PASADENA, Calif. — Sony Michel ran for a 27-yard touchdown in double overtime and No. 3 Georgia secured a 54-48 win over No. 2 Oklahoma in a thrilling Rose Bowl contest to advance to the College Football Playoff championship game.
With the game locked at 48-48 after the teams traded field goals in the first overtime period, Lorenzo Carter blocked an Austin Seibert’s 27-yard field goal attempt to help setup the winning score, as Michel burst through the line to eliminate the Sooners.
“I made plays. I gave up plays. My team just had faith in me,” said Michel. “That’s what this team is all about. They showed true character today.”
The Bulldogs trailed by 14-point at halftime, but responded to outlast Oklahoma in a back-and-forth semifinal.
It was the first overtime game in the 104-year history of the Rose Bowl and the first College Football Playoff game to go into overtime.
It was also the highest-scoring Rose Bowl ever.
Michel ran for 181 yards and three touchdowns and Nick Chubb ran for 145 yards and two scores, while Jake Fromm threw for 210 yards and two touchdowns in the win for Georgia (13-1), which rallied to tie the game at 45-45 with 55 seconds to play to setup overtime.
Baker Mayfield passed for 287 yards and two touchdowns with an interception and had a rare catch for a score for Oklahoma.
Rodney Anderson rushed 26 times for 201 yards and two touchdowns and Marquise Brown had eight catches for 114 yards and a score for the Sooners (12-2), who led 21-7 early in the second quarter, but were outscored 37-14 in the second half and overtime.
“It’s tough to describe right now,” Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley said of the loss. “It’s a hell of a college football game. You know, an epic Rose Bowl game.”
Georgia will return to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to play No. 4 Alabama in the college football title game on Jan. 8 after the Crimson Tide made an all SEC championship game by beating No. 1 seed and defending champion Clemson in the second game of the night.
“We got to get back to work. It’s not done,” Michel said. “Now we got to finish. Let’s just finish this season off right.”
