ATLANTA — Stetson Bennett capped No. 1 Georgia’s comeback from a two-touchdown, fourth-quarter deficit with a 10-yard, last-minute scoring pass to Adonai Mitchell in a 42-41 Peach Bowl victory over No. 4 Ohio State for a shot at its second straight national title.
The comeback in the College Football Playoff semifinal held just after midnight Sunday when Noah Ruggles’ 50-yard field-goal attempt for Ohio State with three seconds remaining sailed wide left, setting off a celebration on the Georgia sideline.
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Georgia (14-0) will play No. 3 TCU, which beat No. 2 Michigan 51-45 in the other semifinal, on Jan. 9 for the national championship. The Bulldogs, who last season won their first national title since 1980, will play for the first back-to-back championships in school history.
C.J. Stroud threw four touchdown passes for Ohio State (11-2), which led 38-24 in the fourth quarter. Bennett’s 76-yard scoring pass to Arian Smith, followed by Bennett’s pass to Ladd McConkey on the 2-point play, cut it to 38-35.
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Following Bennett’s go-ahead scoring pass to Mitchell with 54 seconds remaining, Stroud led the Buckeyes back with a 27-yard run to the Georgia 31. The missed field-goal attempt set off the Georgia celebration that left Bennett in tears.
Ruggles’ 48-yard field goal gave the Buckeyes a 41-35 lead, leaving only 2:36 for Bennett and Georgia’s offense.
Stroud completed 23 of 34 passes for 348 yards without an interception. He capped the Buckeyes’ first possession of the second half with a 10-yard scoring pass to Emeka Egbuka for a 35-24 lead — already the most points allowed in a full game by the Bulldogs this season.
Marvin Harrison Jr. had five catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Egbuka had eight catches for 112 yards and one score.
