College football season ends in storybook fashion Georgia concludes 2022 season by winning repeat championship

By Liam McDonough Opinion Editor

With the college football season officially over, fans are now wondering how the season could come to end so quickly. And even though the script has played itself out, this season was still one to remember, with classic rivalries, inspiring narratives and a storybook ending for Georgia and their sixth-year quarterback Stetson Bennett IV. The introduction of the season schedule highlighted one of the most anticipated matchups of 2022. Conference rivals Michigan and Ohio State were set to go at it on Nov. 26 in a game that would have serious playoff implications. Michigan’s victory over Ohio State in the year prior added a little extra tension between the two rivals, given that Ohio State had largely dominated for a very long period of time, which expanded back several decades. The game itself lived up to expectations due to exhilarating action, including a handful of big plays, and a four touchdown game from Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy. In the end, Michigan walked away with a decisive 45-23 victory on their way to an undefeated regular season and a second consecutive playoff berth.

Georgia, the defending national champion, was looking to repeat last year’s success with their talented and solidified core. Many fans assumed that, in order to have the chance to repeat, Georgia would have to first go through the mighty Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide; however, that matchup never materialized due to an unexpected season collapse by Alabama. Georgia was able to lock up the No. 1 seed after an undefeated season and a convincing victory over LSU in the conference championship.

While the powerhouse teams were certainly fun to watch, perhaps the most compelling story coming from college football in years would be the unprecedented success of Texas Christian University (TCU). From being unranked before the season’s start, TCU took the league by storm, finishing with a 12-0 regular season record and earning the No. 3 seed in playoffs. Led by rookie head coach Sonny Dykes and senior quarterback Max Duggan, TCU’s historical run marked the first time that an unranked program earned a spot in the playoffs since Georgia Tech 1990.

TCU marched into the playoffs with a blatant chip on their shoulder as they were matched up with No. 2 seed Michigan. While Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh achieved plenty of success this season, his previous playoff runs served as a kryptonite for his reputation. While the game was close all the way through, TCU was able to eke out a close win, defeating Harbaugh’s team in a game that was deemed controversial by fans due to referee inconsistencies.

In the other semifinal, No. 4 Ohio State was left with the tall task of taking down Georgia, and they almost did just that. However, due to a last second missed field goal attempt, Georgia narrowly escaped with a 42-

41 victory and advanced to the championship. To the surprise of many fans, the national championship was the least entertaining of the three games. Georgia could have practically been crowned the title midway through the first half as they trounced TCU 65-7, and they became the first program to win back-to-back championships since Alabama in the 2011 and 2012 seasons. While the final weeks of the season played out in somewhat of a predictable fashion with Georgia ultimately winning the championship, the football world saw baffling events unfold before their eyes throughout this season. Fans were entertained with an extremely tight playoff race that featured teams such as Clemson, Tennessee and Alabama who barely missed the mark. Fans also got to see the emergence of University of Southern California’s quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, who led the Trojans to an overall record of 11-3. Whether it was the incredible run by a forever underdog in TCU, or Stetson Benett’s picture-perfect ending in a last stand for Georgia, the 2022 college football season will be looked back on for years to come.