Georgia wins national championship over TCU (2024)

By Seth Emerson, Sam Khan Jr., Chris Vannini and Jeff Schultz

Georgia defeated TCU 65-7 to win the 2023 College Football Playoff national championship. Here’s what you need to know:

• Georgia’s 65 points are the most in a BCS/CFP title game. It is the biggest blowout of an AP top-three team ever. The Bulldogs’ 58-point win is the largest margin of victory in FBS bowl history.
• Quarterback Stetson Bennett was the offensive MVP of the title game. He went 18-of-25 for 304 passing yards, four passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns. Javon Bullard won the defensive MVP.
• The Bulldogs become the first back-to-back national champions since Alabama in 2011 and 2012.
• Georgia has scored more than 40 points against an AP top-five team three times ever, including twice in the past week and a half.

Georgia 65, TCU 7:

See Also

2023 College Football Playoff bowl games: Michigan, Washington, Texas, Alabama fill four-team fieldGeorgia blasts TCU 65-7 in the College Football Playoff championship game, wins back-to-back titlesRead the full transcript of Mizzou beat writer Eli Hoff's sports chat

58-point margin of victory is the biggest ever against a team ranked in the AP top four (10 more than Army 48, ND 0 in 1945). Largest margin in a CFP/BCS title game by 22.

65 is tied for the most points scored against a team ranked in the AP top four.

— Matt Brown (@MattBrownCFB) January 10, 2023

The Athletic’s instant analysis:

Backstory

Georgia entered the 2022 season coming off its first national championship since 1980. The Bulldogs ranked No. 3 in the preseason AP poll.

Despite Georgia losing 15 players from last year’s team to the 2022 NFL Draft, the Bulldogs finished the regular season a perfect 13-0. They defeated LSU 50-30 to win the SEC Championship, entering the College Football Playoff at No. 1.

The Bulldogs completed a 14-point fourth-quarter comeback to beat Ohio State 42-41 in the Peach Bowl, advancing to the national championship game. With Georgia’s rout over TCU, the Bulldogs have four college football national championships in program history.

A Georgia domination

This was a tour de force by Bennett and Georgia, who in the past year have now doubled the program’s previous amount of national championships. They also re-wrote the perception of Kirby Smart’s program. A year after doing it mainly with defense, Bennett led an offense that dominated TCU in the national championship, after getting there by beating Ohio State in a shootout.

Bennett cemented his status as one of the greatest Georgia players of all time: Starting quarterback for two national champions, the single-season passing yardage leader — a record he broke in the first quarter on Monday — a Heisman finalist, and of course his remarkable journey.

It’s also a remarkable story for this year’s Georgia team: Ending the 41-year title drought last year brought so much joy to the fan base. But this year’s team, despite losing 15 players to the NFL draft, came right back and won it again. —Emerson

A dynasty in the making?

There was a time not long ago when Georgia struggled to be recognized as one of college football’s elite. The only struggle now is from other programs scrambling to try to catch up. Good luck with that. Bulldogs’ fans should get comfortable with this position because what they showed in Monday’s national championship body slam of TCU and really over the last two seasons screams Georgia is shifting into the dynasty phase.

It doesn’t mean they’re going to win the national title every season. But they’re going to lead the conversation annually and they’re going to win their share. They’ve passed Alabama at the top. — Schultz

TCU’s offensive woes

The Horned Frogs needed a lot to go right to have a chance against Georgia and so many things went wrong. TCU had three turnovers, from which Georgia generated 17 points. Heisman Trophy finalist Max Duggan had his worst performance as a starter this season. And not having starting running back Kendre Miller — who suffered a sprained MCL against Michigan — available on Monday night hurt. There was little room to run for No. 2 back Emari Demercado.

Even if those things went the right way, the way Georgia ran up and down the field on TCU’s defense would have made it tough to win. But the Horned Frogs didn’t help themselves with their offensive mistakes. —Khan Jr.

Evaluating TCU’s defense

For all the talk about TCU’s unique 3-3-5 defense, we kind of forgot this team gave up 45 points to Michigan despite forcing three turnovers. Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken and quarterback Bennett just toyed with the Horned Frogs.

From tight end screen passes, to quick huddle breaks to Bennett threading the needle on 3rd-and-long multiple times, the Dawgs never looked flustered. Georgia’s 17 first-quarter points and 38 first-half points were both the most ever in a CFP title game. In the first half, Georgia gained 354 of a possible 360 yards. TCU tackled as poorly as it ever has, as Georgia players easily brushed past arm tackles. TCU’s defense is about angles and reads and Georgia did not have a lick of trouble. — Vannini

Highlight of the game

DAWGS DRAW FIRST BLOOD 🐶

Stetson Bennett gets his ninth rushing touch down of the season and Georgia marches down the field in less than three minutes for the first TD of the #NationalChampionship

🎥 @TSN_Sports | @GeorgiaFootball pic.twitter.com/tJ8oCkGbRR

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) January 10, 2023

Key stat

Bennett is the third quarterback to rush for multiple touchdowns in a BCS/CFP championship game, joining Vince Young and Craig Krenzel, per ESPN Stats and Info.

What they’re saying

Kirby Smart says to Georgia fans: “You can’t take this for granted.”

— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) January 10, 2023

Kirby Smart: “People have slept on Stetson Bennett for too long. He needs an opportunity to play a long time at the next level.”

— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) January 10, 2023

Stetson Bennett: “It doesn’t matter if people doubt (you). You’ve got to be good.”

— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) January 10, 2023

Required reading

• Emerson: Georgia’s unexpected national championship run makes this team legendary
• Mandel’s Final Thoughts: Don’t take what Kirby Smart, Georgia have done for granted
• Max Duggan’s final ride ends in defeat, but his TCU legacy is solidified
• After TCU’s magic ran out, Horned Frogs tried to savor final moments of a special season

(Photo: Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today)