MOVING THE CHAINS: Takeaways from the 2022 College Football Playoff Championship Game

Before getting to the main event, a quick recap of this season’s post-season games:

None of the Power Five Conferences performed particularly well in bowl games. The SEC was 6-5, the Big Ten and the ACC were both 5-4, the Pac-12 was 3-4 and the Big 12 brought up the rear at 2-6. These records were prior to the Championship Game between Georgia (SEC) and TCU (Big 12), meaning a Horned Frog win would move their conference from worst to — theoretically — first. A Georgia win would bring the SEC to 7-5.

After humiliating the Florida Gators 41-7 in the 2016 Citrus Bowl, Michigan has lost six consecutive bowl games with Jim Harbaugh at the helm. His overall record with the Wolverines is 74-25; more importantly, his record against heated rival Ohio State is 2-6. Fortunately for him, he’s won the last two times the teams have played — otherwise, he might be looking for a job right about now.

Three SEC teams that didn’t even compete in their conference championship performed rather well against champions from other conferences. Tennessee (second in the SEC East) defeated ACC champion Clemson, 31-14. Alabama (second in the SEC West) squashed Big-12 champion Kansas State, 45-20. Florida (tied for fourth in the SEC East) beat Pac-12 champion Utah, 29-26 in the season opener for both teams (i.e. before Utah went on to win the Pac-12).

The Cotton Bowl was arguably the most exciting of this year’s postseason games, as the underdog Tulane Green Wave scored 16 points in the final four minutes to beat Southern Cal, 46-45. Incidentally, there’s no truth to the rumors that the members of the Heisman committee are trying to recall their votes for the winner, USC’s Caleb Williams. I can’t say the same for TCU’s Max Duggan, who came in second place in the Heisman voting. You’ll find out why soon enough.

Prior to this season, here’s how teams from each of the Power Five Conferences have performed in the College Football Playoffs:

♦ SEC (Alabama, Georgia, LSU): 15-5

♦ ACC (Clemson, FSU): 6-5

♦ Big Ten (Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State): 3-7

♦ Big 12 (Oklahoma, TCU): 1-4

♦ Pac-12 (Oregon, Washington): 0-2

♦ Non-Power Five (Notre Dame, Cincinnati): 0-3

In the eight years of the CFP, the SEC has produced five National Champions. The other three were captured by the ACC (2) and the Big Ten (1).

Enough on that. Fast forward to January 9. Let’s get ready to RUM-ble…

Well, that certainly didn’t take long. Thirty minutes into the game it was all but over.

I had a few titles in mind if TCU pulled the upset against Georgia in the National Championship game.

Who let the Frogs out?

Purple Reign.

UnderFrogs come out on top.

Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Instead, this is the title I ended up with:

Dawgs Leap (and leap and leap) Frogs

Yes, Georgia successfully defended their title against an outmanned, outplayed, outcoached — basically outeverythinged Horned Frog team from Fort Worth.

Georgia’s offensive possessions in the first half went like this: touchdown, field goal (the TCU defense’s one shining moment in the first half), touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown. Mercifully, the half ended before Georgia could inflict any more damage. That would come later.

It’s not uncommon for a Big-12 team to give up 38 points. But it’s not supposed to happen to a Big-12 team playing for the National Championship.

Especially when it’s all in the first half.

Give the Dawgs their due, though: for the second year in a row, they were the absolute best team in college football.

Final score: University of Georgia 65, TCU 7. But the game wasn’t nearly as close as the score might indicate. In fact, I wouldn’t even call it a game. I believe the technical term for it is ‘beat down.’ Therefore, for the 13th time in the last 17 seasons, the National Champion was once again a team from the SEC.

It’s just a shame that the most noncompetitive game of the year also happened to be the last.

Unless you’re a member of the Bulldog Nation, this season just might leave a bad taste in your mouth.

Sort of like if you ate a dog biscuit. If you don’t know how they taste, ask TCU.

Tony Walsh