Photos: Georgia beats Alabama in college football championship

Associated Press
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Stetson Bennett delivered the biggest throws of his storybook career and Georgia’s defense sealed the sweetest victory in program history, vanquishing rival Alabama 33-18 in the College Football Playoff title Monday for its first national title in 41 years.

Bennett connected with Adonai Mitchell on a 40-yard touchdown to give No. 3 Georgia a 19-18 lead with 8:09 left and then hooked up with Brock Bowers for a 15-yard TD on a screen to put the Bulldogs up with with 3:33 left.

The final blow came from the defense. Kelee Ringo intercepted an underthrown deep ball down the sideline by Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young. Instead of going down with a little over a minute left, Ringo took off and behind a convoy of blockers went 79 yards for a touchdown that set off a wild celebration by the Georgia fans who packed Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Bulldogs hadn’t won a national title since freshman Herschel Walker led them there in 1980. If simply snapping the drought wasn’t good enough, doing against No. 1 Alabama (13-12) had to make it feel even better.

The Tide came into the game looking to go back-to-back as national champs for the second time under coach Nick Saban — and make it title No. 7 for Alabama in the last 13 seasons, and its 13th overall in college football’s poll era (1936-present), more than any other school.

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