Mountaintop: Dawgs top Tide for their first title in 41 Years
For the first time in 41 years, the Georgia Bulldogs are the kings of college football after taking down Alabama 33-18.
By: Dave in Tuscaloosa
Stetson Bennett celebrates the Dawg victory. Photo by: Joe Robbins, Icon Sportswire, AP
The year-long narrative of the veteran Bulldogs being the sport’s top team played itself out on Monday night, as Georgia used a monster fourth quarter and topped the defending national champions Crimson Tide 33-18 in Indianapolis. The victory avenged a loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship last month and sent the Bulldog faithful into a state of euphoria. Dawg quarterback Stetson Bennett capped off a dream season by throwing two 4th quarter touchdown passes as the Dawgs overcame a 18-13 deficit with 10:13 left to play in the game. Bennett would finish the evening going 17-26 for 224 yards and two touchdowns.
Despite out gaining Georgia 399 yards to 364, the Crimson Tide scored just one touchdown and relied on the leg of kicker Will Reichard (4 of 5 kicks made) and a feisty defense that kept Bennett and company in line until the final 10 minutes of the game. Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young went 35-57 for 369 yards, a touchdown, and 2 interceptions. It was the first time in Young’s career that he has thrown multiple interceptions in a game. Young was pressured all day by the massive Georgia front seven, and the sophomore did not have his best night. Young missed several open receivers in key moments and threw numerous times into double and triple coverage. Losing star receiver Jamison Williams to injury in the second quarter certainly hurt, especially with his other favorite target, John Metchie III, out for the playoffs due to an ACL tear suffered in the SEC title game. Injuries left a group of talented but young and inexperienced receivers to pick up the slack. Although several receivers, as well as steady veterans Slade Bolden and tight end Cameron Latu, made a few plays, they did not make enough and had numerous drops in critical situations. In addition, the Georgia secondary played strong and the Bama receiving corps was unable to constantly get separation.
Bama’s failure to score touchdowns, coupled with a strong defensive effort from the Dawg defense, proved to be too much to overcome. Bama reached the end zone just once, a 3 yard Young to Latu pass that gave the Tide a brief 18-13 lead with 10:14 left to play. The lone Bama touchdown was set up by Georgia’s only turnover, a Bennett fumble that gave the Tide the ball on the UGA 16 yards. From there, the Dawgs took over.
The Alabama defense, led by linebackers Will Anderson, Christian Harris, Henry To’oTo’o, and freshman standout Dallas Turner played brilliant ball for the first three quarters, but wore down in the fourth quarter. Injuries to starting corners Josh Jobe and Jaylen Armour-Davis proved critical as backups Kool-Aid McKinstry and Khyree Jackson struggled late, getting flagged for critical pass interference penalties and Jackson was beat on the go-ahead touchdown, a 40 yard strike from Bennett to Adonia Mitchell that gave the Dawgs a 19-18 lead with 8:09 left to play. Bennett would later hit tight end Brock Bowers for a 15 yard touchdown with 3:33 left, increasing the Bulldog lead to 26-18. Young and Bama tried to respond, yet all hope for victory ended when Kelee Ringo raced 79 yards for a pick 6 with 54 seconds left in the game.
The loss takes little away from a brilliant season for the Crimson Tide. Coming off a 13-0 national championship season in 2020, the Tide entered the 2021 season having to replace almost its entire offense as well as the majority of its coaching staff (sidenote: Bama had 6 players selected in the first round of the NFL draft). Expectations were high for this team simply because it is Alabama and the Tide has the greatest coach of all time, Nick Saban, roaming the sidelines. However, all that looked carefully at the ‘21 Tide knew there were holes to fill as well as a lot of inexperience. In what was supposed to be a rebuilding season, resilient Alabama fought hard for 13 victories, including hitting the trifecta of defeating rivals Tennessee, LSU, and Auburn and the Tide handed Georgia its only loss of the season. The overtime victory at Jordan-Hare will long be remembered as one of the most thrilling Tide victories against its in-state rival. Sophomore Bryce Young became Alabama’s first quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy and the Tide advanced to its 6th title game in the 8 years of the playoffs. In the end, injuries that had accumulated throughout the season and Alabama’s inexperience proved to be too much to overcome in the 2021 title game. Most importantly, Alabama was simply beat by a better team that made more plays down the stretch in Indianapolis. There is no shame in that.
Any talk of the Bama dynasty ending would be extremely premature, as the Tide will enter 2022 as a deep, experienced, and hungry squad. Key young players gained valuable experience throughout the season, and the addition of a top two recruiting class bolstered by several impact transfers makes Alabama a very dangerous team in 2022. Having the likes of Young, Anderson, To’oTo’o, Reichard, and Harris returning for 2022 doesn’t hurt. The state of the Alabama football program remains very, very strong, and much like the 2021 Georgia Bulldogs, the Tide should enter the fall as the team to beat.
Bryce Young and Chris Owens walk off after a tough loss. Photo by Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports
Lastly, following the game, numerous Bama players made it known that they felt they let down the team and Bama nation. Some took to social media to apologize for their play in the championship game. Speaking for Bama Nation, such feelings that we have been let down by this team are absurd. We simply could not be more proud of this team and all that the players, coaches, managers, and everyone associated with the program have given to Bama Nation. Huge congratulations to the Georgia Bulldogs, as they earned this one and certainly deserve it. Here’s to an incredible season and on to looking ahead to 2022. September cannot get here soon enough.