INDIANAPOLIS – Georgia’s 41-year wait is over.
With 54 seconds left in in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game Presented by AT&T, Georgia corner Kelee Ringo intercepted Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young and returned it 79 yards for a touchdown — the longest pick-six in championship game history — cementing the Bulldogs’ 33-18 win and the program’s first national championship since 1980.
As the clock expired, the Georgia assistant coaches bolted to the elevators in the shaking press box at Lucas Oil Stadium, with one yelling, “hell yeah!” as they thundered out cheering together.
While it was a familiar matchup featuring two teams that faced each other in the 2018 national title game and again in this year’s SEC championship – both Alabama wins – it was a wildly different outcome before an announced crowd of 68,311 in Lucas Oil Stadium. In the 2018 national championship, Alabama beat Georgia in overtime, 26-23.
Some things do change.
Alabama’s streak of seven wins in the series — a streak that began in 2008 – was broken. Alabama coach Nick Saban is now 25-2 against his former assistants while Alabama, with both losses coming this season – tonight against Smart, and during the regular season against Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher.
In spite of the critics who lamented the rematch, there was no shortage of drama or entertainment between the all-too familiar foes. What began as a defensive slugfest with no touchdowns in the first half evolved into a showcase of big plays, with both teams trading touchdowns and missing two-point conversions in the fourth quarter. They delivered a thriller that was 180 degrees different than their game a month ago in the SEC championship, when Alabama manhandled Georgia up front for a resounding 41-24 win.
