Is the national title win over Alabama the greatest game in Georgia football history?

After more than 40 years of near misses and heartbreaking endings, Georgia took home a national championship by beating Alabama 33-18, .

A victory over the Crimson Tide — college football’s preeminent program for the past 15 years and the team that knocked the Bulldogs off their No. 1 ranking en route to Alabama’s SEC title win — will go down as one of the greatest games in UGA history.

Or perhaps the greatest.

Then again, the Bulldogs have had quite a few memorable wins since their inaugural season in 1892 (where they beat, of all teams, Mercer University 50-0). Telegraph staff thought of nine games that could vie for the title of “Greatest UGA game ever.” Here they are, and let us know your thoughts on this list by voting in our poll below:

1980 Sugar Bowl Georgia vs Notre Dame

For the last 40 years, this is the game Georgia fans have talked about with fond memories. It is the last time the Bulldogs took home the national championship.

The actual game won’t go down as one of the classic games, but the significance to the fan base makes this the most important win in the history of Georgia football. The Bulldogs beat Notre Dame 17-10 despite a hobbled Herschel Walker.

It was a defensive struggle but a 17-point outburst in the first half would propel the Bulldogs to the title as the defense would allow just one score the rest of the game.

2017 Rose Bowl Georgia vs Oklahoma

If this were a ranking of the most exciting wins in Georgia football history, this one might be tough to top.

The Sooners, led by Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield, jumped all over Georgia in the first half. Oklahoma was up 31-14 before Rodrigo Blankenship nailed a 55-yard field goal just before the half.

This proved to be a big kick, as Georgia came out of halftime with all the momentum. By the end of the third quarter, the Bulldogs drew level with the Sooners at 31 behind touchdown runs from future NFL stars Sony Michel and Nick Chubb.

Georgia gained the lead early in the fourth quarter before Oklahoma scored 14 unanswered. Chubb once again tied the game up at 45 with 55 seconds left to force overtime.

In perhaps one of the most iconic moments in Georgia sports history, Michel ran for the game-winning touchdown in the second overtime and sent Georgia to the national championship game against Alabama.

1980 Georgia vs Florida

This game is best known for the legendary call by Larry Munson and for keeping Georgia’s perfect season intact.

With 1:35 left in the game, Georgia was down 21-20 and needed to drive more than 90 yards for the touchdown and more than 60 to get into comfortable field goal range.

Munson and many the Bulldog faithful had given up: Georgia seemed out of it after a one-yard loss and an incomplete pass to start the final drive.

Georgia quarterback Buck Belue just needed to get a first down to extend the drive on third and long.

What happened next will go down as one of the single greatest plays in the history of college football, partially because of the call by Munson.

Belue pointed to receiver Lindsay Scott, who stopped his route to haul in the pass to pick up the first down. Scott then turned it upfield and sprinted for a 93-yard score.

As Scott was sprinting, Munson was pleading with him to “Run Lindsay!” Munson broke his steel chair and the stadium itself was falling apart, according to the legendary commentator.

1980 Georgia vs Tennessee

“My God, a freshman!” This game is perhaps best remembered for a signature run by freshman phenom Herschel Walker and another legendary Munson call. Walker trucked All-American linebacker Bill Bates on his way to his first collegiate touchdown.

It was the night Walker established himself as a force in college football as he would score the go-ahead touchdown as Georgia escaped with a 16-15 win over the Volunteers.

This is the night a legend was born in Athens. “He’s running all over people! Oh, you, Herschel Walker.”

2021 Georgia vs Michigan

In 10 years, it is possible the blowout victory to cap an impressive 2021 for Georgia will rank even higher especially if this season results in a title. For now, slotting in behind some of the more memorable wins of the past feels like the right spot.

Coming off of a loss to Alabama in the SEC title game, many wondered if Georgia was up for the task of taking on a red-hot Michigan team in the first round of the College Football Playoff. The answer was given fairly quickly as the Bulldogs jumped all over the Wolverines and never looked back.

Georgia routed Michigan 34-11 in route to a date with Alabama in the National Championship game. One of the key plays of the game was the half-back pass touchdown in the first quarter by Kenny McIntosh. It set the tone for Georgia early and will go down as one of the best plays in the 2021 season.

2002 Georgia vs Auburn

At the time, Georgia was looking for its first SEC title in 22 years. They would go on to win it over Arkansas but a big part of how they got there can be traced back to this win in the season.

The Bulldogs found themselves down 14-3 at halftime and had been out gained by more than 150 yards. Georgia would cut the lead to 21-17 with under two minutes to play.

Head coach Mark Richt and the staff dialed up “70-X-Takeoff,” on fourth-and-15. Quarterback David Greene heaved a pass to Michael Johnson who came down with the ball over the back of a Tiger’s defender.

It clinched Georgia its first SEC East title and would propel them to an SEC title and Sugar Bowl victory in 2002.

2017 Georgia vs Notre Dame

Georgia came into the season with high hopes with quarterback Jacob Eason under center for his second season in Athens.

But it seemed the season would be derailed before it ever got started. In the opening game, Eason suffered a knee injury against Appalachian State and he was ruled out for the showdown at Notre Dame the following week.

Enter Jake Fromm from Houston County High School. Fromm was thrust into the starting position for one of the biggest regular-season road games in Georgia history.

The two teams traded scores most of the night but it looked as though Notre Dame would survive against the freshman backup quarterback but Sony Michel would find the end zone with just over three minutes left in the game to go up 20-19.

. Davin Bellamy’s strip-sack would clinch the game for Georgia in a season that would ultimately end with a Rose Bowl victory and an overtime loss to Alabama in the title game.

But without the win over Notre Dame, the Bulldogs likely never get a shot the Rose Bowl and Eason may have even gotten his job back after returning from injury.

2002 Georgia vs Arkansas

It was the first SEC title in 22 years for the Bulldogs and it came in dominating fashion. Georgia scored 17 points before the Razorbacks had officially recorded a single yard of offense.

The defense put on a showcase in this game. Decory Bryant got the party started with a blocked punt on the first possession of the game to set up a Musa Smith touchdown run. Georgia cruised to a 30-3 win over Arkansas and it helped establish Mark Richt and the Bulldogs as a force to be reckoned with in the early 2000s.

If there had been a College Football Playoff in 2002, Georgia likely gets in and perhaps has a chance to win a title instead the program was forced to settle for Sugar Bowl victory over Florida State.

2021 Georgia vs Alabama

Much like the 1980 Sugar Bowl, this game will be talked about by Georgia fans for generations to come. This team will go down as one of the best to ever step foot between the hedges in Athens. The defense may go down as one of the greatest college football has ever seen.

After Georgia was dismantled in the SEC title game by this same Alabama team, the focus shifted to a potential rematch with the Tide.

The Bulldogs did not waste their opportunity at redemption and revenge. Alabama led for much of the game until Zamir White gave Georgia the lead with 1:20 left in the third quarter. The Tide would respond with a field goal followed by a Stetson Bennett fumble to set up the Tide’s only touchdown of the night.

The former walk-on quarterback then put together perhaps his most memorable performance of his career at Georgia. He would complete his next four passes including a pair of touchdowns to Adonai Mitchell and Brock Bowers to give the Bulldogs a 26-18 lead with under four minutes left in the game..

With Bryce Young, the Heisman Trophy winner under center for Alabama, the Tide looked to stage a miracle comeback but defensive back Kelee Ringo sealed the game with a 79-yard pick-6.

Georgia finished the game with Nolan Smith sacking Young and putting to bed the doubters, narratives and the long wait for Bulldog fans.

Taking into account Alabama’s dominance over college football for the last 15 years and the Tide’s dominance over Georgia who had beaten the Bulldogs seven straight times including in the 2017 National Championship game, this will likely go down as the greatest victory in Georgia football history.

It also ended a 41-year drought for a fan base who had seen its share of close calls and had become starved for a title.

This story was originally published January 7, 2022 at 2:06 PM.