Stetson Bennett Announces Return to Georgia for 2022 Season: 'One More Year'
Jan 19, 2022
Georgia's Stetson Bennett celebrates after the College Football Playoff championship football game against Alabama Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, in Indianapolis. Georgia won 33-18. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Stetson Bennett is ready to run things back for the national champions.
The Georgia Bulldogs quarterback, who just helped lead his team to a victory over Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, announced Wednesday he will be returning to the program for "one more year":
While there is something to be said about this potentially being the opportunity for Bennett to go out on top and try his hand at the NFL after winning a championship, he also isn't widely considered a top draft prospect.
The B/R NFL Scouting Department did not have him among its top 150 players overall or top seven quarterbacks in its big board from earlier this month. Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder, Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett and Ole Miss' Matt Corral were the top three quarterbacks on the list.
Yet Bennett will have an opportunity to further prove himself at the collegiate level in 2022 during a season when Georgia will surely get every opponent's best shot as the defending champion.
Regardless of whether he eventually makes the NFL or not, he will forever be a Bulldogs legend.
He went from former walk-on quarterback to making key throws on the sport's biggest stage against its most daunting opponent in Alabama. He threw for 224 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions against the Crimson Tide with both touchdowns coming in a legendary fourth quarter as Georgia completed a comeback.
Bennett's return is all the more important because Pete Thamel of ESPN reported JT Daniels is in the transfer portal. Quarterback depth would have been a concern if Bennett also left.
Instead, he will be back to defend his crown as the Bulldogs prepare to face a challenging 2022 schedule that includes matchups with Oregon, Auburn and Florida.
Nolan Smith to Return to Georgia for Senior Season After National Championship Win
Jan 17, 2022
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JANUARY 10: Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Nolan Smith (4) celebrates with a cigar following the CFP National Championship college football game against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Jan. 10, 2022 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Georgia Bulldogs edge-rusher Nolan Smith announced on Monday he's returning to the school for his senior season:
Smith was a key player for the Bulldogs in their run to a national championship, posting 56 tackles (nine for loss), 3.5 sacks, an interception and 27 quarterback hurries on the season.
Smith famously sacked Bryce Young on the final play of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game:
Georgia's dominant defense from this past season is losing cornerback Derion Kendrick, safety Lewis Cine, linebacker Nakobe Dean and defensive lineman Travon Walker to the NFL draft and defensive back Latavious Brini to the transfer portal.
Defensive coordinator Dan Lanning is also departing the program after accepting the head-coaching position at Oregon.
So the Bulldogs will have some fresh faces on the defensive side of the ball next season. Getting back Smith will help alleviate those adjustments, however.
While it's good news for Georgia, it also may have been the logical career move for Smith as well. In December, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. did not have him ranked as one of the 2022 NFL draft's top-10 defensive ends or outside linebackers.
The upcoming draft class is pretty loaded on the edge, with players like Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo, Oregon's Kayvon Thibodeaux and Purdue's George Karlaftis all likely to be first-round picks, among others.
Returning to Georgia for another season will allow Smith to improve his draft stock and work his way into the first-round conversation.
Defensive backs Tykee Smith and Christopher Smith are also returning to the Bulldogs for their senior seasons, per ESPN's Alex Scarborough.
Georgia Parade 2022: Twitter Reaction, Photos, Videos and More
Jan 15, 2022
Georgia players celebrate after the College Football Playoff championship football game Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, in Indianapolis. Georgia won 33-18. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
The University of Georgia celebrated its first national championship in college football since 1980 on Saturday with a parade through the streets of Athens, Georgia.
Saturday's parade came just five days after the Bulldogs got revenge for an SEC Championship Game loss by beating the Alabama Crimson Tide 33-18 in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
The celebration began on the streets, which were lined with thousands of Bulldogs fans cheering the players and coaches who made the return to the top of college football possible:
Rather than traditional floats, the team made its way down the parade route in trucks, as well as on bales of hay on a flatbed attached to a semitruck:
During the early portion of the parade, fans were whipped into a frenzy by head coach Kirby Smart, who led the way as the cavalcade progressed toward Sanford Stadium for the championship trophy ceremony:
While Smart received a great reaction, the most beloved figure of the day may have been quarterback Stetson Bennett, who interacted with adoring fans throughout the parade route:
Bennett is an Atlanta native and a longtime fan of the Bulldogs who took a long and winding road to the role as Georgia's starting quarterback.
After transferring from Georgia to Jones County Junior College in 2018 and then returning, Bennett became the starter last season and firmly established himself in that position this season.
The senior signal-caller came through on the big stage Monday, outdueling Alabama's Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback in Bryce Young and throwing for 224 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score to Adonai Mitchell with 8:09 remaining in the game and another to tight end Brock Bowers with 3:33 left.
Bennett went down in Georgia football lore forever with that performance, and fans showed their gratitude Saturday.
As Bennett and the rest of the Bulldogs made their way toward Sanford Stadium, the venue filled up with a raucous crowd ready to erupt for the new national champs:
Once the Bulldogs made it into Sanford Stadium in front of a nearly capacity crowd of 92,000, Smart took to the podium and put an exclamation point on Georgia's championship-winning season.
For one, Smart held up the CFP Championship trophy, much to the delight of the Bulldogs faithful:
Smart also gave a passionate speech, which he concluded by insisting that Georgia will be in full pursuit of a repeat next season:
"We're burning the boats, baby, and we're coming back!" --Kirby Smart not afraid of high expectations ... and no reason to lower them pic.twitter.com/G5FOvmW6AM
One of the most memorable moments of the day came courtesy of defensive lineman Jordan Davis after he addressed the crowd.
Davis revealed that he was wearing an Atlanta Braves jersey under his gear, which led to the Sanford Stadium fans doing the tomahawk chop in celebration of both the Braves and Bulldogs:
“Go Braves and go Dawgs.” Jordan Davis reveals he’s wearing #Braves jersey at end of his speech. Sanford Stadium started doing the chop. pic.twitter.com/Y2SUqwiA3x
The Braves started the recent championship run for the state of Georgia during the fall when they beat the Houston Astros in the World Series, clinching the franchise's first title since 1995.
After going decades without a major sports title in the state of Georgia, the Braves and Bulldogs have put the Peach State back at the forefront of the sports world.
Given the amount of talent Smart continues to bring in, it is possible this season's national championship could be the first of many in the years to come, meaning there may be several more parades in the offing as well.
Georgia's Nakobe Dean Declares for 2022 NFL Draft After CFP Title Win vs. Alabama
Jan 14, 2022
JACKSONVILLE, FL - OCTOBER 30: Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Nakobe Dean (17) during the game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Florida Gators on October 30, 2021 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean announced Friday on Instagram that he is forgoing his senior season and declaring for the 2022 NFL draft.
The B/R NFL Scouting Department ranks Dean as the No. 1 linebacker and No. 21 overall prospect in the 2022 draft class. The group's latest mock draft before Monday's College Football Playoff title game had Dean going 16th overall to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Pro Football Focus thinks highly of his work, too:
Highest-graded box players in 2021 💥
1. Nakobe Dean, Georgia (91.9) 2. Leo Chenal, Wisconsin (91.3) 3. Chad Muma, Wyoming (91.3) 4. Jack Sanborn, Wisconsin (90.0) 5. Devin Lloyd, Utah (88.7) pic.twitter.com/XYaDGKIdDp
His leadership and intangibles are also big plusses.
Nakobe Dean will be a true leader of a defense at the next level. Not just a playmaker, but has an attitude that permeates to others. https://t.co/HpVJF9gCBS
From providing food to the homeless, to street cleanups and more, Georgia LB Nakobe Dean, with the help of his mother, has made it a priority to give back to Athens and his hometown of Horn Lake, MS.
Dean helped lead a Georgia defense that allowed a Division I FBS-best 10.2 points per game this past season. He finished the year with 72 tackles (36 solo), six sacks, five pass breakups and two interceptions.
The star linebacker shouldn't wait too long to hear his name called. The Eagles in particular have a need for playmaking linebackers who can rush the passer, and they currently own the 15th, 16th and 19th overall selections.
Dean wasn't the only Georgia player to declare for the draft Friday, as wideout George Pickens announced his intentions to go pro as well.
WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg Says His Son Gage's No. 1 Goal Is to Play for Georgia
Jan 12, 2022
Fresh off watching his alma mater win the College Football Playoff Championship, WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg hopes to have another reason to cheer for Georgia football in the near-future.
Speaking to TMZ Sports, Goldberg said his son's "No. 1 goal right now is to be a Georgia Bulldog."
Gage Goldberg still has two more years of high school before he will go off to college. TMZ noted the 15-year-old has been attending Georgia head coach Kirby Smart's football camp for years.
The elder Goldberg noted that Gage is involved in multiple sports, including baseball, football and wrestling.
Bill did joke he will support his son no matter where he ends up going to college, so long as it's not the University of Florida.
"Our goal as parents is to provide our son with the best opportunity to follow his dreams," he said. "Whether it's football, baseball or wrestling. Whatever it may be, we’re in his corner. One hundred percent. Unless he wants to go to Florida—then I have to put him up for adoption."
Goldberg appeared in 22 games for the Bulldogs between 1987 and 1989. He was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the 11th round of the 1990 NFL draft but didn't appear in a game until 1992 with the Atlanta Falcons.
The Carolina Panthers selected Goldberg in the 1995 expansion draft. He wound up being the first player to be cut by the franchise.
Goldberg moved into professional wrestling soon after, making his debut in WCW by defeating Hugh Morris on the Sept. 22, 1997, episode of Nitro to kick-start his famous undefeated streak that would last 15 months until he lost the WCW title to Kevin Nash.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).
Georgia Parade 2022: Route, Date, Time, Live Stream and TV Info
Jan 11, 2022
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JANUARY 10: Head Coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrates after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide during the College Football Playoff Championship held at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 10, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images)
The University of Georgia is planning a
parade Saturday to celebrate the Bulldogs' victory over Alabama on
Monday night to win the college football national championship for
the first time since 1980.
Chip Towers of the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution reported Tuesday the preliminary plans call for the
celebration to get underway at noon ET followed by a gathering at Sanford Stadium, which is tentatively scheduled for 2 p.m. local
time.
The Dawgs used a second-half surge to
score a 33-18 win over the Crimson Tide at Lucas Oil Stadium in
Indianapolis to secure the program's second national title.
Georgia Parade Information
When: Saturday, Jan. 15 at noon. ET
Where: Lumpkin Street and Sanford
Stadium in Athens
Watch: TBA
Live Stream: TBA
Georgia has become the home of
championship parades in recent months with MLB's Atlanta Braves
previously celebrating their 2021 World Series championship in
November.
Fans were quick to note they hope the
Bulldogs' buses move a little slower than those carrying members of
the Braves, which zoomed through downtown Atlanta en route to the
club's Truist Park in nearby Cobb County:
The Dawgs opened the 2021 campaign with
a tense 10-3 victory over No. 3 Clemson, and then began a run of
dominance that saw them win all of their remaining regular-season
games by at least 17 points.
Alabama handed them their first loss of
the season, a 41-24 defeat in the SEC Championship Game, but the UGA
defense returned to form in Monday's title game by holding the Tide
to 18 points.
Stetson Bennett and the Georgia
offense, which were held in check for much of the night, came alive
late with a pair of passing touchdowns in the fourth quarter to take
control. Adonai Mitchell and Brock Bowers were on the receiving end
of the game-changing scores.
Kelee Ringo added a 79-yard
interception return for a touchdown inside the final minute to bring
an end to Bama's comeback efforts and secure the win for the
Bulldogs.
It capped an impressive end to the year
for Kirby Smart's group, which had blown out second-seeded Michigan
in the CFP semifinals.
Georgia and its fans will celebrate the
championship Saturday, but the work to defend the title is already
well underway. The Bulldogs own the third-best recruiting class in
the nation, according to 247Sports' rankings.
The Dawgs are scheduled to kick off the
2022 campaign Sept. 3 when they welcome Oregon to Mercedes-Benz
Stadium in Atlanta.
Georgia Waited Decades for This Moment, and Kirby Smart Finally Delivered
Jan 11, 2022
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart celebrates after the College Football Playoff championship football game against Alabama Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, in Indianapolis. Georgia won 33-18. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
INDIANAPOLIS – First, they threw beer bottles. Then, they cried.
Tears of joy. Tears of disbelief. Tears of emotions that have gone untapped since Georgia's last national championship more than four decades ago.
For 41 years, Georgia fans wondered when it would come. And they wondered, perhaps most of all, who would be the person to finally guide them there.
Kirby Smart is that person. In one night, the questions surrounding his ability to take that next,nextstep vanished. The lost opportunities and that lingering, overpowering feeling ofalmostvanished over the course of four hours.
The understudy finally beat the teacher. The G.O.A.T. finally lost to his former defensive coordinator and friend—a moment neither Smart nor Nick Saban is soon to forget.
"It's not for me," Smart said after Georgia beat Alabama 33-18 to win the national championship. "I know it's for the Georgia people and all that, but it's really for these guys that have given so much, and I certainly appreciate what they've done."
This was very personal and very emotional. For Smart. For Saban. For the fans.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JANUARY 10: Georgia Bulldogs QB Stetson Bennett (13) kisses the National Championship Trophy after the Alabama Crimson Tide versus the Georgia Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff National Championship, on January 10, 2022, at Lucas
Those emotions poured out of the Lucas Oil Stadium seats and on to the field throughout Monday night. When things looked to be turning in Alabama's favor following a fumble, the aluminum bottles went flying.
But when Georgia finally conquered Alabama, somewhat fittingly on a Kelee Ringo interception that he ran back 79 yards for a touchdown, the tears began to flow.
Joy, an emotion Bulldogs fans have struggled to grasp, radiated through the stadium in a way it rarely does.
At the center of it all was the architect. Not quarterback Stetson Bennett, who shared his own tears on the sideline as the seconds ticked away and the outcome was realized. Not Jordan Davis nor Nakobe Dean, the defensive staples for the best defensive team in college football, who loomed large all season.
But Smart, who's never received the proper credit for Georgia's meteoric rise. Even now, having won the school's first national championship since 1980, the credit will undoubtedly be spread elsewhere first. And Smart will gladly help facilitate that praise.
"It's a blessing to be the head coach at University of Georgia, and the men on this team, a lot of them juniors and seniors, will be remembered for a long time," Smart added. "This is a special group."
Before Monday, the conversation surrounding Smart was rarely about what he's built along the way—a run of historic recruiting classes that grew into the most talented roster in the country. It was never about building a dominant program. It was never about constructing one of the greatest defenses the sport has seen in some while.
It was about his shortcomings. It was about his 0-4 record against Alabama heading into Monday. It was about the loss to his former boss in the SEC Championship Game. It was about everything Georgia wasn't in key moments.
And for much of this game, it appeared as though a similar script was being crafted.
Georgia's offense mustered up just six points in the first half. Penalties stalled drives. Mistakes, in a game where little detail mattered, were more pronounced.
You could feel it. All the same emotions. All the same concerns. They were unfolding in real time, right on cue.
And then, the doubt was no more.
Georgia found its offense, largely through Bennett. While many clamored for Smart to turn to backup QB JT Daniels after Alabama cruised past Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, the head coach never budged.
Even on Monday, before the touchdowns came, it felt like Daniels might appear. But he never did.
Smart stuck with his quarterback, the former walk-on, rather than the former 5-star recruit who was thought to be the missing piece. Had the decision backfired, it would have lingered throughout Athens all offseason.
It never did. Bennett threw two fourth-quarter touchdowns to lead Georgia to a win.
"The one thing that stood out to me was Stetson," running back Zamir White said. "Just seeing him haveall this pressure on him, all the crowd noise and him going through that and fighting it out and just seeing him just cry, just tears of joy, man. It was really priceless."
Along the way, Georgia pushed back. The offensive line carved out huge holes for the running backs. The defensive line, which could do little to slow Bryce Young in the first game, overwhelmed the Heisman winner this time around.
Georgia never broke. In fact, the roles reversed, and Alabama could do nothing to stop it.
When the game ended, Smart and Saban met at midfield. The two, having won championships together in Tuscaloosa, shared an embrace you rarely see from coaches with the kinds of stakes and passion attached.
The master hugged his prized pupil. Heck, Saban even cracked a smile at Smart's triumph—the ultimate sign of respect from the man who has made these moments look so normal.
"I love Kirby," Saban said following the loss. "He did a great job for us for a long time. If we had to lose a national championship, I'd rather lose one to one of the former assistants who certainly did a great job for us and has done a great job for his program and his team. If any team deserves, they deserve it."
Georgia did it. Smart did it.
It didn't happen overnight. It took time and talent. And, yes, it took disappointment along the way. The journey, while imperfect, made the moment that much sweeter.
With a roster largely compiled of some of the best football players in the country, there's no reason the Bulldogs won't be in a position to do it again next year and beyond. Smart has constructed something built to last. Having seen exactly what sustained greatness looks like at Alabama, Smart has established a foundation that is likely to carry into 2022 and beyond.
That conversation, however, will have to wait. This one cannot and should not go quietly. Not after 41 years of waiting. Not after so many close calls. There are still tears to be shed and celebrations to be had.
Georgia fans waited four decades for this moment. They questioned whether it would ever come.
They just needed the right coach at the right time.
At long last, they've found him.
Georgia LB Nakobe Dean Mistakenly Given Alabama Championship Hat After UGA Wins Title
Jan 11, 2022
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JANUARY 10: Christopher Smith #29 and Nakobe Dean #17 of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrate an interception against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the College Football Playoff Championship held at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 10, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images)
Sometimes it's easy to go into a college football season assuming Alabama is going to win the national championship because it happens so often.
Perhaps the person who handed out the title-winning hats after Georgia's triumphant 33-18 victory in Monday's College Football Playoff National Championship Game made that same assumption.
After all, Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean was wearing a Crimson Tide championship hat after the win:
If anyone deserved the right hats, it was members of the Georgia defense. That unit flew around throughout the game and held Alabama out of the end zone for all but one possession.
Kelee Ringo's pick-six of Heisman winner Bryce Young in the final minutes sealed the victory and fittingly kept the Bulldogs defense in the spotlight.
Now if only they can get some hats with the correct logo.
Stetson Bennett, Georgia Beat Alabama in CFP Championship Game; 1st Title Since 1980
Jan 11, 2022
Georgia's Zamir White celebrates after running for a touchdown during the second half of the College Football Playoff championship football game against Alabama Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
There is a new king atop the college football throne.
The Georgia Bulldogs defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide 33-18 in Monday's College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Georgia avenged its loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game and won its first national title since 1980.
Stetson Bennett, Zamir White and the defense led the way for the victors, who were finally able to topple Nick Saban's powerhouse with so much at stake.
Bryce Young's 369 passing yards were not enough for the Crimson Tide, who failed to become the first back-to-back champion of the CFP era.
The Heisman winner threw a pick-six to Kelee Ringo in the final minutes while trailing by eight, which clinched the triumphant victory for the Bulldogs.
Kirby Smart has built a juggernaut in Georgia, but the Alabama obstacle has prevented his program from taking the next step. In fact, the Bulldogs entered Monday's game with an 0-4 record against the Crimson Tide under Smart with two of the losses coming in the SEC title game and another coming in the national title game.
It looked to be more of the same for the Georgia offense with Will Anderson and other Alabama defenders shedding blocks, meeting ball-carriers in the holes and pressuring Bennett.
The Bulldogs didn't do much to erase any lingering offensive question marks with just two Jack Podlesny field goals in the opening half, although their defense kept them well within striking distance and opened the door for a second-half turnaround.
Enter the running game, as White built some momentum even on an empty drive that stalled with an intentional grounding on a flea flicker. James Cook then turned in one of the biggest plays of the game with a 67-yard scamper two possessions later to set up White for the lead and the game's first touchdown late in the third quarter.
That's when things went full tilt for the Bulldogs offense in the fourth quarter.
First, Bennett dropped back and lost a fumble deep in his own territory on a play that required a lengthy review to see if it was a pass and whether Brian Branch was in bounds when he recovered it. Then, now trailing, Bennett responded with a beautiful touchdown pass to Adonai Mitchell on the next possession to retake the lead.
The Bulldogs kept rolling from there following a defensive stop with White churning yards and clock and Bennett finding Brock Bowers for a touchdown.
While the defense will receive plenty of deserved accolades, especially after Ringo's memorable interception, it was an incredible response from an offense that has received criticism at times this season. Bennett bounced right back from his turnover that temporarily cost his team the lead and is a national champion as a result.
Alabama's Shorthanded Offense Comes Up Short Against Bulldogs Defense
If there was ever a team that could be overconfident as an underdog in a national title game, it was Alabama. After all, it just defeated Georgia by 17 points in the conference title game and entered play with the Heisman Trophy winner under center.
Yet it was clear from the start the Crimson Tide were facing a different challenge against Georgia's daunting defense with players like Nakobe Dean and Lewis Cine flying around and Jordan Davis bringing the power up front. All Alabama managed in the first half was three Will Reichard field goals as the Bulldogs defense tightened up in the red zone with its game-changing speed.
Things became even more difficult for the defending champions when Jameson Williams was helped off the field with a knee injury. They were already without their other star receiver in John Metchie III, which put even more pressure on Young to carry the offense.
Perhaps feeling that pressure, he threw an ugly interception to Christopher Smith on Alabama's opening possession of the second half. That inspired a shift in offensive strategy and commitment to Brian Robinson Jr., who powered his way through arm tackles and picked up key yardage after the catch on short passes.
Even that 17-play drive only led to a field-goal attempt, which Georgia blocked and dramatically swung momentum. Things got more dire when a fourth-quarter drive stalled inside the 5-yard line for a field goal, but the Crimson Tide finally found the end zone on their next possession thanks to a short field following a turnover.
Young hit Cameron Latu for the go-ahead score after scrambling out of the pocket, but that was the last positive for the offense.
It's next possession came facing a one-point deficit and ended quickly with a 3-and-out. Another Georgia touchdown pushed the lead to eight, and Young then threw the pick-six that fittingly ended the game with the dominant Bulldogs defense making the headlines.
Georgia QB Stetson Bennett: It's Not My Job to Be 'Savior' by Winning CFP Title Game
Jan 3, 2022
Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett tosses oranges after their win against Michigan in the Orange Bowl NCAA College Football Playoff semifinal game, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Georgia won 34-11.(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Stetson Bennett isn't trying to play outside of himself when his No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs face the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game next Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The young quarterback also isn't trying to treat the matchup as something different than any other football game.
Do I know this mean's a lot to a lot of people? Yes. Am I trying to play some kind of savior by winning a national championship for millions of people? No.
Stetson Bennett bleeds red & black & knows what kind of hero he could become, but he is trying to not focus on it #UGApic.twitter.com/1Sj1SzScSd
"Maybe I'm not capable of holding that weight on my shoulders, but no, I'm just treating it as a football game," Bennett told reporters Monday. "Do I know that means a lot to a lot of people? Yes. Am I trying to play some kind of savior by winning a national championship for millions of people? No.
"I don't think that's my job. My job is to go out there and throw completions to very talented people we have on this team. And I think it's as simple as that."
Bennett threw for 340 yards and three touchdowns in Georgia's first meeting with Alabama this season, a 41-24 loss in the SEC Championship Game. But he also had two costly interceptions.
"You've got to play well," Georgia head coach Kirby Smart told reporters about facing Alabama. "You've got to play well in the red area. You've got to play [good] situational football. You can't turn the ball over and expect to beat good football teams. Those are things that we have done when we played them. We turned it over, and we can't do that."
It would be easy for Bennett and Smart to feel the pressure against Alabama. For one, a national championship is on the line. But Georgia has also lost seven straight games against the Crimson Tide, including a 26-23 defeat in the CFP Championship Game in the 2017 season.
Bennett was a redshirt scout-team quarterback during that season. He was on the sidelines for that loss. He knows what this game means. He also knows that, for 60 minutes between the white lines, it's still just football.
"I know it means a lot to a lot of people," he said. "Is it just another game? No, I'm not silly. But I don't think for 20-year-old kids you can put that kind of pressure on yourself, because you might go crazy."
If Bennett plays like he did against Michigan in the CFP semifinals, finishing 20-of-30 for 313 yards with three touchdowns, Georgia is going to be tough to beat.
And if he gives that type of performance and the defense can limit the sort of big downfield plays that Bryce Young and his talented group of receivers pulled off in the first meeting, the Bulldogs are going to be celebrating a national championship in a week.
