In a slowly emptying Rose Bowl, with red and black confetti covering much of the turf and the echoes of a grand celebration still ringing in the air, Terrell Davis struggled to understand why the previous four hours had felt so consequential and yet so foreign to his alma mater.
Only a few minutes before, Sony Michel had raced around the left end in front of the Georgia sideline and scored on a 27-yard touchdown run that touched off a euphoric eruption on the field and in the stands. The players excitedly dogpiled in a corner of the end zone, and fans in those familiar "G" hats and Rose Bowl-issued polo shirts stormed the field, while others like Davis stood off to the side in wonderment amid the chaos.