Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett delivered when it mattered most against LSU. The super senior tossed a season-high four passing TDs in a 50-30 win over the Tigers that also secured the 2022 SEC Championship and maintained the Bulldogs’ undefeated status for the year.
Each of Bennett’s passing scores came in the first half to four different UGA players: Brock Bowers, Ladd McConkey, Darnell Washington and Dillon Bell.
Afterward, the Bulldogs’ signal-caller acknowledged Georgia’s offensive success came down to its execution.
“I was familiar with the plays. We repped them a lot during the week and during the season. We had executed them during the week,” Bennett said. “When it’s the SEC Championship, you’ve got to play confidently. If you don’t, then they’re going to beat you. [We’ve] got good players. I don’t think I got touched tonight. Our O-line was incredible.”
Bennett completed 23 of 29 pass attempts for 274 yards and four TDs. He spread the wealth around as 10 different Bulldogs hauled in at least one pass. Bennett’s favorite target was Bowers, who caught six passes for 81 yards and a score.
Bennett also highlighted that he thought Georgia’s offense was in sync against the Tigers.
“I felt like we were in a rhythm,” he said. “We were in a zone. It felt like what we were calling, we were executing. We were having fun playing football there.”
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart was impressed with his quarterback’s performance on Saturday.
“I had several people come up to me and say they thought he played the best game of his career tonight,” Smart said. “He played really well.”
Bennett led Georgia to a perfect 13-0 record this season and another College Football Playoff berth. Last year he helped the Bulldogs win its first national championship in 41 years. Now, Bennett has added an SEC Championship to his collegiate resume.
“Yeah, I think winning the SEC [championship] is a big deal. This is the best conference in football,” Bennett said. “National championships are huge and great. That’s our next goal, but the SEC is the first goal and the second goal after winning the East. Winning the SEC championship, there’s only one of those. It’s a banner. It’s the same thing as a national championship, just a little bit smaller scale. So, yeah, it was important.”
The Nahunta, Ga., native has completed 249 of 395 passes for 3,425 yards with 20 TDs and six INTs this season. Bennett has been productive on the ground as well, rushing for 243 yards with seven scores. With a potential two games to go, he also has a chance to become Georgia’s single-season passing leader, a record currently held at 3,893 yards by former quarterback Aaron Murray, holder of multiple program and SEC records.
Following the win, Murray tweeted: “Not only is Stetson Bennett going to NYC, he has moved into GOAT status at UGA. He is the greatest QB in Georgia history.”
Bennett was named the 2022 SEC Championship Game MVP for his performance on Saturday. He becomes the fourth Georgia player to earn the honor, following former Bulldogs David Greene (2002), D.J. Shockley (2005) and Roquan Smith (2017).
Georgia will face Ohio State on Dec. 31, in the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta.