The Georgia Bulldogs defeated the Oklahoma Sooners in a double overtime classic to earn a spot in the National Championship Game.
The Rose Bowl is perennially a classic, but the 2018 edition of the game might have been one of the best yet. With a spot in the National Championship Game on the line, the Oklahoma Sooners and Georgia Bulldogs put on an entertaining contest that spanned more than four quarters.
It was a tale of two halves in this one. In the first half, Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield put on display his tremendous talents by putting his team out to a huge lead early. The Sooners scored on their first four drives and had 31 points by the end of the half.
Rodney Anderson had some big runs. The Bulldogs looked fairly nervous on the big stage in the first half right off the bat. While their running game was averaging a monstrous amount of yards per play, they weren’t finishing off every drive and the defense didn’t have the answer for Mayfield.
The biggest indictment of the defense in that half was Mayfield catching a touchdown as a receiver. However, a key field goal from 55 yards at the end of the first half provided a bit of a spark the Bulldogs would need to start the second half.
The pendulum of momentum swung in the Bulldogs favor from there. Roquan Smith and the defense brought energy on the first series of the second half and got the ball back. From there, Sony Michel would continue to run free en route to four touchdowns throughout the day.
As is the case of two halves, Mayfield would hit a lull for a brief period. A huge interception by Dominick Sanders would set the Bulldogs up to take their first lead of the game. It appeared that Georgia had stolen every bit of momentum.
However, Mayfield would show that Heisman poise and would answer right back. He found Dimitri Flowers for the tying score. They had stemmed the bleeding and the implosion that appeared to have sunk them.
As fate would have it with the classic bowl game, a spark came from an Oklahoma defense that had been maligned and in need of one. The unstoppable Sony Michel would fumble and Steven Parker returned it 46 yards for a touchdown and the Sooners had taken the momentum right back in Pasadena.
With a minute left, Georgia got back on the board and would tie the game after a Nick Chubb touchdown run. The Rose Bowl would head to overtime for the first time in its 104-year history.
After Rodrigo Blankenship gave Georgia a three-point lead in the first overtime, Oklahoma would match them to send the game to double overtime. In the second overtime, Mayfield would thrown an interception that would be overturned after the Bulldogs jumped offside. However, it wouldn’t matter anyway as Georgia blocked the field goal that would have given Oklahoma the lead.
The Bulldogs wasted no time punching their ticket to Atlanta. Michel would break free down the sideline and would score to give his team the 54-48 win.
3. Lincoln Riley’s play calling cost Oklahoma big late down the stretch
After a great first-half showing, the play calls from Oklahoma left a lot to be desired in the second half. In overtime, the calls in double overtime left plenty scratching their heads as to what Riley was doing.
For whatever reason, the Sooners decided to take the ball out of Mayfield’s hands and have four straight run plays. With the Bulldogs living with plenty of speed out on the edge, they got absolutely nowhere with it.
When they did finally let Mayfield touch it, there wasn’t much for him to work with. All they could muster was three points in two overtimes and the Bulldogs would benefit from the strange calls playing to their strength.
Next: Ranking every CFP team in history
2. Georgia showed tremendous resolve
The Bulldogs were on the ropes at the end of the first half. With six seconds remaining, the Sooners had a 31-14 lead. With Oklahoma set to get the ball back to begin the second half, it looked like they were going to deliver the knockout punch early.
Except they whiffed and Georgia got three points before the end of the half after a bad squib kick decision. That would provide enough momentum to allow the defense to stop the Sooners on their first drive.
From there, they really settled down and even when they fumbled and gave up the lead in the fourth, they didn’t let that affect them. A great drive at the end tied it up and the Bulldogs got the job done in overtime.
1. Baker Mayfield’s final performance was one to remember
The Heisman winner gave everything he had in the final performance of his career. He threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns, while even catching one himself. Coming into this game, he had been battling the flu and he put together a memorable way to go out.
After he threw an interception that gave Georgia the lead, he bounced back and put his team back in the game with his second touchdown pass on the night. Now, he’ll go to the NFL Draft and begin the next venture in his career.
His time in Norman was a special one. Although it didn’t end in a National Championship, it was a memorable career that won’t be forgotten.
Add us as a preferred source on Google