Georgia Post Game Quotes

Kirby Smart: 

First off I'd like to thank the Tournament of Roses College Football Playoff Committee. They've done a tremendous job hosting both teams. This is a really unbelievable atmosphere. To think about both sides, both fan bases did a tremendous job. I want to give a lot of compliments to Oklahoma. You know, Coach Riley does a great job. Lincoln has been a problem for a lot of defenses, and he created a lot for us tonight. He does a really good job.

But our kids are so resilient. They never stopped chopping wood. They kept fighting. They believed. There were offensive players affecting defensive players in the locker room at halftime and they kept fighting. We didn't play the way we were capable of, but the best news is we get a chance to play again. So I'm really proud of the fight, the resiliency of our seniors and our fan base. 

I also want to say this, guys. The Tournament of Roses people have been tremendous here. They do a great job with this. We got treated with the utmost respect all week, and they really catered to our players and they absolutely enjoyed this event. And that was win or lose, they got a class act and they do it the right way. Thank you, guys.

The other day we asked Roquan could you guys imagine winning a game like 48 to 45, and he laughed and said it would probably give you a heart attack. So you're obviously thrilled that you guys won, but is a part of you like dead on the inside as a defensive guy that you gave up 48 points? 

Yeah, I'm really disappointed and upset. I didn't think we played to the level that we're capable of. I do think that the players fought, and they are a good offensive football team, but, man, we stunk it up and played really bad. I want to give a lot of kudos to the offense for staying behind us and fighting, and the defensive players for doing that. 

It looked like things changed in the third quarter when you kind of went to a four-three instead of a three-four? 

Yeah, I wouldn't say it was that simple. I can't sit here and say we did that exclusively. We did play a little more four down in the second half. But I don't know that was it. I really just think the emotion in the players settled down and played with a little more discipline and a little more passion and energy. It wasn't like there was a magic sprinkle dust. We called the same defenses we called in the first half. We just played them better. We didn't even get them to third down in the first half, I don't think, once. It's not indicative of who we are, and we've got to do a better job as coaches to put our players in a successful situation, and that's my most disappointing thing that I didn't do a good job.

Jake Fromm has played well for you all season long, but how impressed were you with the way he performed today, especially with all the pressure on, down a couple scores, never seemed to be rattled. Made some huge plays, scrambling around making touchdown throws, how impressed were you that a true freshman can play that well on a stage this big? 

I think when you've got 1 and 27 it makes it a little more doable. You've got 6 and fives outside and some good people around him. But Jake continues to grow as a player. He puts us in the right play. He makes good decisions with the ball, he protects the ball. He does a lot of good things, and I'm really proud of his growth. I think the kid has a bright future. As long as you have a good run game and the offensive line creates running lanes for 1 and 27, it's hard to play defense against these two guys. I mean, it's tough. 

It seemed like the game either changed or momentum swung your way significantly with the run for the roses that Nick had, that 50-yard run. Your emotions during that time? 

Just proud. I mean, look, 27-1, that put this team on their shoulders, and all they do is do it right. They come to all the meetings. They're in special teams meetings, they compete. To see them racing down the field, I mean, it really embodies what this team is about. They say adversity kind of reveals character. I think it exposes character, for sure. We found out we've got a pretty good character team. 

Sony Michel:

Sony, could I ask you what it was like on that last run? Did it seem like a fast run, a slow run? Could you get to the goal? Was it any faster than that? What was going through your heart and mind when you realized you had won the game? 

 I mean, when the play was called, everybody just looked each other in the eyes. There were 11 guys just executing the play, and everybody did their job. It was successful for us. 

What was going through your mind? 

I mean, when I scored a touchdown, I knew it was over. We finally get a chance to play for something big.

Kirby Smart: But if it was a measure of heart attack, I'd be on the Rector scale pretty high.

Sony, was there anything particular that you or Nick saw in the Oklahoma defense that you took advantage of? You guys had a really big game running. 

We just wanted to play our style of football. Oklahoma has a great defense. They created a lot of three-and-outs for us. We just had to keep pounding. We had faith in each other, and all 11 guys on offense just kept grinding. 

Sony, you had a 38-yard touchdown run. It looked like before the run you said something to Jake like changing the play. What was it you said to him and what did you see? 

Just clarification of what the play was. He called the play. I was just making sure that was the right play.

Kirby Smart: One of them was on the shot clock. He told him to hurry up. 

Roquan Smith: 

Roquan, at halftime Kirby said he thought you guys just needed to settle down. That you were playing a little nervous. Did you feel that? Did you feel you were maybe just overly hyped? 

I don't exactly know what the feeling was. I just knew it wasn't playing to our style and whatever that was. So we had to make those adjustments, and we did. We played a little better in the second half. But not to our standard. We expected that from a great Oklahoma team. 

Kirby and Roquan, you guys were lit up pretty good in the first half but not in the second half, where you had ten possessions in the second half and scored ten points. What did you do differently? You really got after Baker. He didn't have time to throw much in the second half. What was different after halftime? 

Kirby Smart: We played with passion, we played with energy, we played with enthusiasm. We ran to the ball better. We tackled a little better, and we played a little more aggressive. 

Roquan Smith: It was just the halftime adjustments, we had to come in, we knew we were going to face adversity throughout the game, and we had to make those adjustments and just come out and play with a little more passion.

Oklahoma Post Game Quotes

LINCOLN RILEY: 

Yeah, it's tough to describe right now. It's a hell of a college football game. You know, an epic Rose Bowl Game. You know, being on this side of it is difficult to describe, the disappointment, the hurt that we feel, that those guys in that locker room feel right now. Some of them came in telling me sorry and telling us sorry, and I said don't tell us you're sorry. Our team put it on the line. They laid it on the line every snap.

We weren't perfect. We did a lot of really good things on both sides of the ball, but we certainly weren't perfect. Had some opportunities, let the game get back a little bit closer there in the third quarter, and at that point it became -- it was going to come down to one play here or there, and it did.

But it's been a great run. The senior class has been tremendous. I mean, to win three straight Big 12 Championships, being in this College Football Playoff twice, and then just, especially this year, there are a lot of reasons this team could have turned the wrong direction. From the coaching change, the Iowa State loss, just all the things that this team had to battle through, and I'm proud to be their coach. It's been a great, great season, and I think we'll set the stage for even bigger things here in the next few years. So we'll go to questions from there.

If you could pick out one thing among a number of things that you'll never forget or that really haunt you, the squib kick at halftime or them getting pressure on Baker or something, the field goal? What really eats at you maybe more than anything? 

I don't know that there's one thing. Just that we had an opportunity to win the game. We had some -- we'd separate ourself a little bit there in the first half and weren't able to maintain it. Probably just overall as a team how we played there coming out of halftime. We just didn't put our best foot forward.

But, look, give Georgia credit. There's a reason they're in this game too. They're a very, very talented team. But, no, I will never say one play in particular. There is no one play that lost this game for us or won it for Georgia. There was a ton of good plays on both sides of the ball, and they made one more than we did. 

It looked like you had a lot of trouble protecting after halftime. What was the difference between the first half offensive, particularly the passing game, and then the second half where you didn't have a lot of time to do much? 

Yeah, I think early in the half we didn't run it as well. We got a little one-dimensional. I probably hung our guys out there a little bit too much, especially against a talented front. They're going to get there sometimes. They're good up front. We are too. We move the ball on them like nobody has even close all season. But they're a good defense.

Eventually they were going to make some plays, and they did. I've got to protect our guys a little bit better. But, again, it was a great battle. Both sides made a lot of great plays. 

The squib kick at halftime, you brought that up. Did the team just lose some momentum there? What happened in the third quarter, because you dominated the first half? 

Yeah, I mean, I don't know that we necessarily lost momentum. That probably gave them a little bit of juice. They were able to steal three points on us. It was a good call. And Austin's been great with those. He just didn't hit it well and ended up going right to their guy, which that's the one thing you can't do and we did.

Then they did a good job of executing. It was kind of right there on the edge of do they throw a Hail Mary or not, and we certainly didn't want to give up the Hail Mary, so we went into a defense against that. He made a nice throw on the out ball and the guy made a bomb. So, yeah, give them credit. Gave them a little bit of juice, and then, yeah, we just didn't play well though early in the second half. That was the stretch of the game that I was probably most disappointed in.

I think in overtime you threw into the end zone once with arguably the best player in the country. It got intercepted and you got a break on the offsides. Could you have been more aggressive as a play caller in overtime? 

We didn't get a break. We knew it was offsides. But, yeah, sure I'll look back at it, and there will be calls that I wish I would have done different. You know, I've never had a game, even the ones that have went incredibly well, where there wasn't some of that.

So you do the very best you can in that moment. I called the plays at that time that I thought were the very best, and, yeah. Will there be ones that I want to have back? Yeah. But, again, you learn from those, but I'm not going to dwell on them. You call enough plays, you're going to call some bad ones, so -- but we laid it all on the line, coaches and players. 

You and Baker have had so much success over the last few years leading this program. What will you guys cherish the most about being able to lead this program? 

Yeah, it's a little difficult to summarize right now. It's been a great run. It's been an historic run. He's been a big part of it, as have all the players. I just told them I appreciate how much they bought in and had my back all year. I made plenty of mistakes and they helped our team overcome them the entire year.

I love him, love the rest of these guys. It's been a hell of a run. One we'll be proud of for a long, long time.

When you have a big lead and there is a lot to lose in a championship game like this, a championship setting, do you have to battle the desire to not -- to coach to not lose? In other words, you have to battle against conservative play calling or prevent defense or going -- not going for it on third down versus a field goal, that kind of thing?

No, I've never felt that at all. I think you just try in each individual situation to do the best thing for your team to win that game. We were still plenty aggressive at times when we thought it was appropriate. We've been able to win a lot of games around here, and hey, again, are there ones I wish I could have back? Sure. I've never had a game where there wasn't. But there was never a time where we were thinking conservative. We were always thinking how are we going to win this thing, and felt like we would until the last snap. 

Was part of the thinking that that still just gets you first down? That doesn't guarantee a touchdown?

Sure, yeah, if it had been on the same thing, it had been on the 1-yard line, I probably would have went for it. But, yeah, I just didn't think -- I didn't think the risk was worth the reward, and plus, that's kind of their most-talented point right there is kind of stopping short-yardage runs. They're pretty good at it. And our kicker's good, so that's why I did it. 

Coach, how close were you to going for it on that 4th and 1 in the first overtime, and why didn't you? 

I was close. I was close. I went back and forth on it a little bit, and I had a lot of confidence in Austin like I have here the second half of the season. Then we had just held them to a field goal, I think, defensively, so I felt good about the second run at it. I don't know. My gut said to kick it, and we did, and we made it. 

BAKER MAYFIELD:

You spent a lot of time on the field after the game talking to teammates, Georgia players, the fans. What was that like for you?  

Obviously I would have liked to have been on the other side of things, but I was taking in the last moments with my teammates and also trying to find Jake Fromm. You know, the true freshman that led his team to a playoff victory. You don't typically see that. He's an incredible player. You can tell he commands his offense and he has respect of his teammates. For me, that's about the greatest character trait you could have. Just told him to go win the whole thing. Got a lot of respect for him and keep working hard.

For him, I think the sky's the limit.

Can you talk about how you felt tonight? I mean, didn't start out in the half well in the third quarter, and then you had the 22-yard run and got that drive going. Was there any fatigue that was abnormal for you going through what you went through this week? 

No, no, no. I felt fine. Just, quite frankly, just missed throws. Didn't make the throws I normally make and that showed.

It looked like you had a lot of trouble protecting after halftime. What was the difference between the first half offensive, particularly the passing game, and then the second half where you didn't have a lot of time to do much? 

No, they blitzed a lot more on the first and second down. For us -- for me, it's getting the ball out of my hands out to the guys open. We had people open, and like Coach Riley said, they had some good up front. It wasn't like we were just blowing assignments. They have good players. 

You and Lincoln have had so much success over the last few years leading this program. What will you guys cherish the most about being able to lead this program? 

Being with the best coach in the country. There is a reason I'm sitting here today. There's a reason we've won three Big 12 titles in a row and that I've put myself in a good position going forward in the future. There's a reason our team's in the playoffs this year. Words can't describe what he's meant to me and for the other guys, it's the same. 

Baker, they had that big run there in the third quarter, and it looked like they might run away with it. You guys went, I think, 90 yards or so, really, in three plays. What was going through your mind during that sequence and what happened there? And after you get the scoop and score, you're probably feeling pretty good at that point?

Yeah, no, we talked about it. We just need to do our job, and that was going to be good enough. We let them back in the game and made a costly error on the interception in our own territory and they scored.

So we needed to respond, and we did just that. The defense made a great play. So then that lit a fire on our sideline, had the energy back, and we were back in the game. 

You've obviously been a great leader for this program the last few years. In the coming days, what do you think you'll say to the young guys that are coming back, and how do you feel about the future of this program?

They're in great hands. Got the best coach in the country. I think they have the best coaching staff as well. We've had a lot of young guys that have impacted our team this year, and them coming here and having experience, knowing what it takes. Also having this sick taste in your mouth of getting this close but not finishing, that's going to motivate them. They're going to be just fine. Yeah, love to have it back, but they're going to be just fine. I guarantee they finish it up the right way in the next couple of years. 

You talked about how you were feeling physically during the game, but can you talk to us about your emotions while you were taking that final lap around the field and kind of what you're feeling right now? 

Oh, I can't believe it's over. It's been a wild ride.

OGBONNIA OKORONKWO:

What was so tough about stopping Michel and Chubb tonight? Was it anything the offensive line was doing for Georgia? They're obviously very talented runners?  

I mean, they're talented backs. You know, they're really good guys. We knew that going in. They're going to make plays. You know there's only so much you can do. You know those guys play divisional football too.
 

Dawgs Win Rose Bowl Thriller in 2OT, 54-48

UGA Sports Communications

A blocked field goal opened the door for a game-winning score in the Dawgs’ 54-48 double overtime Rose Bowl victory against the No. 2-seeded Oklahoma Sooners Monday evening at the Rose Bowl Stadium.

Oklahoma offense went first in the second overtime and got to the 10-yard line for a 27-yard field goal attempt. The outstretched hand of senior linebacker Lorenzo Carter blocked the field goal to set the stage for a game-winning score. The second play of Georgia’s series was the game-winner as senior running back Sony Michel got the corner and sprinted 27 yards into the end zone.

Georgia, seeded No. 3, advances to face the winner of the other CFP semifinal matchup in the CFP National Championship game on Monday, January 8th, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

“What a game,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said. “What an atmosphere. My heart goes out to the Oklahoma team, because they played their tail off. And so did ours. Nobody ever quit and everybody fought hard. I’m so proud of these kids. The seniors never quit. This is a great university and these kids fought their tail off.”

The Dawgs amassed 527 total yards with 317 on the ground and 210 through the air. Michel, the offensive player of the game, finished with 181 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while also adding 41 yards on four receptions and a score. Senior back mate Nick Chubb collected 145 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Jake Fromm went 20-of-29 for 210 yards and two touchdowns, while becoming just the second true freshman to start the Rose Bowl game. Fromm’s most frequent target was senior Javon Wims who finished with 73 yards on six catches and a touchdown

Defensively, junior linebacker Roquan Smith collected a team-leading 11 tackles including a key 3rd-down tackle in the first period of overtime and was awarded defensive player of the game. Georgia tallied five sacks with single sacks coming from Jonathan Ledbetter, David Marshall, Tyler Clark and D’Andre Walker. Senior safety Dominick Sanders had a third-quarter interception that led to the Dawgs’ third touchdown in the second half.

Georgia trailed 31-17 at halftime as the game featured both teams with over 250 total yards of offense and six total touchdowns. Redshirt sophomore placekicker Rodrigo Blankenship drilled a Rose Bowl record 55-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.

Storming out of the break, the Dawgs defense forced a Sooner 3-and-out and then scored on their first play. Nick Chubb fought off multiple would-be tacklers for a 50-yard touchdown run which put him over the 100-yard rushing mark. Sophomore return specialist Mecole Hardman helped set up the favorable field position with a 21-yard punt return.

The equalizer at 31-all came in the last minute of the third quarter when Michel took a 3rd-and-7 handoff 38 yards for his third touchdown of the game. On Oklahoma’s next possession, Sanders intercepted an overthrow by Baker Mayfield and returned it 39 yards to the four-yard line. Two plays later, Georgia obtained its first lead of the game with a 4-yard pass and catch from Fromm to Wims.

Next it was Oklahoma’s turn to tie it as Mayfield found Dimitri Flowers in the back of the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown pass. The score notched it a 38-all with 8:47 left in regulation. The Sooners then recaptured the lead shortly after on a 46-yard scoop-and-score off a Michel fumble.

Trailing by 45-38 with 3:22 left in regulation, Fromm methodically marched the Dawgs for the game-tying touchdown drive that spanned seven plays and 59 yards. On the drive, Fromm was 3-for-4 passing for 48 yards. A defensive pass interference in the end zone put Georgia at the goal line and Chubb ran it in on a direct snap.

Georgia forced two Oklahoma punts in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter to send the game into extra time and eventually outlasting the Sooners.

38 and 27

The numbers don't lie.

1942 Dawgs play in the Rose Bowl and win the National Championship.

38 years later.....

1980 Dawgs win the National Championship.

38 years later.....

2018 Dawgs play in the Rose Bowl and now play for the National Championship

Nick Chubb's 27....

The field goal attempt blocked in overtime by the Dawgs was a 27 yard attempt.

Sony Michel's winning TD run was for 27 yards.

If that's not enough, 2018 in the Chinese Zodiac is "The Year Of The Dog."

Post Game Notes

UGA Sports Communications
Overtime: With tonight’s 54-48 victory, Georgia (13-1) ties a school record with its 13th win of the season (2002 team went 13-1). The Dawgs are now 8-5 overall in overtime including 3-1 in bowl games. Before tonight, the last OT game for the Dawgs came in 2015 as Georgia beat Ga. Southern 23-17. The last Dawg bowl game in OT was 2012 Outback when #12 Michigan State edged #18 Georgia 33-30 in triple-OT. 

Tonight, senior Lorenzo Carter blocked a field goal in the second overtime as Georgia took over with a chance for the win and ultimately Sony Michel scampered in 27 yards for the game-winning TD, his fourth of the night, a Georgia bowl record for Points (24) and TDs (4). Roquan Smith (LB) and Sony Michel (RB) were the Players of the Game for the offense and defense. 

Bowl History: This was Georgia’s second-ever appearance in the Rose Bowl after posting a 9-0 win over UCLA in the 1943 Rose Bowl to win a national title. Georgia made its 22nd consecutive appearance in a bowl game and owns an overall record of 31-19-3 in bowl games.

Defense Faced Stiff Test and then OT: The Dawgs came in ranked 3rd nationally in Scoring Defense, allowing only 13.2 points a game while the Oklahoma Sooners led the nation in Total Offense (583.3 yards a game) and 4th nationally in Scoring at 44.9 ppg. At the half, OU had built a 31-17 advantage, outgaining Georgia 360 to 291. It was the most first half points allowed by the Dawgs since Ole Miss carried a 31-0 lead to halftime in Oxford last season. This year, Missouri was the only other team to put at least 21 points on the Dawgs in the first half this year as Georgia led 34-21. OU was forced to punt for the first time on its fifth possession. OU finished regulation with 45 points and 512 yards of offense on 73 plays and ended up with 531 yards on 81 plays and 48 points.

In the second half, Georgia forced OU to punt on its first three possessions and forced an interception on its fourth (snagged by Dominick Sanders, his school record-tying 16th of his career) and bolstered by a 50-yard TD run by Chubb and a 34-yard TD scamper by Michel, the Dawgs had tied the contest at 31 with 41 seconds left in the third quarter. It was Michel’s third TD of the game (2 rushing, 1 receiving) to tie a Dawg bowl record for Points Scored and TDs held by tailbacks Rodney Hampton (1989 Gator vs. Michigan State and Robert Edwards, 1998 Outback vs. Wisconsin). Sanders returned it to the OU four and Georgia eventually scored (4-yard TD pass Fromm-Wims) to take its first lead at 38-31 with 13:57 left in the contest. Sanders already owns the school record for interception return yards and today’s 39-yarder gives him 381 for his career, which is 2nd in SEC history.

OU tied it at 38 with 8:47 left in the game on a six-play, 88-yard drive and took the lead on a fumble return TD in the 4th quarter. Dawg junior WLB Roquan Smith, who came in with a team-best 113 tackles on the year, had a team-high 10 tackles while senior Lorenzo Carter had nine. Also, the Dawgs registered five sacks.

Rushing Into History: Senior Nick Chubb tallied 145 rushing yards on only 14 carries while senior Sony Michel had a career high 181 yards on just 11 carries with a Georgia bowl record four total TDs. Chubb came in already second in SEC history in rushing yards, trailing only Dawg legend Herschel Walker (5,259). Also, Chubb and Michel already rank No. 2 and 3 in school history for rushing yards. Chubb now has 4,744 career yards while Michel now has 3,540 yards.

Michel’s 75-yard rushing TD was the longest in Georgia bowl history, eclipsing Kent Lawrence’s 74-yarder in the 1966 Cotton Bowl and Robert Edwards 74-yarder in the 2000 Outback Bowl. It cut the deficit to 21-14. Also on that TD run, Michel went over 1,000 yards for the season and marked the second time in his career he has done that. Michel and Chubb became the first Dawg duo to register 1,000-rushing yards in the same season. Michel’s 75-yarder today was the longest TD run of the year and longest by a Dawg for a score since Nick Chubb went 83 yards against Alabama in 2015.

In the second half, Chubb’s first carry resulted in a 50-yard TD scamper to trim the deficit to 31-24.

It was the second time this year that Chubb and Michel had 100 yards each in a game, also doing it at Vanderbilt. Chubb added a two-yard TD to tie the game at 45 with 55 seconds left. Georgia’s five rushing TDs gave it a school record 41 on the ground for the season.

Final Numbers For Fromm: True freshman Jake Fromm completed 12-of-17 passes for 109 yards and 1 TDs, directing the offense that finished the first half with 291 yards on 28 plays but trailed 31-17. Georgia tallied 182 rushing yards. OU won the toss and elected to defer the ball until the second half. They forced Georgia to punt after gaining 24 yards and one first down. Senior Javon Wims was the leading receiver with six for 73 yards. Fromm finished 20-of-29 for 210 yards and 2 TDs with no INTs.

Fromm is now 2-1 when the Dawgs face a halftime deficit, winning at #24 Notre Dame 20-19 (trailed 13-10) and lost at #10 Auburn 40-17 (trailed 16-7) and tonight, Georgia was down 31-17 and went to overtime where it won 54-48.

Blankenship Booms 55-Yarder: Redshirt sophomore Rodrigo Blankenship set a Georgia bowl record with a career-best 55-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to cut the deficit to 31-17. He was 1-for-2 in the first half on field goals and had 2 PATs. His previous long was a 49-yarder at Kentucky in 2016 and versus Miss. State in 2017. The previous long field goal by a Dawg in a bowl game was 52 yards in the 2008 Sugar Bowl by Brandon Coutu. Blankenship added a 38-yard field goal in overtime for a 48-45 lead.

Points to Ponder: The Dawgs came in today averaging 34.9 points a game including ranking 4th in the nation in Red Zone Offense, going 48-for-50 with 35 touchdowns. In regulation, Georgia finished 3-for-3 in the Red Zone with three TDs Meanwhile OU was 6-for-6 in the Red Zone, scoring 34 points.

Points Off Turnovers: Georgia is now +5 in Turnover Margin, scoring 84 points off 19 turnovers. The Dawgs got seven points off one Sooner miscue. Opponents have forced 14 turnovers and turned them into 48 points. OU forced a Sony Michel fumble and it was returned for a TD to give OU a 45-38 edge with 6:52 left. It was Georgia’s first turnover since the Kentucky game on Nov. 18

For Starters: Senior strong safety Dominick Sanders made his 52nd career start which ties the record for most in school history for non-kickers, joining QBs David Greene (52 from 2001-04) and Aaron Murray (52 from 2010-13). PK Blair Walsh started a record 53 games from 2008-11. On offense, a trio of seniors made their 39th career start today in Jeb Blazevich (TE), Nick Chubb (TB) and Isaiah Wynn (LT).

Captains: Today’s captains were seniors Sony Michel, Nick Chubb, Isaiah Wynn and junior Roquan Smith.

Up Next: Georgia (13-1) advances to the CFP National Championship game against either No. 1 Clemson or No. 4 Alabama. The CFP title game will be Monday, January 8th in Atlanta in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.