An embarrassment of Riches, Georgia beats TCU 65-7

The Georgia Bulldogs, ranked No. 1, completely overpowered the No. 3 TCU Horned Frogs with a 65-7 victory in the College Football Playoff national championship game at SoFi Stadium on Monday night.

This dominant performance by the Bulldogs, led by quarterback Stetson Bennett, a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, resulted in Georgia winning back-to-back national titles for the first time since Alabama did so in 2011-2012. There was no hope for a comeback or exciting finish for TCU, as Georgia’s dominance was clear from the start.

Georgia made their victory over TCU look effortless, with quarterback Stetson Bennett leading the team to a 52-7 lead with 13:25 left in the game. Bennett, who had a total of six touchdowns in the game, was greeted with hugs and high-fives from coaches and teammates as he left the field, having capped his career with the sport’s highest achievement.

Georgia dominated TCU in every aspect of the game, using their strong tight ends for passing plays, finding holes in the running game, and pressuring TCU quarterback Max Duggan into mistakes with their offensive line. Duggan threw two interceptions in the first half, including one with :36 seconds left that led to another Bennett touchdown pass, giving Georgia a 38-7 halftime lead. This was the largest halftime lead in a national championship game since the 2002 BCS, when Miami led Nebraska 34-0.

Georgia, with the advantage of having won the national championship the previous year, seemed at ease while TCU, under their first-year coach and coming off a 5-7 season in which they were predicted to finish seventh in the Big 12, seemed overwhelmed. Georgia was favored to win by 13.5 points, the largest favorite in a national championship game since 1998, but TCU had a history of defying odds and winning games when trailing after halftime. They had also gained attention throughout the season for their unconventional mascot, the hypnotoad, and their role as underdogs.

This was not a game with a magical ending; rather, it marked the beginning of Georgia’s dominance under Kirby Smart. Since 1990, only Nebraska (1994-95) and USC (2003-04) have won back-to-back national titles. Georgia’s win last year, their first national championship in 41 years, sparked comparisons to Alabama and raised questions about the balance of power between the two programs.

Now that Georgia has won consecutive championships, the debate about whether Georgia has overtaken Alabama, which has won six national titles in 12 seasons under Saban, as the top program in the SEC will likely intensify. Smart, who previously served as Alabama coach Nick Saban’s defensive coordinator, has implemented a winning formula at Georgia, leading the team to five SEC East titles, two SEC championships, and two national titles. 

He has also recruited seven top-three signing classes, several of which were on the field during Monday’s game.

During the first half, Bennett had numerous open receivers and threw only four incompletions, leading to two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns. Georgia outgained TCU by 233 yards in the first half, the largest margin in any half of a national championship game since 2004. The Bulldogs broke several national championship records and completely overpowered TCU, who was seeking their first national title since 1938.

Despite their upset victory over No. 2 Michigan in the CFP semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, TCU was unable to compete with Georgia, the most elite program in the SEC, and the gap between the two teams was evident in the score.

Georgia had a dominant performance in its football game against TCU, scoring a record-breaking 17 points in the first quarter and 45 points overall. Georgia’s strong start and consistent play throughout the game made it clear that they were the superior team on the field.

Despite TCU’s reputation for being a team that never gives up and always finds ways to win, they were unable to overcome Georgia’s dominant performance. Georgia, on the other hand, has established itself as a top-performing team and may be considered the best in the country.