# 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship
The 2022 [College Football Playoff National Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/college-football-playoff-national-championship), played on January 10, 2022, decided the national champion of the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season: the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs defeated the No. 1 [Alabama Crimson Tide](https://www.edgepedia.org/alabama-crimson-tide) 33-18 at [Lucas Oil Stadium](https://www.edgepedia.org/lucas-oil-stadium) in Indianapolis, Indiana.[1](https://collegefootballplayoff.com/sports/2022/1/20/ncg-recap-2022) It was Georgia's first national championship in the College Football Playoff era and its first overall title in 41 years, following championships for the 1942 and 1980 seasons.[1](https://collegefootballplayoff.com/sports/2022/1/20/ncg-recap-2022) • [2](https://georgiadogs.com/news/2022/1/10/football-national-championship-postgame-notes)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Result | No. 3 Georgia 33, No. 1 Alabama 18, January 10, 2022, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis[1](https://collegefootballplayoff.com/sports/2022/1/20/ncg-recap-2022) |
| Significance | Georgia's first CFP title and first national championship since the 1980 season; third in program history[1](https://collegefootballplayoff.com/sports/2022/1/20/ncg-recap-2022) • [2](https://georgiadogs.com/news/2022/1/10/football-national-championship-postgame-notes) |
| Season records | Georgia finished 14-1, the most wins in a season in school history; Alabama finished 13-2[1](https://collegefootballplayoff.com/sports/2022/1/20/ncg-recap-2022) • [2](https://georgiadogs.com/news/2022/1/10/football-national-championship-postgame-notes) |
| Game MVPs | Offense: QB Stetson Bennett (17-of-26, 224 yards, 2 TDs); Defense: DB Lewis Cine (7 tackles)[1](https://collegefootballplayoff.com/sports/2022/1/20/ncg-recap-2022) |
| Decisive play | Kelee Ringo's 79-yard interception return for a touchdown with 0:54 remaining[1](https://collegefootballplayoff.com/sports/2022/1/20/ncg-recap-2022) |
| Attendance | 68,311[1](https://collegefootballplayoff.com/sports/2022/1/20/ncg-recap-2022) |
| Coaches | Kirby Smart (Georgia) beat Nick Saban (Alabama) for the first time in five meetings[2](https://georgiadogs.com/news/2022/1/10/football-national-championship-postgame-notes) |
## Road to the championship
Georgia reached the title game as a No. 3 seed in its second [College Football Playoff](https://www.edgepedia.org/college-football-playoff) appearance.[2](https://georgiadogs.com/news/2022/1/10/football-national-championship-postgame-notes) The Bulldogs went undefeated in the regular season, including a first-ever 8-0 conference record, before falling to Alabama 41-24 in the [SEC Championship Game](https://www.edgepedia.org/sec-championship-game) on December 4, 2021.[3](https://georgiadogs.com/news/2022/1/21/football-record-recap-for-national-champion-bulldogs) • [1](https://collegefootballplayoff.com/sports/2022/1/20/ncg-recap-2022) In the Capital One Orange Bowl semifinal, Georgia beat No. 2 Michigan 34-11.[3](https://georgiadogs.com/news/2022/1/21/football-record-recap-for-national-champion-bulldogs)
Alabama, the defending national champion under [Nick Saban](https://www.edgepedia.org/nick-saban), entered the game with Heisman-winning quarterback [Bryce Young](https://www.edgepedia.org/bryce-young).[1](https://collegefootballplayoff.com/sports/2022/1/20/ncg-recap-2022) • [4](https://www.axios.com/2022/01/10/alabama-georgia-college-football-championship-game) The matchup was a rematch of both the SEC title game five weeks earlier and the January 2018 CFP championship, which Alabama had won in overtime.[4](https://www.axios.com/2022/01/10/alabama-georgia-college-football-championship-game) • [5](https://www.gpb.org/news/2022/01/11/georgia-snaps-41-year-title-drought-33-18-win-over-alabama-0) Georgia had lost seven straight games in the series with Alabama.[2](https://georgiadogs.com/news/2022/1/10/football-national-championship-postgame-notes)
## The game
Alabama led 3-0 after the first quarter on Will Reichard's 37-yard field goal, and the teams traded kicks through a first half that ended 9-6 Alabama, with Reichard hitting from 45 and 37 yards and Georgia's Jack Podlesny connecting from 24 and 49.[1](https://collegefootballplayoff.com/sports/2022/1/20/ncg-recap-2022) Georgia took its first lead late in the third quarter on Zamir White's 1-yard touchdown run, making it 13-9.[1](https://collegefootballplayoff.com/sports/2022/1/20/ncg-recap-2022)
The fourth quarter decided the game. Reichard's 21-yard field goal cut the lead to 13-12, and Cameron Latu's 3-yard touchdown catch from Bryce Young put Alabama ahead 18-13 with 10:14 remaining after Georgia stopped the two-point conversion attempt.[1](https://collegefootballplayoff.com/sports/2022/1/20/ncg-recap-2022) • [6](https://georgiadogs.com/news/2022/1/10/football-bulldogs-capture-national-title-with-33-18-win-over-alabama) Georgia answered 65 seconds later when [Stetson Bennett](https://www.edgepedia.org/stetson-bennett) hit Adonai Mitchell on a 40-yard touchdown pass for a 19-18 lead, then extended it on a 15-yard scoring throw to [Brock Bowers](https://www.edgepedia.org/brock-bowers) with 3:33 left.[1](https://collegefootballplayoff.com/sports/2022/1/20/ncg-recap-2022) With 54 seconds to play, cornerback Kelee Ringo intercepted Young and returned it 79 yards for the final margin, 33-18.[1](https://collegefootballplayoff.com/sports/2022/1/20/ncg-recap-2022)
**Defensive control.** Georgia's defense, which entered the game allowing a nation-best 9.6 points per game, held Alabama to 30 rushing yards on 28 attempts and forced two Young interceptions against one touchdown pass.[1](https://collegefootballplayoff.com/sports/2022/1/20/ncg-recap-2022) Young finished 35-of-57 for 369 yards, but Alabama's only offensive touchdown came on the Latu catch.[1](https://collegefootballplayoff.com/sports/2022/1/20/ncg-recap-2022) Lewis Cine led the way with seven tackles and was named Defensive Player of the Game; Bennett, a former walk-on, was Offensive Player of the Game.[1](https://collegefootballplayoff.com/sports/2022/1/20/ncg-recap-2022) • [4](https://www.axios.com/2022/01/10/alabama-georgia-college-football-championship-game)
## Records and significance
The championship was Georgia's third national title, after the 1942 and 1980 seasons, and its first since 1980 under Vince Dooley.[2](https://georgiadogs.com/news/2022/1/10/football-national-championship-postgame-notes) The 14-1 season set a school record for wins, and the 2021 senior class finished with the most career wins in program history at 45-8.[2](https://georgiadogs.com/news/2022/1/10/football-national-championship-postgame-notes) • [3](https://georgiadogs.com/news/2022/1/21/football-record-recap-for-national-champion-bulldogs) Across the season Georgia set 21 school records and led the nation in scoring defense, fewest touchdowns allowed, and red zone defense.[3](https://georgiadogs.com/news/2022/1/21/football-record-recap-for-national-champion-bulldogs)
For head coach [Kirby Smart](https://www.edgepedia.org/kirby-smart), in his sixth season at his alma mater and a former Alabama defensive coordinator, the win was his first against Nick Saban in five tries and ended a seven-game Georgia losing streak in the series.[2](https://georgiadogs.com/news/2022/1/10/football-national-championship-postgame-notes) Georgia returned to the championship game the following season and beat TCU 65-7, becoming the first team of the playoff era to win back-to-back championships.[7](https://georgiadogs.com/documents/download/2025/10/13/25FB_MediaGuide.pdf)
## References
1. [2022 CFP National Championship Recap, College Football Playoff](https://collegefootballplayoff.com/sports/2022/1/20/ncg-recap-2022)
2. [National Championship Postgame Notes, University of Georgia Athletics](https://georgiadogs.com/news/2022/1/10/football-national-championship-postgame-notes)
3. [Record Recap For National Champion Bulldogs, University of Georgia Athletics](https://georgiadogs.com/news/2022/1/21/football-record-recap-for-national-champion-bulldogs)
4. [Breaking down Alabama vs. Georgia, Axios](https://www.axios.com/2022/01/10/alabama-georgia-college-football-championship-game)
5. [Georgia snaps 41-year title drought with 33-18 win over Alabama, Georgia Public Broadcasting](https://www.gpb.org/news/2022/01/11/georgia-snaps-41-year-title-drought-33-18-win-over-alabama-0)
6. [Bulldogs Capture National Title With 33-18 Win Over Alabama, University of Georgia Athletics](https://georgiadogs.com/news/2022/1/10/football-bulldogs-capture-national-title-with-33-18-win-over-alabama)
7. [Records & History, 2025 Georgia Football Media Guide](https://georgiadogs.com/documents/download/2025/10/13/25FB_MediaGuide.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Education and knowledge institutions › Higher education › College athletics and university sport › Bowls, championships, and rivalries*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license