Georgia beats Alabama to win first national championship in 41 years
The Georgia Bulldogs are college football national champions for the first time since the 1980 season after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide, 33-18, in the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday.
Thirty-seven days ago, Alabama beat Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, 41-24, to secure the top seed in the College Football Playoff. The rematch was a defensive affair for most of the game before the offenses sprung to life late. With two minutes left in the third quarter, the Crimson Tide led 9-6 and neither team had scored a touchdown.
With fewer than nine minutes left in the game, Alabama held a 18-13 lead, but the Bulldogs found the end zone three times in the fourth quarter to pull away. The dagger was a 79-yard interception return for a touchdown in the final minute of the game that ended the Crimson Tide's attempt at a game-tying drive and extended Georgia's lead to 15.
Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett IV passed for 226 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young of Alabama ended the game with 352 passing yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.
The Bulldogs won the national title in 1942 with a win in the Rose Bowl and 1980 when they beat Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl.
Alabama won the national championship in 2020 and has won the title six times in the last 13 seasons.
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