The Rose Bowl is a unique event. It's one of the most prestigious bowl games in college football history. For years, media members and fans have described the game as “The Grandaddiest of them All.” In 2018, the matchup between the No. 3 ranked Georgia Bulldogs and No.2 Oklahoma Sooners more than lived up to that reputation. With a shot at advancing to the national championship, this playoff battle was electric from start to finish.
The two squads couldn’t have been more opposite. With Oklahoma’s fast-paced offense and Georgia’s smothering defense, the matchup featured jaw-dropping plays, crazy lead changes, and timely turnovers, culminating in an epic shootout requiring extra time to determine a winner. Locked at 48 all in double overtime, Georgia found themselves in prime position to punch their ticket to the natty. The madness that preceded everything up to that point makes this game so special. So to figure out how we got there, let’s rewind.
The two squads couldn’t have been more opposite. With Oklahoma’s fast-paced offense and Georgia’s smothering defense, the matchup featured jaw-dropping plays, crazy lead changes, and timely turnovers, culminating in an epic shootout requiring extra time to determine a winner. Locked at 48 all in double overtime, Georgia found themselves in prime position to punch their ticket to the natty. The madness that preceded everything up to that point makes this game so special. So to figure out how we got there, let’s rewind.
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00:00 It's January 1st, 2018.
00:03 We're in Pasadena, California for a semifinal shootout
00:06 between the Georgia Bulldogs and Oklahoma Sooners.
00:09 Tied at 48 in double OT, this is the first ever
00:12 overtime game in the Rose Bowl's storied history.
00:16 It's the granddaddiest of them all.
00:18 If the Dogs score on this drive,
00:20 they'll punch their ticket to Atlanta
00:22 for a spot in the National Championship.
00:24 But if the Sooners get a stop,
00:26 we'll get even more action in a battle
00:28 that's become one of college football's
00:29 most unforgettable games.
00:32 There is a lot that's happened to get us to this point.
00:35 So to figure out how we got here, let's rewind.
00:38 96 total points, 60 minutes of regulation,
00:45 and overtime having been enough to determine a winner.
00:48 It's a thrilling and nerve-wracking spot
00:50 to be in for both of these teams,
00:52 but no one expected either of them to be here.
00:55 Georgia entered this season searching for an identity.
00:58 Second year head coach Kirby Smart was responsible
01:00 for flipping the script on an underachieving team.
01:03 After Smart spent nine seasons under Nick Saban at Alabama,
01:07 journalists expected him to bring his tough-minded
01:09 defensive presence from Tuscaloosa to Athens,
01:11 but the results weren't the same.
01:13 However, with a full summer to iron out the kinks
01:16 and grow more comfortable within Kirby's system,
01:18 this season the Dogs bashed through their opponents,
01:21 going undefeated through their first nine games
01:23 and clenched the SEC East with three weeks remaining.
01:27 It was a dramatic turn going from a conference afterthought
01:30 to a threat to win it all in just a season.
01:32 Although after claiming the East,
01:34 Georgia was swiftly humbled the following week.
01:37 UGA ultimately shook off the loss,
01:39 running the table the rest of the season.
01:41 That included a commanding conference championship win
01:44 that helped earn a spot in the playoff.
01:46 The Sooners on the other hand knew exactly who they were.
01:49 Like most Big 12 teams,
01:51 Oklahoma had already established their identity
01:53 seasons ago as a high-octane offensive squad,
01:56 but they've managed to keep evolving.
01:58 Their offense operated like a well-oiled machine
02:01 and quarterback Baker Mayfield was the engine.
02:03 Since transferring to OU in 2015,
02:06 Baker has led the Sooners to the playoffs
02:08 in a major bowl win against an SEC opponent
02:11 in consecutive seasons.
02:12 Baker entered this season as a Heisman favorite,
02:15 but media members weren't convinced
02:17 the Sooners were legit.
02:18 Faced with a tough schedule
02:19 and considering offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley
02:22 took over head coach duties,
02:24 the preeminent voices of college game day
02:26 believed Oklahoma's season would be a disappointment.
02:29 Something Mayfield didn't take lightly.
02:31 In their second game of the season
02:33 against number two Ohio State,
02:35 Baker and the Sooners steam rolled the Buckeyes.
02:38 They followed up that massive win
02:39 with a stinker at home a few weeks later,
02:42 but after that loss,
02:43 Oklahoma bounced back and rolled the rest of the season,
02:46 earning a playoff spot behind their Heisman winning QB.
02:49 No matter how successful the Sooners were,
02:52 Baker constantly played with a fiery edge
02:54 and set out to prove the doubters wrong.
02:56 With Oklahoma's video game-like offense
02:59 and Georgia's defense grinding opponents into oblivion,
03:02 journalists were hyped for a showdown
03:04 featuring the best of the best,
03:06 giving UGA a slight edge.
03:08 Although come game time, Georgia got lit up.
03:11 The Sooners dropped 360 yards of total offense
03:14 in the first half,
03:16 the second most the Dawgs allowed
03:18 during an entire game all season.
03:21 Oklahoma's offense looked so unstoppable
03:23 that Lincoln Riley felt comfy enough
03:25 to drop a reverse pass to Baker
03:27 that left UGA defenders fooled,
03:29 giving OU a 17-point lead just before the break.
03:32 With six seconds remaining,
03:34 Oklahoma prepared to roll into halftime with a strong lead,
03:37 but things got a little wacky.
03:39 On their ensuing kickoff,
03:41 OU poorly executed a squib kick to avoid a potential return,
03:45 instead setting UGA up around midfield.
03:48 With the ball in little time,
03:50 the Dawgs managed to pick up nine yards
03:52 before calling a timeout.
03:54 Now sitting around the 40,
03:56 Georgia elected to send kicker Rodrigo Blankenship out
03:59 for a long attempt.
04:00 The walk-on who looks better suited
04:02 as a professional League of Legends player
04:04 has been excellent for the Dawgs this season.
04:07 He missed badly from 48 yards earlier in the game,
04:10 but on this kick, Hot Rod drilled it right down the middle
04:13 with a boot that could've been good from 60 yards out.
04:17 The kick gave UGA three crucial points
04:19 heading into the half.
04:21 Still, the odds were heavily in OU's favor
04:24 as they looked two quarters away from wrapping this thing up.
04:27 But here we are.
04:30 Any points would win the game for UGA,
04:32 but how we went from this to this
04:36 has a lot to do with the boys watching from the sideline.
04:40 The Dawgs haven't had to play from behind much this season
04:43 thanks to their smothering defense,
04:45 but they've shown they can step up
04:46 their backs against the wall.
04:47 In a week two test on the road against Notre Dame,
04:50 Georgia escaped with a one-point victory
04:52 thanks to their D forcing crucial turnovers.
04:55 The leaders of this stacked defense
04:57 with NFL talent across the board
04:59 were linebackers Lorenzo Carter and Ro'Kwon Smith.
05:02 Carter single-handedly changed the outcome of the game
05:04 against Notre Dame with an incredible performance
05:07 that could've been a season-altering loss.
05:09 Smith had superb talent with a nose for the ball,
05:12 and by season's end was recognized
05:14 as the nation's best collegiate linebacker.
05:17 After that close call against Notre Dame,
05:19 the Dawgs suffocated opponents in seven straight wins,
05:23 barely allowing double-digit points per game.
05:25 They got hammered against Auburn,
05:27 but bounced back the remainder of the season
05:30 and got their lick back against the Tigers
05:32 in the SEC Championship.
05:33 That's why it's been shocking to see
05:35 Oklahoma's offense get whatever they want
05:38 in the first half.
05:39 Out of the break,
05:40 UGA got back to their manhandling ways.
05:43 They forced Oklahoma into consecutive three and outs
05:45 to start the half where the stars shine.
05:48 On the Sooners' second possession,
05:50 Smith ripped into the backfield on the third and short,
05:52 nearly getting to Mayfield himself,
05:55 ultimately causing a gang sack led by Carter.
05:58 After a dominant third quarter,
06:00 the Dawgs opened up the fourth with a bang.
06:02 The Sooners started backed up at their own 18-yard line,
06:05 where Baker floated a pass over the middle,
06:07 missing his receiver by a mile,
06:09 leading to a lengthy interception return.
06:13 After getting torched in the first half,
06:15 UGA's defense smacked OU in the mouth
06:17 the rest of the game,
06:18 and is a huge reason the Dawgs find themselves
06:21 in position to win.
06:23 Can't say the same for the Sooners' defense,
06:25 who clearly gave up a ton of points
06:27 and desperately need to stop.
06:29 That side of the ball hasn't been perfect,
06:31 but Oklahoma wouldn't have this fighting chance
06:34 without them.
06:35 The Sooners' defense just kinda runs off vibes
06:38 and finished the season ranked
06:39 in the bottom half of the nation.
06:41 They don't strike fear into opponents,
06:43 but they've had their moments
06:44 against tough competition this season.
06:47 In their win against Ohio State,
06:48 the defense kept a mighty Buckeyes offense in check.
06:52 After giving up 17 points in the first half
06:54 of the Big 12 Championship,
06:56 OU locked in and crushed TCU the rest of the way.
07:00 Coming into the Rose Bowl,
07:02 journalists pointed to Oklahoma's run defense
07:04 being their biggest disadvantage
07:06 against Georgia's workhorses.
07:08 UGA's backs were able to break off big runs
07:10 in the first half,
07:11 but overall, OU's defense contained the Dawgs.
07:15 Then things got ugly in the third quarter.
07:18 They gave up a 50-yard touchdown run
07:20 on UGA's first offensive play of the half.
07:23 Then later in the quarter,
07:25 the Dawgs capped off their drive with another long TD run.
07:28 Baker's costly interception at the top of the fourth quarter
07:31 put the defense in a tough spot,
07:33 but they still let UGA walk into the end zone easily,
07:36 giving the Dawgs the lead.
07:38 Despite getting used as Georgia's punching bag
07:40 to start the second half,
07:42 OU stepped up and had some game-changing moments
07:45 in the fourth.
07:45 As UGA looked to keep their drive alive near midfield
07:48 and extend their lead,
07:50 QB Jake Fromm dropped back and barely had time to look up
07:53 as an Oklahoma defender came firing down his neck,
07:56 forcing Fromm to scarily chuck the ball away,
07:59 causing an intentional grounding penalty.
08:01 The stop not only forced the Dawgs to punt,
08:04 but it also seemed to give the entire Sooners squad
08:07 some much-needed juice.
08:08 On their ensuing offensive possession,
08:11 Baker found his spark and the team marched down the field
08:14 for an 88-yard drive to tie the game.
08:17 And the defense wasn't finished.
08:19 On Georgia's next possession,
08:21 they found themselves near that massive Rose logo
08:24 at midfield again.
08:25 Lined up in the shotgun,
08:27 they handed the ball off to their running back,
08:29 Sonny Michelle, who shook off a tackle
08:31 before getting leveled.
08:34 Wait a second.
08:35 That ball came out.
08:37 As it hit the grass, it bounced perfectly
08:39 into the hands of Steven Parker,
08:40 who took it cleanly off the hop,
08:42 hit a nasty juke move to get free,
08:45 and ran it all the way back to the house
08:47 where Oklahoma regained the lead.
08:49 After getting run through
08:50 like cheap toilet tissue in the third,
08:52 Oklahoma's defense dramatically swung the momentum
08:55 of the game in the fourth quarter.
08:57 And now they need another stop more than ever.
09:00 Locked in double overtime,
09:02 these fans have been through a rollercoaster of emotions
09:05 and are still hanging on the edge of their seats.
09:07 It's remarkable to see a semifinal matchup
09:09 reach this point,
09:10 because college football's playoff system
09:12 has produced some boring-ass games.
09:15 This is the fourth year of the postseason format.
09:18 Every semifinal up to this point
09:20 essentially acted as a warmup game
09:22 for Clemson and Alabama.
09:23 Those two teams cracked the top four this season,
09:26 but luckily a three-peat
09:28 for the national championship isn't possible.
09:30 Past semifinals have been a snooze fest,
09:33 but this Rose Bowl has been an unprecedented battle
09:36 all the way to the end.
09:38 To pop things off in overtime,
09:40 the Sooners de-clamped the Dawgs, forcing a field goal.
09:43 OU didn't fare much better on their ensuing possession.
09:47 That continued in the second overtime,
09:49 where the Sooners were forced to kick another field goal
09:51 after stalling out at the 10-yard line.
09:54 Oklahoma kicker Austin Seibert has been perfect tonight.
09:57 A 27-yarder should be slight work for him.
10:00 But oh shit.
10:02 On the attempt, Georgia's Lorenzo Carter
10:05 squeezed through the gap, hopped up, and blocked it.
10:09 After sealing a critical win
10:10 for the Dawgs at the top of the season,
10:12 here was their leader having yet another clutch moment.
10:16 Which brings us here.
10:18 It's clear UGA wants to play it safe
10:20 and keep the ball on the ground.
10:22 The backfield is empty,
10:23 but that's not Jake Frum waiting for the snap.
10:25 He's lined up out wide.
10:27 Behind the center is senior running back Sonny Michel.
10:30 He coughed up the ball in the fourth quarter,
10:32 but there's no better time for redemption than right now.
10:36 UGA had to lean on their backfield
10:38 more than expected this season.
10:39 They started off the year with an early scare
10:41 after quarterback Jacob Eason got hurt in the first game.
10:44 Head coach Kirby Smart had zero intention
10:47 of playing Frum this season,
10:48 and to take pressure off the young QB,
10:50 the team featured a run-dominant offense.
10:53 Nick Chubb was the bruising back of the bunch,
10:56 while Michel provided a change of pace.
10:58 Although he finished with fewer attempts than Chubb,
11:00 Michel had his best season as a dog,
11:02 posting several games with ridiculous yards per carry.
11:06 Tonight was no different.
11:08 In the second quarter,
11:09 Michel took a run straight up the gut,
11:11 blowing past Oklahoma defenders for a 75-yard score
11:15 as they tried their damnedest to catch him.
11:17 In the third quarter,
11:18 when the Dogs feasted on the Sooners' defense,
11:21 Michel completed a hat trick, scoring on a 38-yard run.
11:24 By that point, he had turned his limited carries
11:27 into over 100 yards on the ground
11:29 with two scores and one through the air.
11:32 That costly fumble in the fourth
11:34 briefly took the wind out of his sails,
11:36 but it didn't phase him for long.
11:38 After Oklahoma's scoop and score,
11:39 both teams traded punts before UGA got the ball
11:42 back at their own 41-yard line.
11:44 Two plays later, Georgia moved the chains
11:47 and worked their way down to Oklahoma's 40-yard line.
11:50 As Frum set up in the shotgun with Michel by his side,
11:53 he dropped back and hung in the pocket
11:55 before smoothly sidestepping a sack,
11:58 then dumping off a pass to Michel,
12:00 where he accelerated upfield,
12:02 breaking ankles in the process.
12:04 That play put the Dogs deeper into Sooner territory,
12:07 where they eventually punched in the game-tying TD
12:10 at the goal line with a direct snap to Chubb.
12:12 So it's not surprising to see Michel
12:16 lined up here in the same formation.
12:18 Chubb got them to overtime using it.
12:21 Now it's Michel's turn to try and win it all.
12:23 If the Dogs can pull off this victory,
12:26 it'll not only cap off a remarkable comeback,
12:28 but it will further embody the incredible transformation
12:31 of a team that could barely compete
12:33 within their own conference just a season ago.
12:36 If the Sooners can get a stop,
12:38 they'll put the ball back in the hands of their Heisman QB,
12:41 who would love nothing more than having another shot
12:44 to silence the critics.
12:46 Whether you're a fan of these schools or not,
12:48 college football lovers throughout the country
12:50 finally got a taste of a thrilling semifinal game.
12:54 With a trip to the natty on the line,
12:56 it could all come down to this.
12:58 Welcome to a moment in history.
13:00 - Scored a touchdown earlier on a direct snap.
13:02 Now it's Michel's turn, running all the way.
13:05 Gets to the edge.
13:06 Sonny Michel will send the Dogs home
13:08 to the championship game!
13:10 (crowd cheering)
13:14 (club thudding)
13:16 (upbeat music)
13:19 [BLANK_AUDIO]