LOS ANGELES – No, that wasn’t another earthquake that hit Southern California Monday.
This impact felt at SoFi Stadium was the result of the Georgia Bulldogs capping a perfect 15-0 season by dismantling Texas Christian 65-7 to claim the program’s second straight national crown.
It marked the first time in the College Football Playoff era that a team has won consecutive titles, and the first since Alabama won back-to-back BCS titles in 2011 and 2012.
Remarkable is the only word necessary to describe quarterback Stetson Bennett’s performance.
The Blackshear native left the field a hero, completing 18 of 25 passes for 304 yards and four touchdowns, along with three carries for 39 yards and two scores.
His 36 points allowed him to tie Joe Burrow’s record for most points responsible-for in a CFP game with 36.
TCU had no answer for Georgia’s offense.
The Bulldogs rolled up 589 yards of total offense, while the defense limited the Horned Frogs (13-2) to 188.
TCU had no answer for Brock Bowers, either.
Bowers was unreal, catching seven passes for 152 yards and a touchdown, while Ladd McConkey caught five passes for 88 yards and two scores.
Freshman Branson Robinson capped the scoring with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown runs.
The Bulldogs had six possessions in the first half and scored each time for a 38-7 halftime lead.
After stopping TCU on its opening drive, a pair of passes from Bennett to Bowers picked up 33 yards, before Bennett ran in from 21 yards out.
Georgia would soon get the ball back again.
During the Horned Frogs’ next possession, Christopher Smith knocked the ball away from wide receiver Derius Davis with Javon Bullard recovering inside the 35.
The Bulldogs would ultimately settle for a 24-yard field goal by Jack Podlesny.
TCU would answer on its next drive, with Duggan hitting a wide-open Davis for a 62-yard pickup just outside the Bulldog 11. Three plays later, Duggan ran it in from the 2 to cut the lead to 10-7.
As wide open as Davis was for his big gain, McConkey was even more so for the Bulldogs on their possession. Nobody was within 20 yards of the junior when he hauled in a 37-yard throw from Bennett, who finished the first quarter 8 of 9 for 121 yards.
The drive covered 70 yards and took just four plays.
Georgia would soon make it four straight possessions with a score. Even when the Bulldogs found themselves backed up at their own 8-yard line, it did not matter. Bennett methodically drove Georgia 92 yards on 11 plays, hitting Bowers for a 35-yard pickup before the Bulldog quarterback scored for the second time on a 6-yard run to push the lead to 24-7.
The Bulldogs were far from done.
A 1-yard touchdown run by Kendall Milton and a 22-yard pass from Bennett to AD Mitchell following Javon Bullard’s second interception of the half capped the scoring for Georgia, which scored all six times it had the ball.
Bennett, who accounted for four of Georgia’s five first-half touchdowns, was incredible.
