-on to national champion at his home state school.
It means everything to Stetson Bennett.#NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/TaRdSJF8sc
— ESPN (@espn) January 11, 2022
Alabama’s last gasp evaporated when Kelee Ringto picked off the Heisman Trophy winner and returned it 79 yards for a game-sealing touchdown.
Kirby Smart's reaction to the Dawgs' pick-six is amazing 😄 pic.twitter.com/QEVnj72HKg
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 11, 2022
It was the freshman’s first interception and it was the first time in Young’s career that he threw two picks in one game.
This is Georgia’s first national championship in football since 1980.
Georgia wins its 2nd national championship since the introduction of the AP Poll in 1936 (other in 1980), which snapped their 40-year national title drought.
That is the longest drought snapped by a national champion since Auburn ended a 52-year drought in 2010 pic.twitter.com/mAlvgMHdd9
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 11, 2022