The 2022 National Championship between the Georgia Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide. The Crimson Tide, being the defending National Champions, were looking to defend their championship. Alabama and Head Coach Nick Saban have continued to get the best of Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs. In head coach versus head coach Nick Saban is 4-0 against his former assistant at the Miami Dolphins and Alabama. Saban and the Tide got the best of Georgia in the SEC Championship and National Championship in 2018 and Tuscaloosa, AL in 2020, they also got the best of Georgia in the SEC championship in late 2020. This is the named revenge game for the Bulldogs to dethrone Alabama’s Tide for the first time under Kirby Smart. After a great season full of wins for the Bulldogs and getting that special one over Michigan in the Orange Bowl to get to this Championship game. The Crimson Tide have also had a very impressive season; their last three wins were the most important in the Iron Bowl against Auburn, SEC Championship over Georgia, and the Cotton Bowl over Cincinnati to get to this game.
Quarter one- As the game kickoff the stadium with thousands of students and alumni of both proud schools the Alabama Crimson Tide had gotten the ball first. Both Defenses were in lockdown mode for the first quarter as the only points scored was an Alabama field goal on the first drive. After several punts back and forth, the Bulldogs finally broke through Bama’s defense and tied the game up at three. On the next drive for the Tide, they kept it quick and added a second field goal to their score. Georgia’s costly penalties set them up on constant bad third down plays and pressure got to them as they only held three points throughout the quarter as Bama went and got three field goals to make it 9-3 Crimson Tide. Georgia’s drive into the second quarter led them to a field goal as that would make it 9-6 Alabama.
Quarter two- As the teams switched end zones and the defenses continued to be dominant as these defenses were some of the best all year in the country. Both teams were held scoreless for the rest of the second quarter. Both teams got several electric plays but kept the scoring to none in the second and limited in the first half. We went into the half. It was not an eventful game as the Heisman Trophy winner and QB for Alabama Bryce Young struggled against the defense he dominated in the SEC championship game. Georgia fans were nervous going into the third quarter as they did not want to lose to Bama again Bama fans were also nervous as they thought the game was too close.
Second Half- Georgia got the ball first after half and got an interception on Alabama’s first drive and could not convert, but the momentum shifted after Bama got the ball back and Georgia blocked a field goal. After the blocked kick the Bulldogs moved on down the field for a score. That was the first touchdown of the game putting the score to 13-9. Alabama took a 10 play drive and made a field goal to make it a one-point game 13-12. On the next drive QB for Georgia Stetson Bennett had a costly fumble that gave the ball back to Bama. Alabama and Georgia exchanged four-play drives both ending in touchdowns. The score moved to 19-18 Dawgs lead. In the final minutes of the game Alabama tried to drive down the field, but the Dawgs defense made a big stop on third down forcing a punt. Georgia moved down the field again almost putting the game away with another touchdown. The score moved to 26-18. The Crimson Tide got the ball and after several plays into the drive Bryce Young was picked off and Kelee Ringo took it to the house for a Pick 6 to move the score to 33-18. With one drive left for Alabama as the Tide failed to convert on downs, the Georgia Bulldogs were finally College Football National Champions and finally beat Nick Saban and Alabama under Kirby Smart. The Celebration continued from Indianapolis to Athens, Georgia, and across Bulldog Nation.