HAPPY DAMN NEW YEAR. Are you kidding me? We got to start 2023 out with the all-time yank of the century which cemented a great comeback and sent the Dawgs back to the National Championship for a second straight year. What did we do to deserve this?

All the haters were coming for the Bulldogs and no one was able to stop us. At least Alabama fans enjoyed a win…IN A GAME THAT STILL ENDS THEIR SEASON.

The SEC is being carried by ole Kirby’s Smart team while the Big 10 is still coming up short. That conference could add USC, UCLA, Notre Dame, hell, even the New England Patriots and it wouldn’t do them any good.

Michigan and Ohio State in the semis, you had to imagine that at least one of them was going to be playing in Los Angeles in a week…nope. Instead, the conference was outed for what it is and to lose to TCU is even worse than anyone could have imagined.

At the end of the day, they are going to have to get through Georgia. Let’s run through this game on New Year’s Eve. The Dawgs won and that’s all that matters but even Kirby Smart acknowledged that it wasn’t the cleanest game and the defense certainly didn’t look like it’s typical self. Here’s what went right and what went wrong.

Right: Mailman’s delivery came on time

There were some missed passes and a bad interception but for the most part, Stetson Bennett put on a damn show. He threw for 398 yards and three scores and the final one came when they needed it most.

It’s one thing to be a great quarterback and to play well, but there is a separation in talent when it comes to the guys who can carry their team down the field when they must have a score. It looked like Tom Brady came back in time to haunt Ohio State fans. Bennett absolutely marched his unit right down the throats of the Buckeyes and ruined their New Year. Say what you will about Stetson Bennett, this dude is a winner. He has proven it time and time again and I have the utmost confidence in him entering another National Title game.

Wrong: Missed Kicks

This is ironic because it was a missed kick that was further left than the most raging liberal you’ve ever met. But we have to call out the Dawgs special teams here and it’s something that just has to be cleaned up. Jack Podlesney went just 2/4 in field goals yesterday. 6 points left off the board which were crucial when it came down the stretch.

We all watch March Madness and we know that making your free throws is critical to making a deep tournament run. The same can be said with field goals. If you can’t take the points when you’re in the red zone, you won’t go very far. Those points were everything to Georgia yesterday and they were lost entirely. Time to nut up and hit the long ones when we have the chances.

Right: Receiving corps from Hell

I honestly feel bad for the TCU secondary room which is probably looking at this stat sheet from Saturday and trying to figure out how the hell they stop this receiving unit. There are some legit DAWGS on this team and Bennett gets to pick his poison on every single play. Arian Smith led the way with 129 yards on just three catches.

Seven different wide receivers had at least 20+ yards and the Mailman delivered passes to 10 different guys. There is no telling who to cover tightest in these games. When you recruit as well as Kirby Smart and Co. does, you are going to be successful at skill positions. They were torching Ohio State late in the game and especially in the final drive.

Wrong: Big Plays

Georgia had a ton themselves but the Dawgs had to clean up allowing the big punches. Marvin Harrison Jr. and Xavier Johnson hurt this secondary with major catches for huge pickups.

Hey, at the end of the day they (Ohio State) didn’t win the ballgame but allowing them to go down on that final drive and giving themselves a chance to win it all can’t happen for a second straight week.

Right: WINNING

We can nit pick and we can criticize, who doesn’t but at the end of the day, our team pulled it out. Alabama, Tennessee, Michigan, Ohio State, LSU, USC, and Clemson are all watching from home next week as the Dawgs play for a second straight week and truly go from a successful program to one chasing a real dynasty under Smart.

This team pulled it out on one of the greatest semifinal weekends ever played. We can’t take for granted how hard it is to win when you have the target on your back