Stetson Bennett should be expected to win the starting job thanks to his chemistry with Georgia’s receiving core, experience, and mobility
Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett is returning for one final season in Athens. Bennett elected to return to school over entering the 2022 NFL draft or transferring.
Bennett, who was excellent in the College Football Playoff, will be favored to win the job as starting quarterback at Georgia. Bennett will face competition from Carson Beck, Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton.
For the second consecutive season, Georgia’s prior season-opening starter at quarterback is transferring.
In 2020, Georgia opened the season with D’Wan Mathis, but Stetson Bennett quickly took over. Mathis transferred to Temple following the season.
In 2021, J.T. Daniels helped Georgia knock off Clemson to open the season. The Dawgs later turned to Bennett after Daniels suffered an oblique injury. Daniels is in the NCAA transfer portal.
Brock Vandagriff may prove to be Georgia’s stoutest competition for Bennett. The redshirt freshman quarterback is mobile and now has more familiarity with Todd Monken’s system. Last season, Georgia showed how important it is to have a mobile quarterback. Vandagriff attempted only one pass in 2021.
Georgia quarterback Brock Vandagriff throws a pass during the Georgia G-Day spring football game in 2021. Photo/Joshua L. Jones, Athens Banner-Herald
Carson Beck likely enters spring as the No. 2 quarterback. Beck played before Vandagriff last season and has one more year of experience. Beck threw for 176 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions last season.
Bennett has been doubted before and has not started either of the past two seasons as the starter. Bennett should be expected to win the job thanks to his chemistry with Georgia’s receiving core, experience and mobility. Bennett’s excellence in 2021 should not be overlooked. He finished with the 40th-most efficient passing season of all-time.
The Georgia Bulldogs have extended a preferred walk-on scholarship offer to Luke Bennett.
The Georgia Bulldogs have extended a preferred walk-on scholarship offer to Luke Bennett, who is a member of the class of 2022. Bennett primarily plays wide receiver, but also featured as a running back for Pierce County High School.
Luke Bennett is the brother of Georgia starting quarterback Stetson Bennett. The Pierce County wide receiver runs a 4.5 forty-yard dash.
Luke Bennett, like his brother, has not received much major recruiting attention from college. Bennett is 5-foot-11 and weighs 175-pounds. Bennett has one Division 1 offer from the University of New Hampshire.
If Luke Bennett commits to Georgia, then he’d have an opportunity to play alongside his brother. Stetson Bennett announced his return to the University of Georgia earlier this offseason.
Georgia has signed four wide receivers in the class of 2022. Preferred walk-ons are never expected to start or contribute as much as scholarship players on Saturdays. Stetson Bennett proved that a walk-on can make a massive difference for a college football program.
Luke Bennett received his preferred walk-on offer from UGA the night before national signing day.
Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett posted to his Instagram story on Wednesday afternoon that he will be returning to Georgia for one more season.
Bennett, who helped Georgia to become college football national champions, threw for 29 touchdowns and only seven interceptions in 12 starts in 2021. He was named Offensive MVP of the national championship game against Alabama.
There was big news for the Georgia Bulldogs on Wednesday. One quarterback entered the transfer portal and another announced his return. Fresh off his national championship Stetson Bennett announced that he will return to lead the Dawgs for one more …
There was big news for the Georgia Bulldogs on Wednesday. One quarterback entered the transfer portal and another announced his return.
Fresh off his national championship Stetson Bennett announced that he will return to lead the Dawgs for one more season.
JT Daniels announced that he has entered the transfer portal.
5 thoughts from Georgia’s win over Alabama in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship
Stetson Bennett’s big drive, to the loss of Jameson Williams, to Georgia being THE team of 2021, here are 5 National Championship thoughts from the terrific game.
Now that the dust has settled after Georgia beat Alabama for the College Football Playoff National Championship – and after getting a shot to watch the game again after spending a fun night in a raucous and very cold Lucas Oil Stadium – here are the 5 main takeaways with 24 hours to let it all sink in.
5. Georgia was the team of 2021
Yeah, of course – it won the national championship. Losing the SEC Championship – as it turned out – didn’t matter, and it might have been just what the Dawgs needed.
You want focus? LB Nakobe Dean was so locked in on Alabama that he ended up wearing a Tide national championship hat after it was all over.
Obviously that was a mistake, but the loss in Atlanta refocused the effort. Any possibility of overconfidence was gone, the mission was to take down Bama – of course it was going to be Georgia-Alabama in the national championship – and this veteran team full of superstar talent had the laser focus needed to pull this off.
2021 Georgia was the team of the year, just like 2020 Alabama was the team of the year, just like LSU owned the 2019 season.
Georgia’s defense stopped Clemson to start the season – getting the only touchdown of the game on a pick six – and it ended the season with a dramatic pick six.
2021 Alabama might have rented the top spot for several weeks, but it was Georgia’s turn thanks to that D that helped bail out …
I think it’s safe to say Stetson Bennett had a pretty good time last night. It’s almost a requirement to go out and have a bit of fun after winning a national championship in the College Football Playoff.
Especially when you’re the quarterback? And you made the biggest throw of the game in the 4th quarter to put your team up? Yeah, you deserve to have a bit of fun.
And, clearly, Bennett did. We know because he showed up for his Good Morning America interview looking like he needed quite a few cups of coffee.
Y’all. My guy looks like he didn’t sleep at all.
"You gotta bet on yourself." — Stetson Bennett on his journey from walk-on player to @georgiafootball's starting quarterback!
Michael Strahan greets him so enthusiastically. “Stetson, good morning my friend. How are you feeling after that incredible performance last night? Have you had a chance to get any sleep?”
We all know the answer is no. But Stetson says “You know, a few hours. Um, not many. Been wondering about…yeah, no, not many.”
Not many, huh? Yeah, this face definitely looks like less than one.
So I guess “not many” is an accurate way to describe this? Get that boy some coffee. Maybe some Pedialyte, too? The party isn’t stopping anytime soon.
Twitter had so many jokes about this. Poor Stetson.
5 takeaways from Alabama’s heartbreaking championship loss to Georgia
You win some and you lose some. Unfortunately, for Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide, the loss came in the College Football Playoff national championship game at the hands of the Georgia Bulldogs 33-18.
The score isn’t a true indicator of how close the game truly was from start to finish. Both teams traded blows for the majority of the contest, but the Bulldogs took over late in the fourth quarter and iced the game with a pick-six off of Bryce Young.
As we drown in our sorrows, let’s take a look at five of the takeaways from Alabama’s heartbreaking loss.
The Georgia Bulldogs are finally national champions! Kirby Smart, Stetson Bennett, and UGA prevailed in a win over the Alabama Crimson Tide.
The Georgia Bulldogs are finally national champions! The years of heartbreak are in the rearview mirror for Bulldog nation.
Kirby Smart, Stetson Bennett, Nakobe Dean, and Georgia prevailed in a 33-18 victory over Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Georgia ended a seven-game losing streak against Alabama in a back-and-forth national championship win.
A low-scoring first half featured stout red zone defense and an unfortunate injury to star Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams. Alabama held a 9-6 halftime lead over Georgia.
Georgia Bulldogs players wave a championship flag after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide during the 2022 CFP National Championship Game. (Joshua Bickel-USA TODAY Sports)
Georgia overcame penalties, settling for field goals, and poor first-half offensive line play with their physical play and several clutch performances in the second half. Zamir White scored Georgia’s first touchdown late in the third quarter after a 67-yard James Cook run, which came one play after Jalen Carter blocked a 48-yard Alabama field goal attempt.
The Dawgs slowed down Heisman winning quarterback Bryce Young throughout the game. Young averaged only 6.5 yards per attempt in Alabama’s loss. UGA disrupted Young and forced him into a pair of second-half interceptions.
The game could’ve changed to the all-too-familiar story against Alabama when Stetson Bennett fumbled the ball deep in Georgia territory early in the fourth quarter. Several plays later Alabama scored a touchdown to go up 18-13. Things looked bleak for Georgia.
On the next drive, Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett had to prove his championship resilience. Bennett walked on to Georgia, transferred to Jones College, and then transferred back to UGA and won a national title against college football’s best dynasty of all time. You know the story. It is the sort of thing that Hollywood makes movies about and members of the media never stop talking about.
Bennett, who was crying tears of joy following Kelee Ringo’s interception return for a touchdown, hit Jermaine Burton for an 18-yard pass after his fumble. After an Alabama penalty and a completion, the Crimson Tide sacked Bennett for one of their five sacks on the day. Facing second-and-18, Stetson Bennett connected with Adonai Mitchell on a 40-yard touchdown pass. Georgia never looked back.
Former Jones College quarterback Stetson Bennett proved the doubters wrong and beat Alabama. (Photo: Bob Smith / For the Clarion Ledger)
The Bulldogs forced an Alabama three-and-out. Georgia’s offensive line dominated Alabama as the Dawgs drove the ball into the red zone behind a spirited rushing attack. Later, Stetson Bennett connected with Brock Bowers to score another touchdown. UGA helped a 26-18 lead.
The Dawgs needed to stop Bryce Young and Alabama to win a national championship. Young and the Crimson Tide drove the ball near midfield before he threw a third-down interception to UGA’s Kelee Ringo. Ringo returned the pick to the house to seal Georgia’s 33-18 national championship win.
Several things stand out for the Dawgs.
Kirby Smart and the coaching staff deserve a lot of credit for switching up his offensive line. Smart subbed in Broderick Jones midway through the second quarter. Jones played well against Will Anderson and helped the Bulldogs run the football. Anderson is the best pass rusher in college football and has the most sacks in the country.
Stetson Bennett withstood nearly three touchdown-less quarters, five sacks, and a devastating late turnover to throw a pair of touchdown passes while winning a championship.
Georgia’s defense held up strong in the red zone. The Bulldogs had one extra red zone opportunity in the half thanks to Kelee Ringo’s effort. Alabama tight end Cameron Latu beat Kelee Ringo on an out route and raced towards the end zone. Ringo didn’t give up. He chased down Latu and UGA held the Crimson Tide to a field goal.
The Georgia QB explained his mindset after a costly turnover vs. Alabama.
Stetson Bennett was in a rough situation after taking a sack early in the fourth quarter of the College Football Playoff National Championship game on Monday. Not only was he sacked for a loss of 11 yards, but then what looked like a forward pass attempt on his part was ruled a fumble, and Alabama defensive back Brian Branch recovered it in the most casual way possible.
But — as Bennett said after Georgia won, 33-18, and claimed its first national championship since 1980 — he wasn’t going to let that questionable blunder on his part decide the game.
So after the No. 3 Bulldogs turned the ball over and Alabama capitalized on the next drive with a touchdown to take an 18-13 lead, Bennett was determined to turn things around.
On Georgia’s next drive, Bennett threw 3-for-3 (with one of his five sacks in there), including connecting with wide receiver Adonai Mitchell for a monster 40-yard touchdown on 2nd-and-18.
Bennett finished with 224 yards and two touchdowns, completing 17-of-26 passes against Alabama.
After going from a walk-on player to a national champion, Bennett explained to ESPN what his mindset was after the sack and fumble, which could have turned disastrous for Georgia. He said:
“I just knew there’s gonna be no way we’re gonna let a turnover like that stop us from from winning a national championship. There’s no way. I wasn’t gonna let that happen. I wasn’t going to be the reason we lost tonight. …
“I had to [get back in the right mindset]. I had to — otherwise, we were gonna lose because they capitalized on that. And I was like, ‘Well, I gotta fix this.'”
"I just love everything about this place and I wanted to win a national championship here."
Understandably, Bennett was emotional after his team won the national title, and he said he began tearing up once defensive back Kelee Ringo picked off Alabama’s Bryce Young with less than a minute remaining in the game. In fact, Bennett said he was so overcome with emotion that he actually missed Ringo complete the pick-six.
The Georgia quarterback told ESPN:
“It just hit me. I didn’t even watch Kelee score. I thought he went down right when he caught it because as soon as he caught it, I just teared up. Just wasn’t planning on it. I mean, good Lord. Wow.”
From walk-on to national champion at his home state school.
Georgia downs Alabama for the college football national championship
Stetson Bennett threw a pair of touchdown passes in the fourth quarter as Georgia scored 20 straight points and defeated Alabama, 33-18, to win the College Football Playoff National Championship Game Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Bulldogs finished 14-1 and avenged their lone loss of the season, a 41-24 defeat to the Crimson Tide (13-2) in the SEC Championship Game in December.
The CFP title game was hard-hitting and tight throughout. Alabama took advantage of a turnover by Georgia and moved ahead 18-13 on a pass from Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young to tight end Cameron Latu with 10:14 left.
The Bulldogs then got in gear thanks to Bennett, the lesser-known of the quarterbacks.
Bennett first took advantage of an Alabama offside and threw a 40-yard TD pass to Adonal Mitchell to give Georgia the lead.
With 3:33 left, Bennett threw a TD pass to Brock Bowers for a 26-18 lead.
From walk-on to national champion at his home state school.
It was the freshman’s first interception and it was the first time in Young’s career that he threw two picks in one game.
This is Georgia’s first national championship in football since 1980.
Georgia wins its 2nd national championship since the introduction of the AP Poll in 1936 (other in 1980), which snapped their 40-year national title drought.
That is the longest drought snapped by a national champion since Auburn ended a 52-year drought in 2010 pic.twitter.com/mAlvgMHdd9
