Dumbalk’s very own kicks off in America

THE College Football playoffs have come and gone, and the University of Georgia is making headlines once again, as they look to for back-to-back National Championship titles behind superstar quarterback Stetson Bennett IV. 

Although, despite finishing his fantastic season as a Heisman Trophy finalist trophy awarded to the most outstanding player), Bennett IV wasn’t the only Georgia Bulldog making headlines in 2022/23. 

Another key cog to the Georgia machine is their freshman punter Brett Thorson, who hails all the way from Dumbalk, and is having a sensational season himself in his role for the Championship favourites. 

The Aussie prodigy went viral earlier in the season, when he let rip on an absolute rocket of a punt in Georgia’s season defining clash with Tennessee, sending the ball a whopping 75 yards (that’s 68 metres!). 

The punt went down as the longest by any Georgia player in 13 years and the 10th longest in the University’s history, at the time of the punt, Tennessee was the number one ranked team in the country and Georgia third, and the Bulldogs held a slim four-point first quarter lead.

So, when Thorson’s punt pinned the opposition on their own one-yard line, the football world, and his teammates were understandably amazed.

But Thorson is certainly not a one hit wonder, he’s punted 33 times this season for an average of 44.9 yards (41 metres) with 18 of his punts being downed inside the opposition 20-yard line (which is an indication of a solid punt for those who are unfamiliar with American football). 

Thorson’s booming right foot, the brilliance of his quarterback and a stout season on defence has helped the Bulldogs reach the College Football Playoff once again, as the number one ranked team in the country in the midst of an undefeated run.

And after a thrilling come from behind win over number four seed Ohio State, in which the latter missed a potential game winning field goal, the ‘Dogs have earned a trip to Los Angeles to defend their crown. 

Meeting Georgia in LA is surging challengers Texas Christian University (TCU), who came into the College Football Playoff ranked third in the nation and shocked last year’s runner’s up Michigan in a Semi Final shootout, they’re led by Heisman Trophy runner up Max Duggan at QB. 

Thorson will look to cap off his first year in the USA with a National Championship and you can watch him, and the Bulldogs take on TCU from 11:30am AEST today January 10 across the screens of Foxtel, Kayo and ESPN.