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ESPN staff
The college football season finally concluded Monday night with the Georgia Bulldogs ending a 41-year national championship drought.
Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs cleared the Alabama hurdle in the College Football Playoff title game, 33-18, and reclaimed their top spot in the final edition of this season’s power rankings. Georgia’s emphatic win was just one of the highlights of bowl season that ultimately had an impact on the final rankings.
Oklahoma State overcame a 21-point deficit in the Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame while Ohio State rallied past Utah in one of the most entertaining Rose Bowls in recent history. Oklahoma won a bowl game with Bob Stoops at the helm, Michigan State won a bowl game without Kenneth Walker III and Baylor went from a two-win team in 2020 to a 12-win Sugar Bowl champion in 2021.
The bowl season led to a lot of shuffling within the power rankings and, now that the season has finally ended, it’s time to see where college football’s best teams landed in the final rankings.
The Bulldogs ended 41 years of frustration by finally defeating their arch nemesis Alabama 33-18 in the CFP National Championship. It was Georgia’s first national title since Jan. 1, 1981, but it shouldn’t have to wait that long to win another one, given what Kirby Smart has built in his six seasons at his alma mater. Georgia will have to replace several star players who are probably headed to the NFL, including linebacker Nakobe Dean, defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt and offensive tackle Jamaree Salyer. Other players such as quarterback Stetson Bennett, tailback James Cook and receiver George Pickens are also going to have big decisions to make about their futures. For now, the Bulldogs are going to enjoy ending what had been a maddening drought. — Mark Schlabach
Despite the loss, the dynasty isn’t in peril. Not when Nick Saban’s two best players, quarterback Bryce Young and outside linebacker Will Anderson Jr., are back next season. And…
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Source : espn
