Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett (13) runs with the ball during College Football Playoff National Championship game action between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Georgia defeated Alabama 33-18.
Credit: © John Mersits, Cal Sport Media/Alamy Images

The Georgia Bulldogs unleashed a smothering defense to defeat the Alabama Crimson Tide 33-18 in the College Football Playoff National Championship game on Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The victory gave Georgia their first Division I football championship since 1980 and ended a string of seven straight losses to Southeastern Conference (SEC) archrival Alabama. The game was a rematch of the SEC Championship Game where Alabama handed Georgia their only loss of the season 41-24 on Dec. 4, 2021. 

Alabama entered the College Football Championship playoff as the top seed, looking to win their seventh national championship under head coach Nick Saban. Led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Bryce Young, Alabama made it to the title game after crushing the No. 4 Cincinnati Bearcats 27-6 in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31. Later that day, No. 3 seed Georgia rode their top-ranked defense to flatten No. 2 Michigan 34-11 in the Orange Bowl to set the national championship matchup.  

Defense ruled early in the title game, as the teams traded field goals that gave Alabama a 9-6 lead going into the half-time break. The defensive stalemate finally broke when Georgia drove late in the third quarter, finishing with a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Zamir White to take a 13-9 lead. Alabama responded with an early fourth-quarter field goal. In the next possession, Alabama regained the lead 18-13 after Young connected on a 3-yard touchdown pass followed by a failed two-point conversion attempt. But Alabama didn’t score again.  

Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett then connected on a 40-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Adonai Mitchell to take the lead. A failed two-point try left the score 19-18. Bennett later hit tight end Brock Bowers on a 15-yard pass for a score, padding Georgia’s lead to 26-18 following the extra point. Alabama had about 3 minutes to mount a game-tie drive, but Georgia defensive back Kelee Ringo delivered a knockout blow by intercepting a deep throw by Young and returning it 79 yards for a game-icing touchdown.  

With the championship, Georgia finished the 2021 season with a 14-1 record, the most wins in school history. Bennet finished the game 17-for-26 with 224 yards passing and two touchdown passes. He was named the game’s offensive Most Valuable Player. For Alabama, Young completed 35 passes in 57 attempts for 369 yards and one touchdown.