The Red & Black | National Championship Edition, January 12, 2023

Encore

Bulldogs thrash TCU 65-7 for second straight national title

Georgia claimed the 2023 national championship with a dominant 65-7 victory over Texas Christian University, becoming the first college football team to win back-to-back titles since Alabama in 2011 and 2012.

It was a complete performance from every angle — the offense was in sync, the defense was disruptive and the entire team played mistake-free football. It was very nearly a flawless night for the Bulldogs, and it all began with their sixth-year signal-caller, Stetson Bennett.

In his last game with the Bulldogs, Bennett delivered a

masterpiece, accumulating 343 total yards and six touchdowns in the process. He was decisive and accurate, always seeming to be one step ahead of the defense as he put together one of the best showings of his career. After the game, head coach Kirby Smart had no shortage of praise to heap onto his quarterback.

“Stetson speaks for himself, the way he leads and prepares,” Smart said. “His mental makeup is that of a quarterback that believes he can make every throw and what he did tonight was truly amazing. Probably had his best game of his career, in my opinion, with some of the checks he made, some of the decisions he made, just really elite.”

Bennett has endured a career filled not only with trials and tribulations, but also with extraordinary successes. With his performance on Monday, Bennett now holds the program record for passing yards in a single season — not to mention the glaring detail that he led Georgia to consecutive championships, breaking a 41-year championship drought for Georgia’s football team.

The six-touchdown outing in the national championship tied his career high, and continued the trend of Bennett shining brightest on the biggest stages. In four career playoff games, Bennett has amassed a whopping 1,237 passing yards to go along with 14 total touchdowns, fueling Georgia’s offense to victory after victory. Bennett just notched the final postseason win of his collegiate career, and he might have saved the best for last.

“It’s the last one,” Bennett said. “I mean, it was the last one in this jersey. It’s for the national championship. It was against [TCU quarterback] Max [Duggan], who is a great quarterback and I know from New York [at the Heisman ceremony]. But I mean if you can’t pull out your best in a game like this or at least your best effort and best preparation, then maybe this isn’t for you.”

It would be shortsighted to credit Bennett for the entirety of Georgia’s national championship win. The Bulldog defense stifled the Horned Frogs on seemingly every possession, keeping Duggan and his teammates under wraps for the whole game.

The Bulldogs sacked Duggan five times on the night — their second-highest total of the season — ensuring that the TCU offense stayed out of rhythm and were forced to improvise under a constant barrage of pressure.

That pressure led to mistakes, as the Horned Frogs turned the ball over three times in the first half, allowing the Bulldogs’ lead to balloon over the course of the encounter. Duggan has been one of the best players in college football this year, and he was one of the Heisman finalists alongside Bennett in December. Despite that, he looked hapless against the Georgia defense.

“They’re a great team,” Duggan said. “Everybody knows how good they’ve been this year and prior years, and we knew that. I think tonight was one of those nights where at least offensively we couldn’t get anything rolling. They were playing well on defense. We were shooting ourselves in the foot. I was making bad decisions.”

Duggan has already declared for the 2023 NFL draft, though he’s not the only one. Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter will also be leaving for the NFL in the offseason, and a number of Bulldogs are expected to follow suit.

Bennett could be among them, which raises a new concern for Georgia. 15 Bulldogs left for the NFL after the 2021 season, though Bennett was not among them. Quarterback is the most important position in football, and now Smart and his staff are faced with the tall task of finding a replacement for the sixth-year senior.

There are a number of options currently on the team. Freshman Gunner Stockton was a four-star recruit out of high school, and in the week leading up to the national championship, he simulated the role of Duggan in practice to help Georgia prepare for the Heisman finalist. Stockton isn’t the only candidate, though.

“Brock Vandagriff is down there learning all year,” Smart said. “Carson Beck got a lot of play time and has a lot of composure to come back and be able to play. So those three guys will get to battle it out. And they’ll learn a lot. Coach [Todd] Monken does an unbelievable job in that room, and he did an unbelievable job with Stetson.”

Georgia will have plenty of time to make a decision on that front, though, with spring training far on the horizon. For the moment, the Bulldogs will leave Los Angeles as champions, on top once again.

John James

Defensive back Christopher Smith kisses the trophy after Georgia’s national championship win on Jan. 9. SIDNEY CHANSAMONE/STAFF

Final bow

Bennett ends Georgia career with exceptional performance

In four CFP games during his career, Bennett completed 78 of 115 pass attempts for 1,239 yards and 14 total touchdowns. When the lights were the brightest, he always found a way to play his best time and time again.

Bennett’s teammates have often pushed back on criticism he’s received from the media and the fanbase during his career.

Senior safety Christopher Smith said seeing Bennett have that moment was special.

“It meant a lot,” Smith said. “After everything he’s been through, for him to just keep pushing, for him to show that amount of determination that he showed to the team and that fight, it definitely pushed the rest of our team. I’m very thankful for that man.”

Tight end Brock Bowers, Bennett’s favorite target in the game, said he was thrilled for his quarterback.

“It’s awesome,” Bowers said. “You see all the 13 jerseys and everyone just loved him so much in Georgia. There’s no other way I’d want him to go out. Having six touchdowns by himself, he balled out tonight. I was so happy for him.”

Bennett’s six total touchdowns in the game against TCU tied a record set by former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow for most touchdowns accounted for in a CFP National Championship.

Smart took the opportunity post game to vouch for his quarterback before Bennett embarks on his journey into the pro game.

“When you have a quarterback that can do the protections and check things and know what the defense is doing, yet still beat you with your feet, you’ve got a high-level quarterback,” Smart said. “And people have slept on Stetson Bennett for too long. He needs an opportunity to play for a long time at the next level.”

With 13:25 remaining in the fourth quarter of Georgia’s national championship victory over TCU, head coach Kirby Smart called timeout.

This wasn’t just any timeout, though. It wasn’t called because the play clock was running down, or Smart saw something he didn’t like. It was called to give one of Georgia football’s most decorated players in program history a chance to soak in the moment.

As Bennett walked off the field, he embraced his coach and took in the standing ovation of tens of thousands of Bulldog fans who attended the game in Los Angeles.

“First time he’s ever walked off that I was hugging him,” Smart said.

When asked what the moment meant to him, Bennett said it was special to have one last huddle with his teammates.

“In the huddle, just as simple as it is, just one last huddle with the guys, you know?” Bennett said. “And that was special, coming off and seeing coach Smart, that was really cool.”

Bennett’s journey has been one of the most improbable in the history of college football. From beginning as a walk-on in 2017 to transferring out of the program in 2018, envisioning this kind of outcome for his collegiate career would’ve been nearly impossible two years ago.

After the Bulldogs’ 33-18 win over Ala -

bama in the 2022 national championship game, there were questions as to whether Bennett would stay at Georgia or “ride off into the sunset.”

Smart said Bennett came into his office days after the win and said he wanted to return for one more season.

“He had full conviction that he wanted to come back and go opposite of the mainstream,” Smart said. “He brought it up to me and he said, ‘I want to go play. I want to go play football and prove to people this is no fluke. We can do this.’ And he did everything he said he was going to do.”

Now, Bennett will leave Athens with two national titles, a heap of school passing records and some of the greatest performances in the College Football Playoff.

Smart’s team will have a new quarterback when the 2023 regular season opens on Sept. 2, but Bennett will forever hold a special place in the lore of Georgia football and the hearts of Bulldog fans.

“I think the coolest thing to me is in 20 years when this is cool to us, we all come back and we’re talking about how Bull intercepted that ball before the half and I threw it to AD for the touchdown,” Bennett said.

“That’s the coolest thing, because this team loves each other. When Coach Smart says he’s never had a group like this, obviously I hadn’t been in this — whatever, he’s right. We love each other. Every single person on this team would do anything for each other.”

Stuart Steele

Kirby Smart and quarterback Stetson Bennett share an emotional moment during a timeout on Jan. 9. JESSICA GRATIGNY/STAFF

Not-so-secret weapon

Brock Bowers brings spark to Georgia offense

California-native Brock Bowers announced his intention to play college football for the University of Georgia in 2020. On Monday, the tight end returned to California, claiming his second national championship with the Bulldogs.

Before Bowers committed to Georgia, he spent months training. The COVID-19 pandemic made traditional football recruiting unavailable. So, Bowers recorded videos of himself exercising, running up hills and more — all in the hope that he could one day call himself a Georgia Bulldog.

Little did he know that in just two short years, he would become an integral part of one of college football’s best offenses.

Bowers led the team in receiving in the 2023 national championship, catching seven passes for 152 yards and a score.

“They told me, ‘If you can play and you can help the team, they’ll find a spot for you,’” Bowers said of his recruitment. “I took that and ran with it.”

During his freshman campaign with Georgia, Bowers set a program record for the most receiving touchdowns in a single season. In his second year with the team, Bowers led the Bulldogs in receiving once again. This year, though, there was an added dimension to the offense.

Bowers played much of the season alongside Darnell Washington, a 6-foot-8 tight end. Washington finished the season with the fourth-most receiving yards on the team. Washington and Bowers worked in tandem on both the ground and in the air throughout the year, and opposing teams were forced to account for the duo every time they faced Georgia.

Washington suffered a soft tissue bruise and light strain to his ankle in the first quarter of the Peach Bowl, and it was a gametime decision for him to play in the national championship. Washington was able to participate, though he didn’t contribute as much to Georgia’s passing offense in the game.

That wasn’t the Bulldogs’ only injury this season, though. Georgia’s offense suffered

its fair share of health concerns throughout the year, with AD Mitchell’s high ankle sprain early in the season being the most prominent of the bunch.

Bowers’ play was one reason the Bulldogs were able to perform so well without Mitchell in the lineup, and in the national championship, he made his presence felt once again. Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken knows the talent Bowers has, and is especially aware of his value to the Bulldog offense.

“He’s outstanding with the ball in his hands,” Monken said. “He’s got an elite catch radius, ability to compete to go get the football. And so, again, he’s meant a lot to us in terms of this year in terms of having AD out and his ability to make plays.”

Georgia’s offense in 2022 was lauded for several reasons — the team boasted a veteran quarterback, a collection of explosive running backs and an arsenal of lightning-quick receivers. In his homecoming on Monday, though, the Bulldogs’ determined sophomore tight end proved to be the team’s most dangerous weapon of all.

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John James

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers dodges TCU safety Millard Bradford during the national championship on Jan. 9. SIDNEY CHANSAMONE/STAFF

Smart dynasty? Head coach plans to continue building legacy

in a place where the team can continue to compete for national titles.

“I think coach Smart has done a good job of seeing the trends of where college football is going, what needs to happen if we’re going to continue to stay relevant and compete for national championships,” Bennett said.

Smart and the Bulldogs’ roster have the talent to continue to compete at the highest levels of the sport and be in the championship conversation on a year-toyear basis.

“I think the older I’ve gotten, the more I acknowledge the relationship with the player matters much more than maybe the play you call, than maybe the practice habit you create, or anything else,” Smart said. “It’s ‘Will those players play hard for each other, and do they believe in their coaching staff, that their coaching staff cares for them?’ And that allows you to sustain.”

Georgia’s players’ admiration for their head coach is clear. Linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson believes that Smart will be remembered as one of college football’s top coaches.

“Coach Smart is going to go down as one of the best to ever do it,” Dumas-Johnson said. “Defensive coach for 11 years, DC [defensive coordinator]. He knows the game like the back of his hand. He knows what’s going to happen before it happens.”

In the fourth quarter of the game against TCU, Smart called two timeouts to give curtain calls to some of Georgia’s leaders: Bennett, Christopher Smith, Kelee Ringo, Jalen Carter and Robert Beal. Smart said he wanted to give those players that moment to thank them for their contributions to the team.

In seven seasons, Kirby Smart has already become one of the most successful coaches in Georgia history. The Bulldogs are 81-15 since Smart took over and have won two national championships: 33-18 over Alabama in 2022 and 65-7 over TCU in 2023.

When Smart was hired in 2015, he came from Alabama with four national championships and seven seasons serving as Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban’s defensive coordinator.

Now, Smart is the first head coach to win back-to-back titles since Saban did so in the 2011 and 2012 seasons.

Smart played for Georgia himself from

1995-1998 as a defensive back, intercepting 13 passes during his time on the field. The opportunity to coach for his alma mater is special for Smart.

“I wouldn’t be who I am today without the University of Georgia,” Smart said. “I was lucky to get a chance to go to the University of Georgia. And I want to give back to a place that has meant so much to my life and to my family’s life and has given so much to us.”

Smart has already secured a strong legacy as Georgia’s head coach, but it’s clear that he has aspirations of achieving even more.

With two national championship wins while coaching the Bulldogs under his belt,

Smart must now turn his attention to maintaining the lofty standards set to this point in his tenure in an ever-changing college football landscape.

When asked about the potential for Georgia to become a “dynasty,” defensive back Javon Bullard said playing for the Bulldogs is about more than just the current team.

“Growing up as a kid from the state of Georgia, playing for the University of Georgia, it’s special,” Bullard said. “So the word ‘dynasty,’ it’s something we’re building together. And that was built before us and it’s going to continue to be built after us.”

Quarterback Stetson Bennett said he believes Smart has positioned the Bulldogs

“Because of what they’ve done for this program,” Smart said. “I got really emotional, and these guys will tell you, before the Ohio State game, I don’t know what got into me. I hadn’t been that way forever. I don’t know if it was exhaustion, stress, anxiety. But I got pretty emotional. And I held it together tonight for the most part, but that moment with the timeouts, seeing Stetson and those defensive players — you don’t see what they sacrifice.”

After the game, Smart had a message for Georgia fans.

“You can’t take opportunities like this for granted, and they showed up in full force,” Smart said. “And they better never get tired of it because we need them here. We need them to back us. And you can’t become complacent as a fan and we can’t become complacent as coaches.”

Stuart Steele

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart lifts the national championship trophy above his team in victory on Jan. 9. SIDNEY CHANSAMONE/STAFF

Bulldog seniors go out with a bang

“Just because he doesn’t have a helmet or shoulder pads on means he can’t lead,” linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson said. “Nolan has been leading for the last six weeks with a t-shirt and a brace on. Nothing really changes.”

It seems as though running back Kenny McIntosh became a star overnight this season. With the exception of Todd Gurley, he is the only Bulldog to have at least 700 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in one season.

McIntosh’s total production in the 2022 season outperformed both Zamir White and James Cook, Georgia’s primary running backs in the 2021 season, who he had previously played behind. He capped off this season with 149 rushing attempts for 829 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Georgia fans are all familiar with Bennett’s story, that of a former walk-on who many wrote off but went on to win two straight national championships for a program that hadn’t won one in 41 years.

The 25-year-old went out on a high note and will go down as one of the best quarterbacks in Georgia football history.

“He’s at the top. The very top,” offensive tackle Broderick Jones said after the national championship game. “Stetson has done so much for this program it’s crazy. All the way from giving [the defense] scout looks to playing to throwing game-winning balls. He’s done everything he could at the University of Georgia.”

Like last year, this year’s defense featured a number of prominent players, including defensive back Christopher Smith, who joined the team in 2018 and spent his first two seasons on special teams and as a rotational defender.

When you play alongside notable names like Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker and Jalen Carter, players like Christopher Smith are often overlooked. But Smith excelled in his final two seasons as a Bulldog, becoming a leader in the secondary and many consider him to be among the best safeties available in the NFL Draft.

“Those guys that are leaving, just a special group of guys,” Georgia defensive back Javon Bullard said. “I know a guy who touched me is Chris [Smith]. I’m going to miss Chris. Chris is like a brother to me on and off the field.”

But

Georgia football report card

In addition to former kicker and fan favorite Rodrigo Blankenship, kicker Jack Podlesny will be remembered as one of the best kickers in Georgia football history. Podlesny made 84% of his field goals this season and missed only one extra point.

The 2023 CFP National Championship was a flawless conclusion for Georgia’s senior class and those who move on to playing the sport at the next level will look to wreak havoc in the NFL.

Grading position groups after the national championship

Running backs

Receivers

the

Quarterback

A Brock Bowers

catchers, having seven receptions for 152 yards and a touchdown. The Mackey Award winner’s biggest play of the game came on a 35-yard reception in the first half. McConkey also scored and hauled in five catches for 88 yards. Multiple other Georgia receivers got involved, with five others having at least one reception.

Offensive Line

AThe offensive line continued its season-long dominance against the Horned Frogs’ front seven. For the majority of the game, Bennett had lots of time in the pocket to progress through his reads and hit his receivers without being pressured by the TCU’s defense. Bennett wasn’t sacked during the game. The Bulldogs’ strong unit created massive run lanes for the Bulldogs’ backs, with Georgia gashing the opposing defense with multiple players on the ground.

Defensive Line

A Georgia’s defensive line created numerous issues for TCU’s offense. The unit did an excellent job of containing the Horned Frogs’ running game, limiting their gains on the ground. TCU’s leading rusher was Emari Demarcardo, who was held to 59 yards and never found the endzone. Senior quarterback Max Duggan had done a great job of creating plays with his legs, rushing for over 150 yards and three touchdowns in his previous two outings, but Georgia’s front seven managed to constantly keep Duggan in the pocket. They were able to get home five times, with two of the Bulldogs’ defensive linemen getting a sack.

Linebackers

A Sophomore Smael Mondon Jr. was one of Georgia’s biggest rising stars this season and was the team’s leading tackler against TCU on Saturday. He finished with five total tackles, and closely behind him was Butkus Award finalist Juman Dumas-Johnson who had four. Senior Robert Beal Jr. finished with three tackles, including a sack at the end of the third quarter.

Secondary A+

Special Teams

Jared Smith

Georgia defeated TCU 65-7 on Monday in the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship, finishing undefeated and back-to-back national champions. Following the game, football beat reporter Jared Smith graded each position group’s performance.

A+ Heisman finalist Stetson Bennett started hot and never took his foot off the gas. He had the offense firing on all cylinders, throwing for 304 yards and four touchdowns. Georgia’s longest play of the first half came on a deep ball connection from Bennett to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Ladd McConkey for a gain of 37 yards and a touchdown. Bennett also rushed for 39 yards and two touchdowns. While he didn’t dominate the stat sheet in the second half — as redshirt sophomore Carson Beck entered the game in the beginning of the fourth quarter — he had the offense scoring quickly and frequently.

A- It wasn’t a dominant day for Georgia’s backs, with senior running back Kenny McIntosh leading the day with eight carries for 50 yards. Mississippi native Branson Robinson finished second in rushing, totaling 42 yards and finding the endzone twice. The freshman running back piled on most of his touches near the end of the game. While the backs didn’t total high yardage, they were highly efficient. McIntosh, Robinson and Daijun Edwards all averaged at least six yards per carry.

led

way for the Bulldogs’ pass

After struggling to slow down Ohio State’s high-powered receiving core in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, secondary did a stellar job of shutting down the Horned Frogs’ weapons. Quentin Johnston, a projected first-round pick in this year’s NFL draft, had just one catch for three yards. Outside of a solid day for senior wide receiver Derius Davis, not a single pass catcher had over 15 receiving yards. The best performance came from sophomore defensive back Javon Bullard who had two interceptions and a tackle. He also recovered a fumble forced by senior safety Christopher Smith.

A- It was a quiet day for the Bulldogs’ special team unit but an extremely efficient one. Senior kicker Jack Podlesny made his lone field goal attempt, which was for 24 yards, and made eight of his nine extra point attempts. With the offense scoring nearly every drive, freshman punter Brett Thorson only punted one time in the entire game. The punt went for 48 yards and pinned the Horned Frogs at their own 20-yard line.

Meadow Barrow

Georgia’s second national championship victory in two years came with a bittersweet feeling. A number of players on the team were donning red and black for the last time in their college careers. Nolan Smith, Kenny McIntosh, Stetson Bennett, and other parts of the Bulldogs’ winningest senior class were among the numerous players who have been crucial to the team’s success.

Smith’s injury, in the game against Florida, stung the program and many would have loved to see the leader and one of the most respected players on the team suit up one last time.

during his time being active on the field, Smith nonetheless caused havoc for opposing offenses. Despite his injury that cut his final season with the Bulldogs short, he proved himself to be one of Georgia’s top defenders.

Now, Smith will likely be headed to the NFL Draft where he’s projected to be an early selection.

Kenny McIntosh runs the ball on Jan. 9. JESSICA GRATIGNY/STAFF

Georgia wide receiver AD Mitchell catches a touchdown on Jan 9. JESSICA GRATIGNY/STAFF

Stepping into the spotlight Javon Bullard makes a moment in Los Angeles

Entering the 2023 national championship, Javon Bullard had never intercepted a pass.

That was no fault of his own — as Georgia’s starting nickel cornerback, Bullard isn’t on the field as often as his outside cornerback counterparts Kelee Ringo and Kamari Lassiter. Bullard’s role in coverage typically isn’t as conducive to highlight-worthy plays, either. The sophomore defender is frequently playing press-man coverage, huddled up close to the line of scrimmage, jockeying for position with receivers and trying to prevent the opposing offense from developing a rhythm.

Even with that lack of statistical production, when his fellow defenders speak of Bullard, they can’t say enough about his importance to the defense. Smael Mondon Jr. led the Bulldogs with five tackles during the national championship. Like Bullard, Mondon just finished his sophomore season, and he stressed the impact of Bullard’s intangibles on the rest of the Georgia team.

“I feel like he kind of embodies our DNA traits,” Mondon said. “All of them, really. Just toughness, resiliency, composure, all of that. So just having a guy like that on the team, having a guy you can depend on is really great.”

Bullard’s intangibles translated to results in Los Angeles, as he pulled down a pair of interceptions and added a fumble recovery to top off his night. Bullard was all over the field, flying to the football and making life difficult for TCU whenever he was in play. In the process, he became the first Georgia player with two interceptions in a game since Derion Kendrick accomplished that same feat in the 2021 Orange Bowl victory against Michigan.

Christopher Smith is another member of Georgia’s secondary alongside Bullard. Smith just finished his last game

‘The standard doesn’t change’

A year after eight Georgia defenders were selected in the NFL draft, including a record-setting five defenders who went in the first round, the Bulldogs were expected to regress some on the defensive side of the ball.

While Georgia did take a step back from the record-setting defense it had a year ago, this wasn’t the step back that was predicted. The Bulldogs finished the regular season as the No. 2 scoring defense in the country, only giving up 11.3 points per game.

“The standard doesn’t change,” said Georgia head coach Kirby Smart. “Players change.”

Make no mistake, this year’s defense played with the same speed and physical toughness as last year’s, but there was just something different about the defense this year.

in a Georgia uniform, and in his time with the Bulldogs, he’s seen Bullard’s development as a player. As such, Smith was impressed by Bullard’s performance on New Years, though he didn’t seem shocked to see the sophomore shining on such a large stage.

“He’s always been that to me. Everybody else just didn’t know yet,” Smith said. “Like I said, he’s just always been a hard worker: a lot of determination, a lot of fight and he just made so many amazing plays for us tonight.”

Bullard’s fight — his determination — is what makes him such a vital piece of the Georgia defense. Listed at 5 foot-11 and 180 pounds, Bullard isn’t even close to the most physically imposing athlete on the field. You wouldn’t know that from watching him play, though.

Bullard’s typical game is a whirlwind of action — he’s constantly flying into the backfield, impacting the running game, stifling opposing receivers and launching himself into larger players like he’d never heard the words “self preservation” in his life. Bullard hits like a linebacker, moves like a defensive back and carries himself like he’s got a personal vendetta against every opponent who steps in his path.

But despite the snarl that seems perpetually plastered across his face when he’s on the field, Bullard was pensive when reflecting upon the best game of his career thus far.

“As a kid, you know, you always dream of moments like this,” Bullard said. “And just to see those moments and accomplishments and things like that come true, it’s just a surreal feeling. I’m extremely blessed to be in the position I am. I just thank God for it every day.”

Next season, Georgia’s cadre of defensive backs will likely be missing a few notable names from this season, and Bullard could be called upon in an increased role. If Monday’s performance was any indication, he’ll be more than up to the task.

This year’s group found a way to uphold the standard that Smart wants without having the production to do so.

With the losses of Jordan Davis, Travon Walker and Devonte Wyatt on the defensive line, Georgia turned to Jalen Carter and a collection of younger players including Mykel Williams to replenish that group.

The result was fewer sacks for Georgia, and with Carter missing some games in the middle of the season, this year’s defense just wasn’t able to get after the quarterback like last year’s group.

Yet the Bulldogs still found a way to keep their opponents off the scoreboard. Some — including Smart himself — called the group “opportunistic” or “lucky” at the beginning of the season, but over time it became clear that this year’s defense just had a knack for forcing turnovers.

The Bulldogs showed their big play ability in week one with true freshman Malaki Starks’ incredible interception of Bo Nix. Georgia showed it again against South Carolina and Tennessee with big interceptions against Spencer Rattler and Hendon Hooker, respectively.

Finally, all of college football got to see it with Christopher Smith’s 95-yard touchdown return against LSU. Time and time again, this year’s defense showed its ability to make big plays in games that helped shift momentum for the Bulldogs.

However, Georgia’s defensive ability to make big plays was also a double-edged sword for the team. The Bulldogs were in trouble in games where they couldn’t create take -

aways on defense to make up for the lack of pressure.

First was the Missouri game, where the defense struggled to get after the quarterback or generate turnovers, leading to a near upset of the Bulldogs.

Then came the college football semifinal game against Ohio State, where Georgia generated zero turnovers in the defense’s worst outing of the season. At one point in the game, Ohio State quarterback C. J. Stroud had four incompletions — and the same number of touchdowns.

As a result of the defensive lapses, Georgia had its closest encounter with defeat this season against Ohio State. Yet the Bulldogs’ defense held on just enough on its last drive, stopping a run for a loss of one and a Stroud incompletion on back-to-back plays to force Ohio State into a 50-yard field goal, which they failed to convert.

Opportunistic? Lucky? Probably. But that’s just what defines the Bulldogs’ defense this season. Thanks to a group effort from younger players such as Williams, Smael Mondon Jr., Jamon Dumas-Johnson and Starks along with older guys like Carter, Kelee Ringo and Smith, Georgia has been able to make the right plays at the right time.

The Bulldogs showcased just that in the national championship game against TCU, forcing three turnovers by the Horned Frogs en route to their 65-7 win.

Just like that, on the biggest of all stages, the Georgia defense showed all of college football that while they were not as dominant as a year ago, they still were able to take over games by just making the right play at the right time.

From the sports, photo and special publications teams of The Red & Black, this commemorative 100-page book chronicles the historic 2021 Georgia Bulldogs season and national title victory. Game recaps, player profiles, analysisand pages of stunning photography.

John James

Parth Patel

Javon Bullard with the ball on Jan. 9. JESSICA GRATIGNY/STAFF