Atlanta – no. 1. Georgia maintains its lead in the College Football Playoff standings as the Bulldogs beat the No. 1 team. 14 LSU 50-30 in the 2022 SEC championship game. The Dawgs improved to 13-0 for the first time in program history ahead of the release of the final CFP rankings on Sunday. The defending national champion was never behind, as Georgia captured the program’s fourth SEC title and first since 2017.
Even Georgia, a defensively dominant team last season, didn’t win the SEC crown. It marked the first time the Dawgs have come out of an SEC championship game undefeated; the 2002 and 2017 teams lost one each in the regular season, while the 2005 team lost twice before winning the conference.
A steady touch from sixth-year senior quarterback Stetson Bennett IV — coupled with some terrific drives from LSU — helped the Bulldogs lead 35-10 at halftime.especially trumpet 95 yard touchdown return A blocked shot from Christopher Smith and a interception deflected from the helmet Or an LSU player who helped spark Georgia’s spark in the first half.
After halftime, UGA withstood the charge of the LSU squad. Tigers quarterback Jaden Daniels left the game at halftime with an aggravated ankle injury. LSU took a 35-17 lead, helped by backup Garrett Nusmail, and after the Dodgers made key stops in the fourth and 1 to put LSU University threatened to close when ruled out in the end zone in the middle of the third quarter.
Georgia closed the door from there with field goals of 95 and 75 yards, its 12th double-digit win in 13 games into the playoffs this season.
bad break for the tigers
LSU looked poised to take the first point of the game as the Tigers drove deep into Georgia territory on the second possession. Then came an odd game that turned the momentum around and set the tone for the first half. Georgia defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse blocks a 32-yard field goal attempt by LSU kicker Damian Ramos and dribbles the ball to the goal line. Georgia’s Christopher Smith picked it up and ran for 95 yards for a stunning touchdown before the ball stopped moving.
Georgia benefited from an odd interception similar to linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. late in the half. He came up with a pick after the football bounced off the helmet of LSU catcher Jack Bech. On Georgia’s first play of subsequent possession, Bennett found Ladd McConkie for a 22-yard touchdown that put the Bulldogs up 21-7.
Combined, those two games were fatal for an LSU team that entered with a 17.5-point deficit.
benett’s unfinished business
Bennett accomplished little in his storybook career. The diminutive former running back could now add an SEC champion to his roster. Bennett threw four touchdown passes — all in the first half — and threw the football to 10 different targets during the game. During the SEC Championship Game era, quarterbacks such as Eric Zell, Quincy Carter, David Green, DJ Shockley, Matthew Stafford, Aaron Murray and Jake Fromm all came from Georgia and continue to Become an NFL draft pick. Everyone contributed their part to the team’s success, but none has quite the legacy of Bennett on his tortuous journey to the programming saga.
With an SEC title as well as last season’s national title and another CFP performance on the horizon, Bennett’s job as a quarterback for Georgia rivals that of any of his predecessors. Even though he was undrafted and never played in the NFL, he cemented his place in Georgia football and SEC football history.
Indisputably no. 1?
Tennessee is No. 1 and Georgia is No. 1. 3 in the first CFP ranking of the season. On November 11, the Bulldogs quickly changed that with a convincing 27-13 victory over the Volunteers. 5. They’ve been No. 1 in every edition of the rankings since then, emphasizing their performance against LSU. If Georgia really ranks first. No. 1 in the CFP rankings, which are finally released Sunday, would mark the Bulldogs’ first playoff appearance in the CFP era. The 2017 team ranked first. 3 and lost to Alabama in a classic national title game against last year’s No. 1 team. 3 behind Alabama and Michigan, then beat the Crimson Tide for the title.
LSU shows promise under Brian Kelly
It’s been an odd debut season for LSU coach Brian Kelly. The Tigers started with a loss to Florida State, followed by some ugly moments, such as a 40-13 home loss to Tennessee and last week’s surprise loss to Texas A&M. But LSU has made marked improvements over last season, winning what many consider to be the toughest division in college football. While the final score in the SEC championship game showed LSU dominating, the Tigers also showed flashes, and maybe they’re not far from competing at the national level. If Daniels is fully healthy, his dual-threat could be a headache for Georgia, which would certainly lead to a more competitive game if the two odd plays mentioned above play out. Still, thanks to Nussmeier’s performance in the second half and LSU’s overall resilience, LSU pushed for 549 yards against one of the top defenses in the country. Nussmeier caught 15 of 27 passes for 294 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Georgian Health Moving Forward
One thing to watch is receiver Ladd McConkey and offensive lineman Warren McClendon. Both were key players for a team that missed the second half with knee injuries. McConkie has become Georgia’s No. 1 wide receiver, and McClendon has started every game at right tackle this season. Their health will mean a lot for the Bulldogs going into the College Football Playoff.