INGLEWOOD, Calif. – At night Georgia awkward Michigan in the semi-final of the College Rugby Qualifier that ended shortly after the game had started, the Wolverines coach famous for his undying pride waved a white flag before the third round was over. That’s when Jim Harbaugh eliminated the starting midfield position Cade McNamara to save him from a terrible defense full of eight NFL draft picks that ruined the offensive game plan.
On the night Georgia suffocated TCU in a national championship has grown into a 65-7 Carnage, Horned Frogs’ trainer known for his fearless, gun-loving, wind-wise personality gave the sign of surrender even earlier, when a quarter and a half remained. That’s when Sonny Dykes hit a pitch close to the midfield despite being 38 points behind on the scoreboard and with nothing to lose in a game when his brilliant players came in as players. the weaker with two touches of the ball.
Formerly an overwhelming victory over a team that has dominated the Big Ten for the past two seasons, a resurgent blue bloodline has returned to the national spotlight by two defeats. Ohio State on the way to consecutive conference titles.
What follows is a schoolyard beating of the best the Big 12 can offer at a time when traditional powers Oklahoma State and Texas is wading through high-level moves to the Southeast Conference. Win the CFP semi-final against the Buckeyes and handle it roughly Alabama to win the national championship last year and the Bulldogs don’t have much time left to prove with 29 wins in their last 30 games.
“It seems like for the last three or four months we’ve been looking to see if someone can beat us,” Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett said, “and we’re out of the game. Nobody can.”
Georgia Bulldogs DOWNLOAD TCU in the National Championship
It’s a story unlikely to change anytime soon, considering the breadth of talent returning to Georgia next season. Bulldogs have were opened as the odds favorites to win their third straight title, according to FOX Bets.
Lists starting with Brock Bowers, the impressive sophomore who would have been selected in the first round in the 2023 NFL Draft if the rules only allowed him to participate. He caught seven passes from 152 yards and a touchdown on Monday night, while tormenting Horned Frogs from the slot, from positions in the line, from anywhere that coordinated. Attacker Todd Monken chooses to deploy him.
Bowers rumbling and rolling through tackles managed to accumulate 58 yards after impact as easily as he crossed the safe line Abe Camara for a score of 14 yards of acrobatics to start the third inning. There was a point in the second half when he made it past TCU on his own – 152 yards received for the Bowers; A total of 126 yards for the Horned Frogs – and describing him as the deadliest weapon in college football hardly suits Bowers.
And he’s not alone.
The scariest aspect of Georgia’s quest for a second consecutive national title is how many undergrads play prominent roles in the reign of evil Smart has built.
Second defender Javon Bullard was named defensive player of the game after making two interceptions and fixing a slam dunk that led to 17 points after the spin. Second wide receiver Adonai Mitchell made a spectacular one-handed catch on a 22-yard touchdown pass from Bennett, in which he won the ball from a defender. second defender Smael Mondon Jr. Bulldogs lead in tackles with five. Real freshman nose treatment Alexander Bear chipped in the top two tackles in the game to lose, one of which is bao. None of those who started the attack were seniors.
“The biggest challenge is just like in the world we live in today, the society we live in: rights,” says coach Georgia Kirby Smart. “Just when you think you have a right to win matches and you don’t have to work hard – the uphill battle for those guys (back) is you think you just inherited success. And I personally think next year will be a much tougher challenge than this year because we had a lot of people leaving last year. We had a lot of people coming back.”
Is Georgia the Next Dynasty in College Football?
It is true that Smart’s program will bid farewell to a number of prominent seniors led by Bennett, who completed 18 of 25 304-foot passes and four touchdowns before disqualifying at the age of 25. Darnell Washingtonrear Kenny McIntoshdefensive midfielder Jalen Carter and reverse angle Kelee Ringoamong others, with at least two of them expected to be selected in the first round.
But waiting on the wing is another elite recruiting class that is ranked second nationally behind Alabama in the 247Sports Composite. Smart’s incoming freshmen include two five-star prospects in frontier rider Damon Wilson (13th overall) and winger AJ Harris (32nd overall), as well as 22 four-star prospects. . And one of those players – inside winger Raylen Wilson, a 52nd-ranked prospect in the country – has moved to Georgia after his first commitment to Michigan.
“Obviously they have really good players,” TCU QB Max Dugan speak. “I bet they’re in the top 10 hiring classes every year. And then they grow them, and they have a really good coaching staff. So that’s a good recipe for success, and that’s it. That’s why they’ve been so successful over the last few years, and now that you’re at the end of a game like that, you know what you need to improve if you want to be on this stage again, if you want to compete. compete with guys like Georgia.”
The only thing missing from Georgia’s recruitment process is a quarterback, though that could change between now and the time of signing in February. Smart has tagged at least one signal caller in every recruiting class since he took over the show on December 6, 2015, but there’s just too much talent behind Bennett on the depth chart that has maybe he wouldn’t even mind.
Backup Carson Beckred shirt sophomore, is a four-star prospect and the number 9 quarterback of the class of 2020. Third player Brock Vandagriffa freshman in a red shirt, a five-star prospect and the No. 4 quarterback in the class of 2021. The fourth player. Stockton Gunnera true freshman, a four-star prospect and the 7th quarterback of the class of 2022.
Debates over who could become Bennett’s heir will dominate talk radio between now and next season’s opening, but Georgia isn’t the only elite show in need of a replacement. top midfielder.
Alabama is losing its former Heisman Trophy winner Young Brycewhen Ohio State likely to bid farewell to the finalist Heisman Trophy CJ Stroud. Tennessee is moving forward without Whore Hendonwhen UCLA watched Dorian Thompson-Robinson take his swan song. There are high level returnees at USC (Caleb William), Michigan (JJ McCarthy), State of Florida (Jordan Travis), LSU (Jayden Daniels), Oregon (Bo Nix) and Washington D.C (Michael Penix Jr.)but only one of those teams has made it to the knockout stages in the past five years.
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“We have some good midfielders there,” Smart said. “We had a guy who took off his black jersey and was beaten all week so he could be Max (Duggan in scouts). And gunner Stockton said: ‘Coach, take my shirt off. , I will take the beating.’ And Brock Vandagriff is down there studying all year. Carson Beck has a lot of fun and a lot of composure to come back and be able to compete. So those three are going to fight each other. And they’re going to learn a lesson. a lot of.”
So why can’t the Bulldogs return to this stage and win their third consecutive national championship? Why can’t they be the first team to win three peat since Minnesota did it in 1934, 1935 and 1936? Why can’t Smart get past Alabama head coach Nick Saban and do something his mentor hasn’t achieved yet?
At this point, it would be unwise to bet against them.
Michael Cohen covers college football and basketball for FOX Sports with a focus on the Big Ten. Follow him on Twitter @Michael_Cohen13.
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