The Georgia-Ohio State Game Was Literally Decided as 2023 Began

We finally got to see what the College Football Playoff can be yesterday as back-to-back thrilling semifinals closed 2022 with a bang. On the heels of TCU upsetting Michigan amid a flurry of 96 combined points, Georgia mounted a two-touchdown comeback in the fourth quarter against Ohio State and led by one in the game's final seconds. Buckeyes kicker Noah Ruggles lined up to try a 50-yarder as the people in Times Square who aren't allowed to go to the bathroom counted down the big ball drop. It was excellent television synergy and found a fitting home on ESPN's Megacast.

Ruggles' kick hits the ground the second the calendar turns. If the Mayans had had any concept of collegiate football, they would have predicted this.

What a great — or what an impossibly bad — way to begin a year. Either ultimate, immediate agony or ultimate, immediate ecstasy. There's no in-between.

Pour one out for the kids out there who had a midnight kiss dramatically impacted by a field goal attempt. Better luck in 2024.