Georgia won national titles 41 years apart. Here are the most memorable games in between

The Georgia Bulldogs ended a 41-season college football national title drought in Monday's championship game with a 33-18 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The Bulldogs played many memorable games between Monday's win and the 17-10 defeat of Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1981.

Here's a look back at key victories - and defeats - during that span.

CFP national championship: Keys to the game for Alabama and Georgia

Kickoff time, streaming, TV channel: Georgia-Alabama football CFP championship

Alumni speak out: Former UGA players, celebrity alumni make Georgia-Alabama national title predictions

Top-4 memorable wins

Dec. 2, 2017, Georgia 28, Auburn 7: The Bulldogs claimed their first Southeastern Conference title since 2005 in Coach Kirby Smart's second season. The win avenged a blowout loss to Auburn suffered three weeks prior and propelled Georgia into the College Football Playoff and a national title game showdown with Alabama (see below).

Oct. 6, 2001, Georgia 26, Tennessee 24: The Dogs' first win in Knoxville since 1980 will forever be remembered for a play call - P-44 Haynes - and a radio call - Larry Munson's "“hobnail boot” reference. Fullback Vernon Haynes caught the game-winning touchdown pass with five seconds left to upset the sixth-ranked Vols. First-year Coach Mark Richt would go on to build Georgia into a perennial power.

Nov. 1, 1997, Georgia 37, Florida 17: The Dogs snapped their longest losing streak in the the rivalry's history - seven games - behind running back Robert Edwards' four touchdowns. Florida was the defending national champion and had won 25 straight SEC East games coming in.

Jan. 2, 1984, Georgia 10, Texas 9: The Bulldogs denied the Longhorns a national championship, rallying to victory in the closing minutes. Quarterback John Lastiger scored the go-ahead touchdown with three minutes remaining. The victory gave Georgia 10 wins on the season, a surprising record given it was the first after Herschel Walker's departure for the NFL.

Top-4 memorable losses

Jan. 18, 2017, Alabama 26, Georgia 24: The Bulldogs led 13-0 at halftime when Alabama Coach Nick Saban benched veteran quarterback Jalen Hurts and inserted true freshman Tua Tagovailoa. He three two touchdown passes in the second half to rally the Crimson Tide and force overtime. Alabama won the game on Tagovailoa's 41-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver DeVonta Smith on a second-and-26 play.

Nov. 2, 2002, Florida 20, Georgia 13: The undefeated Dogs were driving to tie the game with three minutes to play when a wide-open Terrance Edwards dropped a sure touchdown pass. Georgia would finish 13-1 and ranked third in the polls, missing the BCS championship game. Play-by-play man Munson said of the Gators after the loss, "They’ve just ripped our hearts out of our chest and stomped on our heart and ruined our national title."

Nov. 27, 1999, Georgia Tech 51, Georgia 48: The Bulldogs were driving for the would-be winning score when tailback Jasper Sanks lost a fumble at the 2-yard line. A television replay showed Sanks was down before the ball came loose, but the game was played before replay review rules were instituted. Georgia Tech won the game on a Luke Manget field goal in overtime.

Jan. 1, 1983, Penn State 27, Georgia 23: The Nittany Lions spoiled Herschel Walker's final game as a Bulldog and Georgia's hopes for a second national title in three years. Penn State held Walker to 103 yards on 28 carries and stuffed a Walker run on a two-point conversion with four minutes to go that would have narrowed the Dogs' deficit to a field goal.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Biggest wins, losses in Georgia football history since 1980 title