Kirby Smart Says Ohio State 'Probably' Deserved to Beat Georgia in CFP Semifinal

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart suggested the Bulldogs may not have been the better team in their nail-biting 42-41 win over the Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Peach Bowl on Saturday.

According to Thor Nystrom of FantasyPros, Smart said the following after the classic clash: "Ohio State probably deserved to win that game."

Instead, it was Georgia who overcame a 14-point deficit in the second half and survived when OSU kicker Noah Ruggles missed a 50-yard field goal as time expired.

While Georgia did hold the edge in total yardage at 533-467, Ohio State led the way in most other statistical categories.

The Buckeyes won the time of possession battle 32:36-27:24, went 4-for-12 on third down compared to Georgia's 2-for-10, and forced one turnover, while not turning the ball over at all.

It also wasn't a typical game for the 14-0 Bulldogs in that it was a shootout. Prior to Saturday's tilt, Georgia hadn't given up more than 30 points in a single game this season, and it allowed 20 or fewer points in 10 games.

The Bulldogs also won all but one game by more than one score, however, the Buckeyes pushed them to the limit in the Peach Bowl.

Ultimately, Georgia's championship pedigree shone through, as it overcame 14-point deficits in the first and second halves, and outscored Ohio State 18-3 in the fourth quarter.

Georgia also got a huge effort out of senior quarterback Stetson Bennett, who has often been maligned over the past few seasons despite leading the Bulldogs to a national title last season.

Bennett showed why he earned the right to be a Heisman Trophy finalist this season by going 23-of-34 for 398 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, keeping pace with Ohio State signal-caller C.J. Stroud.

Now, the Bulldogs will prepare for the College Football Playoff National Championship Game on Jan. 9, and they will be heavy favorites to repeat as national champs.

TCU already pulled off one major upset by beating Michigan in the semifinals, but if Georgia can clean up some of the issues it had against Ohio State on the defensive side of the ball, the Horned Frogs will have their work cut out for them.