Bullard’s big plays helped Bulldogs

Published 8:46 am Wednesday, January 4, 2023

ATLANTA — Javon Bullard’s stat line in the 2022 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl reads like this: three solo tackles, one sack, and one pass break-up. 

Out of context, those aren’t big numbers by any standard, but a closer look at when some of those stats were collected tells the story of how the Baldwin High School Class of 2021 alum helped send the University of Georgia Bulldogs to their second consecutive College Football Playoff National Championship Game. 

Bullard, the sophomore starter at nickelback, had his two biggest plays in the third quarter when UGA was losing to Ohio State 35-24 with a trip to the National Championship Game on the line. First came his sack of 2022 Heisman Trophy finalist C.J. Stroud out of the same blitz look that got the former Baldwin Brave two QB takedowns against Tennessee earlier this season. That play put the fourth-ranked Buckeyes behind the chains, and their drive ended following an incomplete pass on third down.

The play that had everyone talking though, came in the final minute of the post-halftime period. After a missed Georgia field goal, Ohio State took over from its own 34 looking to add to its 11-point lead. The Buckeyes, operating out of their no-huddle offense, drove down to the Georgia 10 where they had first-and-goal. Two plays later, it was third-and-goal from the 7. 

Stroud took the snap and rolled right before eventually heaving a pass toward the back of the end zone as the Georgia pass rush reached him. What at first looked to be a throwaway soon became a viable touchdown pass as OSU standout receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. stood waiting for the ball to drop near the end line. As it reached his hands, Bullard, having covered some 20 yards while the ball was in the air, lowered his shoulder into Harrison and jarred the football loose. The sophomore defensive back was initially flagged for targeting, which would have removed him from the game and kept Ohio State’s drive going, but a video review rightfully deemed the hit clean and the play stood as an incomplete pass. The Buckeyes were forced to settle for a short field goal, making it 38-24 late in the third. 

Bullard, who went on to be named the Peach Bowl’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player, was asked about the big play after the game. 

“[Stroud] made a play with his feet and threw the ball up in the air,” Bullard said in the postgame press conference. “I seen Marvin’s hands going for the ball and just tried to make a play when I could.”

Harrison Jr., son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison and Ohio State’s top receiver, was held out of the remainder of the game due to concussion protocol. Up to that point he had five receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns. 

“To say that losing Marv didn’t have an impact on the game, it absolutely did,” Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day said in his presser. 

The fourth quarter belonged to the defending national champion Bulldogs. They won the final period 18-3, erasing the 14-point deficit to make their return to the CFP final official. The UGA defense struggled to stop a very potent Ohio State offense most of the night, but followed Bullard’s lead and made the plays when they counted most. 

“We give a lot of credit to Ohio State,” said Bullard. “Those guys made plays when they needed to make plays. We knew coming into the game it wouldn’t be perfect. You come into a game like this, college playoff, we know you are going to give up some plays, they are going to make some plays, we’re going to make some plays. You can’t get too high up and can’t get too low. Like I said, we had to rely on the connection we built through the off-season and the resiliency. I couldn’t be more proud of the team.”

Now UGA will prepare for its next and final test versus the Horned Frogs of Texas Christian University, who earlier Saturday defeated 51-45 in a barnburner of a Fiesta Bowl. The National Championship Game between Georgia and TCU is set for 7:30 p.m. eastern Monday, and will be played at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California.