{"id":55900,"date":"2018-01-02T07:11:12","date_gmt":"2018-01-02T07:11:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=55900"},"modified":"2018-01-02T07:11:12","modified_gmt":"2018-01-02T07:11:12","slug":"georgia-lb-roquan-smith-delivers-late-rose-bowl-comeback","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/sports\/georgia-lb-roquan-smith-delivers-late-rose-bowl-comeback.html","title":{"rendered":"Georgia LB Roquan Smith delivers late in Rose Bowl comeback"},"content":{"rendered":"

Georgia LB Roquan Smith delivers late in Rose Bowl comeback<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith expected to make the Rose Bowl his home after originally committing to UCLA.<\/span><\/p>\n

In his only game at the fabled stadium, Smith still made an impression by earning defensive player of the game honors in the Bulldogs’ 54-48 double-overtime win over Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff semifinal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite giving up 31 points in the first half, more than Georgia had allowed in any of its first 13 games, the Butkus Award winner led a resilient defensive response in the Rose Bowl on Monday night and finished with a team-leading 11 tackles.<\/span><\/p>\n

Smith came up with his biggest plays in overtime. Smith and Reggie Carter stopped wide receiver Jordan Smallwood short of the marker on a third-and-2 run in the first overtime, forcing the Sooners to kick a field goal.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the second overtime, Smith tackled running back Rodney Anderson for a loss of 2 yards on a second-down reception, which led to Oklahoma attempting a 27-yard field goal that was blocked by linebacker Lorenzo Carter.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Sony Michel had a 27-yard touchdown run on the second play of the ensuing Georgia possession, and the Bulldogs advanced to the championship game in Atlanta on Jan. 8.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Man, we stunk it up and played really bad,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said. “If it was a measure of a heart attack, I’d be on the Richter scale pretty high.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Georgia allowed one offensive touchdown in the second half and limited the offense directed by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Baker Mayfield to 171 yards in the final two quarters and overtime.<\/span><\/p>\n

Smith said the Bulldogs played with more passion in the second half.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I don’t exactly know what the feeling was,” Smith said. “I just knew it wasn’t playing to our style and whatever that was. We played a little better in the second half. But not to our standard.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Even so, Georgia is one win away from its first national title since 1980.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We didn’t play the way we were capable of, but the best news is we get a chance to play again,” Smart said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-\u00a0https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/ncaaf\/2018\/01\/01\/georgia-lb-roquan-smith-delivers-late-in-rose-bowl-comeback\/109088470\/<\/span><\/p>\n

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