In Georgia’s second drive, Bennett completed three passes before a successful delivery to Kenny McIntosh, a small tailgator. McIntosh ran a little, often toward the sideline, before raising his right arm and making a pass toward the end zone. Mitchell grabbed the 18-yard throw at the corn-studded “A” in the Michigan block letters in the end zone.
It gave Georgia a 14-point lead at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, it became clear that the kind of magic Michigan was able to conjure up all season was absent.
McNamara, a junior with 2,470 passing yards to his name enters the semifinals on Friday, connecting with Roman Wilson for 42 yards and pushing Michigan to 19 in Georgia.
Nineteen yards, of course, provides nineteen yards of potential trip wires for interpretation. But Michigan may not have counted on Nakobi Dean, the nation’s best midfield player, who is threatening behind the line of scrimmage. After all, Dean arrived in Florida with 6.5 sacks throughout his three-season career — not even half of Aidan Hutchinson’s tally this season in Michigan.
But Dean rushed forward and punctured The Michigan offensive line that impressed John Madden More than a month ago, when Choose Wolverine Ohio. McNamara went to the ground for an 8-yard loss. The Wolverines, who didn’t score a sack of their own on Friday, quickly settled on a field goal.
Michigan later replaced McNamara as the third quarter ended goalless and posted JJ McCarthy, a freshman who has attempted just 42 passes this season.
Georgia, though, has already added a pair of field goals and then, with a 57-yard throw to Jermaine Burton, another touchdown. In the fourth quarter, Bennett hit the turf after being hit by a blue-shirted Wolverine—but only after the quarterback threw another touchdown did this go 39 yards to James Cook, younger brother of the Minnesota Vikings star running back. Dalvin Cook.