Georgia wins 2022 National Championship, beating Alabama 33-18

Palmber-Thombsby:Palmer Thombs•01/10/22•

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INDIANAPOLIS — The time is here. Georgia and Alabama meet again. This time it’s for all the marbles.

The top-ranked Crimson Tide and No. 3 Bulldogs meet in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium just five weeks after they played in the SEC Championship in Atlanta. Alabama won 41-24 as quarterback Bryce Young threw for 421 yards and three touchdowns while wide receiver Jameson Williams went for seven catches, 184 yards and a pair of scores. Meanwhile, the Crimson Tide defense took down Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett three times.

With revenge on their mind, the Bulldogs will be aiming to bring home the program’s first National Championship since 1980. Georgia last played for the title in 2018, also against Alabama.

“I’d like to thank the host city of Indianapolis. Since our arrival they’ve been tremendous. I know the people staying over with us over at the Westin Hotel have been incredible. They’ve done a great job of accommodating and making sure that the players have something to do when there’s a little down time. And they’ve done just a wonderful job. What a great venue,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said during the head coaches’ press conference.

“I’d like to thank and tell our team and our staff and really our entire university what a tremendous job they’ve done supporting our players. And our players have done a tremendous job buying in. It makes for a long season when you play the extra championship game, semifinal game. And everybody’s got to buy into that. And everybody’s got to understand the importance of you’ve got to play your best at the end. And that’s what we’ve been climbing, trying to do,” he continued. “Also I’d like to congratulate Coach Saban and their team. They’ve done a tremendous job. We’ve gotten to see them once already and know how good they are. They really do not have weaknesses across the board. They’re playing really, really good football right now. And it should be a tremendous challenge for our team tomorrow night.”

Kickoff time is set for 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN. Alternative broadcasts including a coaches’ corner film room, skycam, all-22 and hometown radio broadcasts are available throughout the ESPN network of channels.

DawgsHQ will be on hand to provide you with the latest throughout the game so be sure to follow along for live updates before, during and after the game. In the meantime, feel free to catch up on the latest from throughout the week with our top stories below.

Catching Up On The Coverage

Pregame Notes

  • Robert Beal and Ameer Speed were announced as starters. Those were a little bit surprising, however, in the case of Beal, there was not a STAR announced. When there’s not a STAR on the field, Beal is. But Speed was an interesting one. Kelee Ringo looked perfectly fine going through drills. We’ll have to see how it plays out.
  • A thought on that… Could Ringo be playing STAR for Georgia tonight? He’s got the speed to hang with an inside receiver and physicality to make plays stopping the run. That’d have Speed on the outside where he was the starter at the beginning of the season. However, Ringo was running with the first team during warmups at corner so could all be for nothing.

First Quarter

  • Georgia wins the toss and defers. Alabama elects to receive. Dawgs to start on defense.
  • Kelee Ringo does end up as the starting corner. William Poole at STAR.
  • Alabama moves the chains with an 11-yard completion to Slade Bolden on 3rd and 2. On the next play, Bryce Young is pressured by Jordan Davis and fumbles. Nakobe Dean recovers and scoops and scores, going 45-yards for the touchdown. Play is under further review.
  • After further review, the play is overturned. Incompletion. Will be 2nd and 10.
  • FIELD GOAL – Ten plays after the fumble-no fumble drama, Alabama settles for a field goal. Will Reichard’s attempt from 37 was good. Alabama 3 – Georgia 0 9:55 1Q
  • Quite the sequence of events as Georgia goes three-and-out. Stetson Bennett is sacked by Christian Harris for a loss of 14 yards before Alabama is called for a penalty. The next play, Bennett scrambled and picked the 14 back up but fumbled. He recovered his own fumble. A delay of game backed Georgia up, and Bennett’s 3rd and 10 pass fell incomplete. Jake Camarda flips the field with his punt, fair caught by Slade Bolden at the Alabama 20. Alabama 3 – Georgia 0 8:19 1Q
  • Alabama is forced to punt after picking up one first down. Bryce Young completed to Jameson Williams for a pickup of 15 after Williams was taken down for a loss on 1st and 10. However, a nice tackle by Lewis Cine in open space on Slade Bolden gets Georgia off the field. Kearis Jackson fair catches the punt at the UGA 25. Alabama 3 – Georgia 5:46 1Q
  • Stetson Bennett underthrows Jermaine Burton on 3rd and 9 as he is forced to roll out of the pocket on the play. Previous to that, it was two runs. Ameer Speed called for fair catch interference on the punt. Alabama will have the ball at the 45 after the 15-yard penalty. Alabama 3 – Georgia 0 4:12 1Q
  • Georgia gets its own three-and-out, forcing Bryce Young to throw it away on 1st and 10 and pressuring him on 3rd and 6. In between, a Trey Sanders rush for 4 yards. Kearis Jackson calls fair catch inside the UGA 10. Alabama 3 – Georgia 0 3:26 1Q
  • Georgia moves the chains on three straight plays, all through the air. First it was a 9-yard completion to Darnell Washington. Then the big one, a 52-yard diving reception by George Pickens. That was followed by by a 10-yard play by Brock Bowers. Georgia faces 2nd and 14 at the Alabama 23 after the break.
  • END 1Q: Alabama leads Georgia 3-0

Second Quarter

  • FIELD GOAL – Georgia moved the ball into a goal-to-go situation after a 10-yard completion to Jermaine Burton on 3rd and 9 but settles for a field goal. Jack Podlesny hits from 24 yards out. Alabama 3 – Georgia 3 12:35 2Q
  • Bryce Young completes to a wide open Jameson Williams for a gain of 40 yards but goes down on the play. Appears to be a knee injury. Helped off the field by trainers. Crimson Tide have the ball at the Georgia 35.
  • FIELD GOAL – After the big pickup by Williams, Alabama goes three-and-out. William Poole made a nice tackle on Slade Bolden on 3rd and 6 to keep Bolden from picking up the first down. Will Reichard hits on a 45-yarder, his second of the night. Alabama 6 – Georgia 3 11:13 2Q
  • Kenny McIntosh returns the ball from his own endzone to the Alabama 41. It was a 51 yard return, but it’s called back for holding on Smael Mondon. Bulldogs will begin with the ball at their 20.
  • Georgia is called for its sixth penalty of the night with a false start on first down. That’s followed by a three-and-out. Slade Bolden has difficulty catching the punt but falls on the muffed kick. Alabama possesses at its own 26. Alabama 6 – Georgia 3 9:36 2Q
  • Bryce Young completes to Cameron Latu down the Georgia sideline for a 61-yard pickup. Kelee Ringo with the mistake makes the tackle at the Georgia 8.
  • FIELD GOAL – Georgia forces a field goal attempt with a defensive stand in goal-to-go. Devonte Wyatt stops Brian Robinson for a gain of 2 yards to the UGA 6 before the pass to Cameron Latu at the goal line was broken up by Nakobe Dean. On 3rd and Goal, Channing Tindall sacks Bryce Young for a loss of 13. Will Reichard makes from 37 yards out. Alabama 9 – Georgia 3 7:07 2Q
  • Broderick Jones enters the game at left tackle for Georgia as Jamaree Salyer moves over to right guard. Warren Ericson out of the game.
  • FIELD GOAL – Georgia cashes in on its best starting field position of the game with points, moving the chains twice and kicking a field goal. Jack Podlesny makes a season-long 49-yard field goal. Alabama 9 – Georgia 6 3:09
  • Alabama is able to extend its drive with a 24-yard completion to Agiye Hall on 3rd and 2 after having him wrapped up for a much shorter gain. He had already picked up first-down yardage though. Bryce Young’s pass to Slade Bolden on 3rd and 8 is incomplete. Georgia will begin its drive at their own 10-yard-line with 1:33 left in the half and two timeouts. Alabama has all three. Alabama 9 – Georgia 6 1:33 2Q
  • Georgia runs three plays and takes it to the half trailing Alabama 9-6.
  • HALF: Alabama leads Georgia 9-6 at the break. The Bulldogs will begin the second half with possession.

Third Quarter

  • Touchback on the opening kickoff of the second half and Georgia will begin with the ball at their own 25.
  • Zamir White carries for two straight first downs, picking up 11 and 19 yards. After that, Georgia goes for the flea flicker and Stetson Bennett is forced to throw it away. However, he’s called for grounding which sets the Bulldogs back as they punt. Slade Bolden calls for fair catch at the Alabama 7. Alabama 9 – Georgia 6 12:46 3Q
  • INTERCEPTION – Bryce Young is intercepted on 2nd and 7 taking a shot down field to Jahleel Billingsley. Christopher Smith on the interception. Georgia takes over at the Alabama 43. Alabama 9 – Georgia 6 12:05 3Q
  • Georgia goes three-and-out after the interception. Jake Camarda’s kick is down by Brock Bowers at the Alabama 2. Alabama 9 – Georgia 6 11:03 3Q
  • Alabama has gotten out of the shadow of its own end zone with 11 plays to the UGA 40. The Crimson Tide have beat the Bulldogs with short passes turned into intermediate yardage. Timeout as Jalen Carter is attended to by trainers.
  • BLOCKED FIELD GOAL – After Alabama picked up positive yardage on 13 straight plays, Nolan Smith stopped Brian Robinson for a loss of one. Then two straight incompletions by Bryce Young with coverage by Lewis Cine on the first and Christopher Smith on the second resulted in a field goal attempt. Jalen Carter got a hand on the attempt from 48 yards and Georgia recovers at their own 20. Alabama 9 – Georgia 6 3:18 3Q
  • James Cook takes the next play 67 yards to the Alabama 13.
  • TOUCHDOWN – Kenny McIntosh carries to the Alabama 3 and the ball moves to the Alabama 1 after a facemask. On the next play, Zamir White punches it in for the first touchdown on the game. Jack Podlesny’s PAT is good. Georgia 13 – Alabama 9 1:28 3Q
  • Alabama runs three plays, converting on 3rd and 3 with a 10-yard completion to Traeshon Holden before the end of the quarter.
  • END 3Q: Georgia leads 13-9 with the Crimson Tide facing 1st and 10 at their own 42. Devonte Wyatt went down on the last play and walked off the field with the trainers during the break.

Fourth Quarter

  • FIELD GOAL – Alabama hit on a big play to Agiye Hall for a gain of 28 yards to the UGA5 where they picked up just two more yards. Kelee Ringo had a pass breakup in the end zone on another attempt to Hall, and Bryce Young was forced to throw it away on 3rd and Goal from the 3 being pressured by Quay Walker. Will Reichard hits from 21 yards. Georgia 13 – Alabama 12 12:59 4Q
  • FUMBLE – Georgia goes three-and-out with the third play being ruled a fumble by Stetson Bennett as he was being pressured by Christian Harris. Alabama recovered at the 16 by Brian Branch. Georgia 13 – Alabama 12 11:35 4Q
  • TOUCHDOWN – Alabama turns the turnover into its first touchdown of the game as Bryce Young completes to Cameron Latu on 3rd and Goal from the 3 to take the lead. Alabama goes for the 2-point conversion and Young is taken down by Nolan Smith short of the goal line. Alabama 18 – Georgia 13 10:14 4Q
  • Georgia is in Alabama territory at the 42 after a big completion to Jermaine Burton and a pass interference on a target to Burton.
  • TOUCHDOWN – After a completion to Kenny McIntosh for a gain of 10, Dallas Turner got most of it back for Alabama with an 8-yard sack. However, on the next play, Stetson Bennett was able to take advantage of a free-play opportunity and found Adonai Mitchell in the end zone for a touchdown. Georgia goes for two and does not get it. Georgia 19 – Alabama 18 8:09 4Q
  • Georgia forces a three-and-out with William Poole getting a hand on the 3rd and 12 pass attempt to Jahleel Billingsley. Georgia 19 – Alabama 18 7:10 4Q
  • Georgia gets the ball at its own 38 after the punt and has carried the ball four times to the Alabama 39. Injury timeout with 5:13 remaining in the fourth quarter.
  • Timeout Georgia with 4:05 remaining in the fourth quarter. Bulldogs are facing 2nd and 3 at the Alabama 17 having run five out of the six plays so far on the drive.
  • TOUCHDOWN – Stetson Bennett completes to Brock Bowers on 3rd and 1. Bennett is roughed on the play. The 15-yard penalty will be assessed on the kickoff. Jack Podlesny’s PAT is good. Georgia 26 – Alabama 18 3:33 4Q
  • Alabama converts on 3rd and 4, completing to Brian Robinson for a gain of 12. Crimson Tide at their 43.
  • TOUCHDOWN – Kelee Ringo intercepts Bryce Young on 3rd and 10 and returns it 79 yards for the score. Jack Podlesny’s PAT is good. Georgia 33 – Alabama 18 0:54 4Q
  • Alabama runs seven plays and drives to the UGA 46 but sacks drive them back into Alabama territory as time runs out. Georgia wins the National Championship 33-18.
  • FINAL: Georgia wins the National Championship 33-18 over Alabama

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