ATLANTA – Trailing by 11 points with 8:48 left, Georgia’s defense stopped quarterback C.J. Stroud one yard shy of a first down, bringing out the punting unit for Ohio State at its 34-yard line.

The ball was snapped, but it was a fake. The up-back took a direct snap and moved ahead for a first down.

Not so fast.

Right before the ball was snapped, head coach Kirby Smart called a timeout. With no first down, the Buckeyes punted the ball away, with Kearis Jackson taking a fair catch at the 24.

“They were not in their traditional formation,” Smart said. “A lot of teams carry that scheme break. Everybody lines up tight, and we had seen it in the SEC. A lot of teams carry it, and you try to practice it. It was just one of those gut reactions that I didn’t think we had it lined up properly, so I called a timeout.”

It’s a good thing.

Had the Buckeyes (11-2) gone on to score, and perhaps extend the lead further, the positive outcome that was to come might not have been in the cards at all.

On Georgia’s very next play, Stetson Bennett found a wide-open Arian Smith from 76 yards out, enabling Georgia to draw within 38-35 with 8:41 to play.

Tight end Darnell Washington limped to the locker room with an ankle injury in the second quarter.

It appeared Washington suffered the injury when he had his foot stepped on by left guard Xavier Truss.

Smart said after the game that Washington sprained his ankle, but did not know if it was a high-ankle injury or not.

The Bulldogs also lost outside linebacker Chaz Chambliss to an apparent knee injury in the second quarter. Chambliss had to be helped off the field.

In the fourth quarter, outside linebacker Mykel Williams suffered an undisclosed injury before leaving the field with 6:05 to play. Williams would come back, only to go back down with 39 seconds left in the game.

Williams told UGASports after the game that he was fine.

Robert Beal also left with an unspecified injury.

Right tackle Warren McClendon (knee) dressed out but did not play.

Georgia players wore a sticker on the back of their helmets to honor the memory of Mississippi State coach Mike Leach last month.

You can see the sticker below.

Other SEC teams have honored the late coach in similar manners throughout their respective bowl games.

… Former Georgia head coach Mark Richt received a rousing ovation when introduced on the field before the game.

… Kendall Milton’s second-quarter touchdown made him the fourth Bulldog with seven or more touchdowns this season.

… Some early enrollees were at the game watching. They included Tyler Williams (No. 10), C.J. Allen (33), Jamaal Jarrett (55), Lawson Luckie (7), and A.J. Harris (2).

… The sack of Bennett in the first quarter was the first time he has been sacked since the Vanderbilt game.

… The win marked the biggest fourth-quarter comeback in the Smart era as well as the CFP era by any team. The previous high second-half comeback was 11 points against Cincinnati in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl to end the 2020 season, with Georgia winning 24-21.

… Georgia came in ranked 11th nationally in scoring (39.2 ppg) and finished with 42 points with 533 yards of offense on 60 plays.

… Bennett finished 23-for-34, 398 yards, and three touchdowns in directing the comeback. In the first half, he was 12-for-19 for 191 yards and one touchdown, one touchdown plus one rushing touchdown. Bennett set the single-season record for completions this season with 292.

… Georgia took a 42-41 lead with 54 seconds left following a 10-yard touchdown pass from Bennett to AD Mitchell and an extra point. Bennett connected for a 25-yard touchdown pass to Kenny McIntosh (three receptions, 49 yards, one touchdown, and five rushes for 70 yards) to cap a 75-yard drive on eight plays in 5:01 to make it a 7-all with 3:15 left in the first quarter. It was the second of the year for McIntosh. Following his interception, Bennett and the Bulldogs answered with a 75-yard drive in four plays to cut it to 21-14 with 9:16 left in the half.

… McIntosh had a season-long 52-yard rush. Bennett’s three-yard rushing touchdown tied the game with 6:07 left in the half.

… Georgia trailed by 14 in the fourth quarter and eventually cut it to 38-35 with 8:41 left following a 76-yard touchdown from Bennett to Arian Smith (career-high 129 yards on three catches) and a two-point play to Ladd McConkey. Georgia trailed 41-35 with 2:43 left.

… Georgia improved to 12-for-14 on fourth down this year, converting a fourth-and-6 at the 13 on a pass to tight end Brock Bowers (4 rec., 64 yards) in the fourth quarter.

… The Bulldogs are 1-1 in the CFP National Championship Game. Georgia is now 5-2 all-time in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

… Georgia is making its third appearance in the CFP National Championship Game and extended the nation’s longest active bowl streak to 26 straight years.

… The Bulldogs are 36-21-3 all-time in bowls, and the appearances and victories rank second nationally.

… The 2022 senior class added to its school record for wins, as it now stands at 48-5.

… Georgia has won 16 straight, going back to last season’s CFP semifinal/Capital One Orange Bowl win over No. 2 Michigan.

…. With Saturday's win, Georgia improves to 10-2 all-time as the No. 1 ranked CFP team, including 4-0 in 2022.

… Georgia came in ranked second nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 12.8 points a game, while OSU came in ranked 2nd nationally in scoring (44.5). OSU posted 28 points in the first half on 248 yards of total offense, including 238 through the air. The 28 points were the most allowed in a first half this year, and the Buckeyes finished with 467 yards on 66 plays, including 348 in the air.

… Georgia trailed 7-0 in the first quarter following a 31-yard TD pass from C.J. Stroud to Marvin Harrison Jr. It marked just the fourth time this year that the opponent scored first (Missouri-FG, Tennessee-FG, and Ga. Tech-TD). Georgia trailed 21-7 with 10:56 left in the first half, the largest deficit of the year (14).

*Georgia trailed 28-24 at the half, and it was just the second time this year the Bulldogs were behind at the half (Missouri led 16-6 on Oct. 1 in Columbia). In the 2nd half, OSU built a 38-24 advantage with 31seconds left in the 3rd quarter.

*Sophomore Javon Bullard was named the Defensive MVP tonight with three tackles, one TFL, and a sack. Chris Smith had a team-high eight stops.

... Senior kicker Jack Podlesny registered 11 points, going 2-for-4 in FGs (missed 47- and 52-yarder, made 31- & 32-yarder) with five PATs. He is 25-for-30 in FGs this year and finished tonight with a school-record 141 points. He handled kickoffs too. His 32-yard field goal gave Georgia its first lead, 24-21, with 1:44 left. Georgia’s first punt came in the 3rd quarter, and freshman Brett Thorson finished with a 44.5 average on two.

... Georgia finished 6-for-6 in the red zone with 4 TDs & 2 FG, while OSU finished 4-for-4 with three TDs and a field goal.

... Georgia came in Saturday night's contest ranked first nationally in the red zone at 97 percent. They have now scored 75-for-77 times, including 52 TDs, 23 FGs, and twice coming up empty. The Bulldogs came in No. 1 in red zone defense, and now opponents are 21-of-32 on the year, with 12 TDs and 9 FGs with 11 times no points.

.... Georgia is now minus one in turnover margin on the year after a first-half interception gave OSU the ball at the UGA 30. It led to a TD and a 21-7 OSU lead with 10:56 left in the first half. The opponents have 57 points off 17 turnovers.

…The interception by Ohio State’s Steele Chambers was the first turnover forced by the Buckeyes in five games (Penn State).

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