It all comes down to this!
The College Football Playoff National Championship between No. 3 TCU (13-1) and undefeated No. 1 Georgia (14-0) is in full swing in Los Angeles — and we’ve got you covered with all the action from start to finish.
Thus far, it has been all about the Dawgs.
Here are the highlights!
Here we go!
Georgia forced a three-and-out on TCU’s opening drive, and the Bulldogs didn’t waste any time getting into the end zone on their first possession.
The Dawgs went 57 yards in five plays, capped off with a 21-yard score from QB Stetson Bennett.
Misfortune strikes
TCU’s second drive didn’t go as planned either. Senior receiver Derius Davis fumbled the ball on a short run, and the Bulldogs recovered. The turnover resulted in a field goal for Georgia, extending the defending champs’ lead to 10-0.
Busted coverage
Redemption was the name of the game on the Frogs’ ensuing drive. QB Max Duggan hit a wide-open Davis for a 60-yard gain to move the sticks and put TCU deep in the red zone late in the first quarter.
Closing the gap!
TCU closed out that drive with a rushing score from Duggan to keep Georgia within arm’s reach, 10-7.
Dawgs on a roll
TCU’s defense came up short on the Bulldogs’ next drive, as wideout Ladd McConkey reeled in a 37-yard touchdown from Bennett to make it a 10-point game once again, 17-7. McConkey was the star of the drive, accounting for three catches for 59 yards and the score.
Georgia’s 17 points scored is the most in a first quarter in CFP national championship game history.
Seeing double
Bennett cashed in for his second rushing score of the night, this time on a 6-yard run to cap off a strong 11-play drive and put Georgia ahead 24-7 midway through the second quarter.
Bennett is the first quarterback in the CFP era (since 1999) with multiple rushing touchdowns in the title game since Vince Young (2006).
Denied!
On TCU’s following drive, Duggan was picked off by Bulldogs defensive back Javon Bullard, ending yet another Frogs possession early.
Piling it on
Then, the Bulldogs came up with their fourth touchdown of the game, this time courtesy of Kendall Milton‘s short scamper late in the second quarter. Just like that, Georgia took a monster double-digit lead over TCU, 31-7.
Heading into Monday’s game, the Dawgs are 57-1 under head coach Kirby Smart when scoring 30-plus points.
Georgia came up with its third takeaway of the first half on TCU’s ensuing drive. The Bulldogs quickly turned that interception into points, thanks to a jaw-dropping score from Adonai Mitchell with less than 30 seconds left before halftime.
Stay tuned for updates!
Setting the stage
The defending national champs from Georgia, an SEC power and NFL talent factory, has only lost one game over the last two seasons. The Bulldogs are looking to become the first repeat champions since Alabama in 2011-12 and the first team in the CFP era to win back-to-back national championships.
The Dawgs are led by Georgia native Bennett — a major reason why this team has had a top-10 scoring offense the past two years. Bennett has 3,823 yards, 23 touchdowns and only seven interceptions on the season. He has the second-best win percentage as a starting quarterback in SEC history behind Alabama’s Jay Barker (1991-94).
On the other hand, you have TCU, a small school by Power 5 standards out of the Big 12, a program that was thought so little of heading into the season that it was not only unranked but was picked to finish seventh in its own conference.
At the helm for the Horned Frogs is Heisman runner-up Duggan, who has thrown for 3,546 yards, 32 touchdowns and just six interceptions this season heading into Monday’s tilt.
TCU star running back Kendre Miller is dealing with a sprained MCL and isn’t expected to play in the title game, per Sports Illustrated. He is the only player in Big 12 history to record a rushing score in 13 games during a single season.
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