LOS ANGELES - Andrew Smart sat weeping in the bowels of SoFi Stadium.
When Kirby Smart saw his 10-year-old son following Georgia's 65-7 win over TCU, he feared the worst. Had someone hurt his son? In the chaos following a national championship win, had Andrew been knocked down?
"I said, why are you crying? You're going to ruin my moment," Smart said jokingly.
Andrew Smart replied through tears, "Stetson is leaving. He's going to go."
Stetson Bennett is indeed leaving, riding off into the sunset like many thought he should have done a season ago. He takes with him two national championship rings and a legacy unmatched in the century-plus history of Georgia football.
The journey to this point began nearly a year ago. Bennett met with Smart just days after last season's national title, as many speculated he would be hanging it up as Georgia's quarterback.
"He's, like, I don't get it. Why should I do that when I have an opportunity to play again? Why don't we go win it again?" Smart said.
That task looked easier said than done. The Bulldogs lost a small village worth of prospects to the NFL, and a repeat hadn't been accomplished since Alabama a decade ago.
But Bennett's return set the tone for this Georgia team. This squad hadn't accomplished anything, the message went. This team is entirely different.
"Every time we go into a big game, if there’s any doubt, no faith in Stetson being able to finish the job, he somehow always finds a way to complete the job," receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint said. "I think that’s one of the best qualities that he has, be able to block out the noise and execute and play at a high level."
That tenacity led the Bulldogs to an SEC Championship and a 14-0 record. Bennett earned himself individual fame as a Heisman Trophy finalist. Only TCU remained between him and immortality.
Bennett saved perhaps the best game of his career for last. The senior from Blackshear completed 18-of-25 passes for 304 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran three times for 39 yards and two touchdowns. The six touchdowns accounted for ties a Georgia record.
The mental side of the game impressed Smart just as much. Bennett checked into the best possible play all night, whether it's sliding protection to the right spot or dialing up a perfectly-timed run.
"His mental makeup is that of a quarterback that believes he can make every throw, and what he did tonight was truly amazing," Smart said. "Probably had the best game of his career, in my opinion, with some of the checks he made, some of the decisions he made, just really elite."
With Georgia leading 52-7 early in the fourth quarter, Bennett joined the offensive huddle before another drive. The only thing is, he didn't know the play.
That's because his coach had instructed the team to go out so he could call a timeout and give Bennett one last curtain call.
"I told all the guys, what are we doing? Why don't we have a play? I was, like, they're letting me walk out of here," Bennett said. "In the huddle, just as simple as it is, just one last huddle with the guys, you know? And that was special coming off and seeing Coach Smart—that was really cool. And I appreciate that."
Bennett's saga at Georgia, a journey that began half a decade ago as a walk-on in the class of 2017, has ended. He departs as a folk hero, the only quarterback in school history to lead the Bulldogs to a pair of national championships.
What's next for the one who has been so affectionately dubbed "The Mailman?" His head coach has an idea.
"People have slept on Stetson Bennett for too long," Smart said. "He needs an opportunity to play for a long time at the next level."
