How Georgia beat TCU 65-7 in the College Football Playoff National Championship game

Star-Telegram sports editor Dave Ammenheuser’s running blog of highlights, videos, commentary and analysis from Monday’s College Football Playoff championship between TCU and Georgia at SoFi Stadium.



It wasn’t as close as the final 65-7 margin.

Really.

Defending champion Georgia dominated every phase of Monday’s College Football Playoff championship game, drubbing TCU.

Following are the scoring plays, the individual statistics, notes of the game, presented in reverse chronological order, as well as notes from throughout the day leading up to the game.

Scoring plays

FIRST QUARTER

GA: Stetson Bennett, 21-yard run (Jack Podlesny kick). 11:01. Georgia leads 7-0

GA: Jack Podlesny, 24-yard field goal. 6:51. Georgia leads 10-0

TCU: Max Duggan, 2-yard run (Griffin Kell kick). 4:45. Georgia leads 10-7

GA: Ladd McConkey, 37-yard pass from Stetson Bennett (Jack Podlesny kick). 2:43. Georgia leads 17-7

SECOND QUARTER

GA: Stetson Bennett, 6-yard run (Jack Podlesny kick). 8:30. Georgia leads 24-7.

GA: A.D. Mitchell, 22-yard pass from Stetson Bennett (Jack Podlesny kick). 1:19. Georgia leads 31-7

GA: Kendall Milton, 1-yard run. (Jack Podlesny kick). 0:26. Georgia leads 38-7

THIRD QUARTER

GA: Brock Bowers, 22-yard pass from Stetson Bennett (Jack Podlesny kick). 10:52. Georgia leads 45-7

GA:Ladd McConkey, 14-yard pass from Stetson Bennett (Jack Podlesny kick). 2:17. Georgia leads 52-7

FOURTH QUARTER

GA: Branson Robinson, 1-yard run (Jack Podlesny kick). 9:24. Georgia leads 59-7

GA: Branson Robinson, 19-yard run (kick failed). 7:23. Georgia 65-7

Stat leaders

PASSING

TCU: Max Duggan 14-22 152 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT; Chandler Morris 0-1 0 yards

GA: Stetson Bennett 18-25 304 yards, 4 TD; Carson Beck 2-3 31 yards.

RUSHING

TCU: Emari Demercado 14-59, Emani Bailey 2-9, Chandler Morris 1-4, Derius Davis 1-2, Max Duggan 10 (-38) 1 TD

GA: Kenny McIntosh 8-50, Branson Robinson 7-42 2 TD, Stetson Bennett 3-39 2 TD, Sevaughn Clark 5-35, Kendall MIlton 10-33, Daijun Edwards 5-30, BrockBowers 2-15, Ladd McConkey 1-14, Team 3-(-4).

RECEIVING

TCU: Derrius Davis 5-101, Jared Wiley 2-14, Blair Conwright 1-15, G. Spivey 1-10, Taye Barber 1-8, Quentin Johnston 1-3, Emani Baliey 1-2, Corey Wren 1-1, Emari Demercado 1-(-2).

GA: Brock Bowers 7-152 1 TD, Ladd McConkey 5-88 2 TD, Daijun Edwards 2-12, Darnell Washington 1-28, Adonai Mitchell 1-22, Kearis Jackson 1-20, Dillon Bell 1-11, Arian Smith1-3, Kenny McIntosh 1-(-1).

4th quarter notes

GA 12th possession, GA 25: Bulldogs take over and milk the clock, finishing the game with the ball in their possession ... taking a knee on the final three plays of the game.

TCU 11th possession, TCU 25: Max Duggan is out at QB and Chandler Morris is in. Bulldogs move the ball to the TCU 45 before punting.

GA 11th possession, TCU 19: On first play, Branson Robinson runs 19 yards for the touchdown. Another touchdown. Extra point is no good. Georgia 65-7 with 7:23 left.

TCU 10th possession, TCU 25: Horned Frogs turn ball over on downs as they go for it deep in their own territory. Georgia takes over at the TCU 19.

Attendance for championship game: 72,628

GA 10th possession, GA 46: Stetson Bennett is taken out of the game with 13:25 left in the game and the Bulldogs in commanding lead. He finishes 18-of-25 for 304 yards, four touchdown passes AND three carries for 39 yards and two touchdowns. He’s the game MVP, certainly. With mostly second- and third-teamers in the game, the Bulldogs finish the drive as Branson Robinson scores on a 1-yard touchdown run. Kick pushes the score to 59-7 with 9:24 left. That’s 9 scores in 10 possessions.

TCU 9th possession continues, GA 44: Horned Frogs go for it on fourth down at the Georgia 46, but Max Duggan’s pass goes incomplete. Georgia will take over on downs. Duggan is 13 of 21 for 137 yards (60 of it on one play in the first quarter).

3rd quarter notes

TCU 9th possession, TCU 30: Horned Frogs move the ball to the GA 44 as the quarter ends.

GA 9th possession, GA 16: Another Georgia possession, another score (the Bulldogs have scored on 8 of their 9 possessions). This time it’s a 14-yard touchdown pass from Stetson Bennett to Ladd McConkey. Kick increases the lopsided score to 52-7. 2:17 left in the third quarter.

TCU 8th possession, TCU 18: Horned Frogs pick up two first downs, but drive stalls at TCU 42. Punt to GA 16, 7:34 remaining in the quarter.

GA 8th possession, GA 45: The rout continues. Bulldogs go 55 yards on four plays, finishing with a 22-yard pass from Stetson Bennett to Brock Bowers. The extra point extends Georgia’s lead to 45-7. (4 plays, 55 yards, 1:22).

TCU 7th possession, TCU 10: Horned Frogs go 3-and-out. Punt to Georgia 45. 12:14 left in quarter.

GA 7th possession, GA 25: Bulldogs go 3-and-out. Bulldogs punt to TCU 20, plus a 10-yard penalty on Frogs for holding.

2nd quarter notes

TCU 7th possession, TCU 26: Horned Frogs run two plays to end the half. Georgia leads 38-7

GA 6th possession, TCU 22: The Bulldogs immediately convert the turnover into another touchdown. Stetson Bennett connects with A.D. Mitchell on a 22-yard touchdown pass with 26 seconds left. Kick pushes Georgia’s lead to 38-7. And folks, it’s not as close as the score indicates.

Georgia’s 38 points are the most scored in the first half of a CFP championship game.

TCU 6th possession, TCU 20: This drive ends badly as Max Duggan is intercepted by Javon Bullard again (his second of the game; also has a fumble recovery).

GA 5th possession, GA 34: Frankly, it’s getting ugly. Stetson Bennett is having his way with the TCU defense (he’s currently 13 of 16 for 201 yards, plus another 39 rushing). Bulldogs have had five possessions and five scores, the latest a Kendall Milton on a 1-yard touchdown run. That caps an 11-play, 66-yard drive. Bulldogs lead 31-7.

TCU 5th possession, TCU 18: Horned Frogs drive ends when Max Duggan’s pass is intercepted by Javon Bullard at Georgia 34.

GA 4th possession, GA 8: Bulldogs again march down the field, using 11 plays to go 92 yards for another touchdown. Stetson Bennett runs for the final 6 yards for the touchdown. Jack Podlesny kicks the point and Georgia owns a 24-7 lead with 8:30 left in the half. (11 plays, 92 yards, 5:43).

TCU 4th possession continues, TCU 42: Horned Frogs pick up 11, but then punt on fourth down. Fair catch at Georgia 8.

Note: Georgia’s 17 points are most ever scored in the first quarter of a CFP final.

1st quarter notes

TCU 4th possession, TCU 22: After picking up two first downs, the Horned Frogs drive stalls (Duggan sack loses 8) as Horned Frogs have a 3rd-and-17 at the TCU 42 at the end of the first quarter.

GA 3rd possession, GA 30: Bulldogs respond quickly, putting together a 70-yard, 4-play scoring drive that ends with a 37-yard scoring pass from Stetson Bennett to Ladd McConkey with 2:43 left in the quarter. Jack Podlesny again kicks the point, Georgia leads 17-7. (4 plays, 70 yards, 1:56)

TCU 3rd possession, TCU 25: After an Emari Demercado 4-yard run, Max Duggan connects with Derius Davis for a 60-yard pass play to the Georgia 11. Emari Demercardo takes two runs to the 2, where Max Duggan rushes for the final 2 for the touchdown. Griffin Kell’s extra point pulls TCU within 10-7 with 4:45 left in quarter.

GA 2nd possession, TCU 27: Bulldogs march to the TCU 7 where Jack Podlesny boots 24-yard field goal for a 10-0 Georgia lead with 6:51 left in the quarter. (6 plays, 27 yards, 2:39)

TCU 2nd possession, TCU 25: Horned Frogs get their first first down on a defensive holding penalty, thus extending a quick three-and-out. On next play, Derius Davis fumbles on a run. Georgia’s Chris Smith causes the fumble, recovered by Javon Bullard. This has not started well for the Horned Frogs.

GA 1st possession, GA 43: False start penalty starts drive (same as TCU). McIntosh runs for 7, then Stetson Bennett throws to Brock Bowers for 21 yards and a first down at TCU 34 Three plays later, Stetson Bennett runs 21 yards for a Georgia touchdown. Jack Podlesny’s extra point gives Georgia a 7-0 lead with 11:01 left in the quarter. (5 plays, 57 yards, 2:58).

TCU 1st possession, TCU 25: False start penalty and incomplete pass gets Horned Frogs off to rough start. Horned Frogs go 3-and-out. Jordy Sanders punts. Fair catch at Georgia 43. 13:59 left in quarter.

This story was originally published January 9, 2023 at 5:00 AM.