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Published Sep 3, 2022
Bennett rises to the occasion—again
Anthony Dasher  •  UGASports
Editor

ATLANTA – If you thought Stetson Bennett was having fun leading Georgia’s offense during Saturday’s 49-3 win over Oregon in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic, you would be correct.

Bennett might as well have been playing against air as he put together a record-setting performance Saturday to lead the Bulldogs past the out-manned Ducks.

However, after the game, personal glories were the last thing on his mind.

“I think our guys are really mature,” Bennett said. “We attack this (the offense) like it’s a business, like it’s our job, because it is.”

His stats were eye-popping.

Bennett completed 25 of 31 passes for 368 yards and two touchdowns while rushing two times for 8 yards and another score.

“I thought he (offensive coordinator Todd Monken) was aggressive. I thought we went quick,” Bennett said. “I think I probably need to get in a little better shape for sure, but yeah, I thought it was really well-executed.”

Ten different receivers caught balls for the Bulldogs.

Running back Kenny McIntosh led the way with nine catches for 117 yards, with Ladd McConkey and AD Mitchell also having good days.

McConkey was targeted six times, catching five passes for 73 yards and a touchdown. Mitchell was targeted five times with four grabs for 65 yards and a score.

“That’s a product of Stetson being able to get to first, second, third read and then scrambling and making plays with his feet,” head coach Kirby Smart said. “I can only imagine how you feel calling a game against a guy that when you win, get somebody back there and they don’t tackle him. Then on top of that, he knows where to go with the ball. When you have an accurate passer with good protection, it’s really hard. It’s hard to defend.”

Bennett’s four-yard touchdown pass to McConkey was a good example.

On the play, Bennett was forced from the pocket, but eluded would-be rushers, spun to his left, and hit a flashing McConkey in the left side of the end zone for a 28-3 lead.

“Yeah, I mean, it wasn’t smart. I need to not do that,” Bennett said. “But I knew we had motioned Ladd over there, and obviously, we had never hit him. I was scrambling and I was trying to find him, because I knew he was over there someone. I just turned around, found him, and threw it.

"It probably wasn’t smart. I needed to either ground it at him or throw it to Brock (Bowers) on something front-side. But it did work out.”

It was definitely one of those nights.

Asked point blank if that was one of his best games, Bennett briefly stammered before answering a reporter’s question.

“Yeah, probably,” he said. “Yeah, probably— the best one I played—yeah.”

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