No. 3 Georgia will face No. 2 Michigan in the Orange Bowl in a College Football Playoff semifinal Friday.
The winner will face the winner of the other semifinal, No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Cincinnati in the Cotton Bowl. Those teams will play for the national championship on Jan. 10 in Indianapolis.
- Fans started gathering for the Orange Bowl hours before the 7:30 p.m. kickoff. Georgia beat writer Chip Towers caught up with Matt Palmgren, a pharmacy sales executive from Atlanta, nd his 22-yaear-old son, Jared, a UGA graduate, who traveled to the Fort Lauderdale area this week for the game.. Meanwhile, 1,372 miles away, Palmgren’s wife, Tammy, and daughter Lori, who attends the University of Alabama, were in Dallas to watch the No. 1 Crimson Tide play Cincinnati in the Cotton Bowl. Read the story of thier journeys here.
-Alabama took a 17-3 over Cincinnati at halftime.
-Alabama will play for the national championship after a 27-6 victory over Cincinnati. Georgia will be hoping for a rematch - and better result - than the SEC Championship. Here is the report on the game from the AJC’s Gabriel Burns.
-Early reports are that Michigan fans are well represented.
- Michigan wins the coin toss and defers to second half. Georgia will recieve the opening kickoff.
- Georgia marches right down the field for a touchdown on the opening drive. Seven plays, 80 yards. Brock Bowers with the touchdown reception, one of three catches on the drive. Georgia 7, Michigan 0.
-Georgia defense forces a turnover on downs on Michigan’s opening drive. Incomplete pass on fourth-and-4 from the 41-yard line. Good start for both offensive and defensive units.
- Two possessions. Two touchdowns. Georgia uses some trickery to cap it’s second drive with a touchdown. Kenny McIntosh takes a pitch and throws to a wide open Adonai Mitchell for an 18-yard score. Georgia 14, Michigan 0.
- Michigan forced to punt on second possession. Georgia holds a 139-42 total yards advantage through both teams’ first two possessions.
- Georgia 14, Michigan 0, End of first quarter.
- Georgia QB Stetson Bennett completed his first nine passes, for 92 yards, before his first incompletion.
- Georgia’s third drive ends with a 47-yard field goal. Georgia 17, Michigan 0.
- Michigan’s first venture into the red zone before the drive stalls. It results in a 36-yard field goal. Georgia 17, Michigan 3.
- Another drive, more points. Georgia gets deep in the red zone but the drive stalls. Bulldogs settle for a 28-yard field goal. A 53-yard pass from Bennett to James Cook was the key play. Georgia 20, Michigan 3.
- The Stetson Bennett show continues. QB finds Jermain Burton on a 57-yard touchdown pass. Georgia has scored on every possession. Georgia 27, Michigan 3.
- Just like that, Georgia has the ball back with 1:28 left in the first half after a Derion Kendrick interception on Michigan’s first play of the drive. Georgia loses Chris Smith to a targeting penalty on the play.
- Georgia will take a big lead into intermission. Georgia 27, Michigan 3 at the half.
- Bennett went 16-for-21 for 234 yards and 2 TDs in the first half. Georgia scored on first five possessions. They missed a chance to score on their sixth when they mismanged the clock after the late interception.
- Michigan had a good drive going to start the second half, got in the red zone and then ... another interception by Kendrick. This one comes in the end zone and Michigan’s best threat is extinguished.
- Georgia punts for the first time - with 8:17 left in the third quarter.
- And Michigan gives the ball right back. Nakobe Dean forces a fumble, recovered by Geo Devonte Wyatt. Third Michigan turnover.
- Georgia misses a 45-yard field goal with two minutes left in third quarter. No score in the second half. Georgia 27, Michigan 3. Georgia has scored zero points on three straight Michigan turnovers.
- Georgia 27, Michigan 3 after three quarters.
-Bennett to Cook on a 39-yard touchdown pass with 11:11 left in the game. Georgia 34, Michigan 3.
- Georgia has 456 yards of offense - 328 via pass, 128 via rush.
- Another turnover on downs for Michigan as they fail to score on four chances from inside the 8-yard line. Seven mintues remaing. Start the countdown to Indy.
- Michigan finally finds the end zone with 4:25 as J.J. McCarthy finds Andrel Anthony for 35 yards. Michigan converts the two-point conversion. Georgia 34, Michigan 11.
- That’s a wrap. Georgia blows out Michigan to advance to the national championship game. It’s Georgia vs. Alabama in a rematch of the SEC Championship Game. This time, the stake are much bigger. Georgia 34, Michigan 11. Until then.
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