2023 National Championship: Georgia, Stetson Bennett Overpower TCU for Most Dominant Victory of Title Game Era
Georgia and Stetson Bennett take down TCU in a classic matchup. The Bulldogs and the Hatters finally met for the first time in over a decade, and the two teams didn’t disappoint.
With an MVP performance from Bennett, who shattered TCU records for passing yards and total passing touchdowns, Georgia pulled away from its rival to claim the title.
On Monday, Jan. 9, No. 1 Georgia defeated No. 3 TCU 65-7 to win the 2022-23 CFP National Championship.
Georgia took a 10-0 lead before TCU responded with a touchdown of its own. The Bulldogs then scored 55 points to win the game. Georgia set a record for most points scored in a BCS or CFP title game, as well as the largest margin of victory in a BCS or CFP title game.
Stetson Bennett set a CFP record with six total touchdowns, four passing, and two rushings. Georgia’s offense accounted for 615 yards total. TCU was held to 36 rushing yards, and the Bulldogs forced three turnovers, all of which was recovered by defensive back Javon Bullard.
Georgia is the College Football Playoff’s first back-to-back champion. The Bulldogs are the first team in the BCS era to win back-to-back titles since Alabama in 2011 and 2012. For live game stats, click or tap here.
2022-23 College Football Playoff schedule, Dates, TV channel, Sites
- No. 3 TCU 51, No. 2 Michigan 45 (CFP semifinal) — Fiesta Bowl
- No. 1 Georgia 42, No. 4 Ohio State 41 (CFP semifinal) — Peach Bowl
- No. 1 Georgia 65, No. 3 TCU 7 (National Championship)
The College Football Playoff national championship game has a long history, and it is highlighted below:
| Year (Game Date) |
Game | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | No. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 2 Oregon 20 | Arlington, Texas |
| 2016 | No. 2 Alabama 45, No. 1 Clemson 40 | Glendale, Arizona |
| 2017 | No. 2 Clemson 35, No. 1 Alabama 31 | Tampa, Florida |
| 2018 | No. 4 Alabama 26, No. 3 Georgia 23 | Atlanta, Georgia |
| 2019 | No. 2 Clemson 44, No. 1 Alabama 16 | Santa Clara, California |
| 2020 | No. 1 LSU 42, No. 3 Clemson 25 | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| 2021 | No. 1 Alabama 52, No. 3 Ohio State 24 | Miami Gardens, Florida |
| 2022 | No. 3 Georgia 33, No. 1 Alabama 18 | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| 2023 | No. 1 Georgia 65, No. 3 TCU 7 | Inglewood, California |
2023-2026 CFP National Championship Locations and Dates
- 2024: Houston (NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas) – Jan. 8
- 2025: Atlanta (Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA) – Jan. 6
- 2026: Miami (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida) – Jan. 5
2021-22 College Football Playoff Scores, Results
2021 Season:
- Cotton Bowl (Dec. 31 2021): No. 1 Alabama 27, No. 4 Cincinnati 6 (in Arlington, Texas)
- Orange Bowl (Dec. 31, 2021): No. 3 Georgia 34, No. 2 Michigan 11 (in Miami Gardens, Florida)
- CFP National Championship Game (Jan. 10, 2022): No. 3 Georgia 33, No. 1 Alabama 18 (in Indianapolis, Indiana).
With such dominance, Georgia has opened up all discussions about a new dynasty in college football and brought comparisons between Smart and his mentor, Alabama coach Nick Saban, to the surface.
Saban has seven more national championships than Smart, but Georgia has won 29 of its last 30 games and is 72-10 since the start of the 2017 season, with three SEC titles and five SEC East division titles.
Smart’s Dawgs finish 2022 atop the college football world, as they did in 2021; Monday’s dominant performance is only a reminder of how much work remains for the rest of the sport to catch up to Georgia.