SEC Championship News and Notes

ATLANTA – After wiping out LSU 50-30 Saturday to claim the SEC Championship, top-ranked Georgia can afford to sit back in the recliner and pop a cold one or two.

There does not appear to be a lot of drama about the Bulldogs’ next game.

We know where Georgia will next play in the CFP semifinals on Dec. 31. It’s anticipated the Bulldogs will be right back in the comforting confines of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

As to their opponent, it would seem the options are down to two teams.

With Southern Cal losing the Pac-12 Championship to Utah, it’s expected that Big 10 runner-up Ohio State will slide into the top four, ahead of the ousted Trojans.

“I have not seen one thing. I have tried not to pay attention to it,” head coach Kirby Smart said. “I’ve not heard anything to even know what’s going on.”

Smart, like the rest of the country, will just wait until the College Football Playoff committee makes its final selections Sunday afternoon.

Even with TCU’s overtime loss to Kansas State, it’s expected that the Horned Frogs will stay in the top four. The bigger question is whether or not they will be the No. 3 or No. 4 seeded team. The latter would pit them against the Bulldogs.

Alabama was ranked sixth in the most recent CFP Top 25, but the CFP has never voted a two-loss team into the playoffs. It’s thought to be unlikely that the CFP committee will bump the Crimson Tide ahead of a one-loss team due to playing for its conference championship.

“To me, that’s so far away,” Smart said. “No. 1, it’s not something we control. No. 2, we’re so far away, we’ve got time to prepare for it because we were focused on this. I didn’t want one kid to walk out of this program without an SEC Championship for their career. It would have been about to happen if we didn’t get this one.”

…Outside linebacker Marvin Jones Jr. (ankle) wore a walking boot and did not dress out.

…Left guard Xavier Truss left the game in the first half with an undisclosed injury and did not return. He was replaced by Devin Willock.

…Wide receiver Ladd McConkey appeared to ding his knee after making a catch to set up Georgia’s fifth first-half touchdown. He did not return.

…Right tackle Warren McClendon left the game with an apparent ankle injury. He was replaced by Amarius Mims. McClendon did not return.

After the game, Smart said that McClendon was suffering from a “light” MCL injury, although he did not know the grade. McConkey’s injury re-aggravated a minor knee issue that’s bothered him most of the year.

As expected, wide receiver AD Mitchell returned to full-time action Saturday.

Although he did not catch a pass, Mitchell saw his most reps since suffering a high-ankle sprain in Georgia’s Week 2 win against Samford. Mitchell provided Bulldog fans with some excitement when he completed a two-point conversion pass to Darnell Washington to account for the final 50-30 score.

“We went by the book. We felt like, to take it from 25 to 27, it was just by the book,” Smart said. “If they scored, the analytics was to go for two. I told (Todd) Monken we might should have saved that play, as it’s one we worked on for a long time. But in football, you don’t save plays. You run them when you need them, and we didn’t know what we were going to need to the next three or four series.”

Bennett had a bird’s eye view.

“I talked to AD, and said, it’s you, brother,” Bennett said. “So, I sprinted left, tossed it to him, and he actually threw a spiral. I don’t think he’s thrown one in practice. I don’t think he’s even repped that play.”

Smart confirmed Mitchell had not.

“Somebody else ran that, but we don’t talk about that,” said Smart, who teased Bennett after Mitchell’s completion.

“Me and AD have something that you’ll never have,” Smart told Bennett. “We both hold the UGA career passing percentage record. We’re both 1 for 1. You and (Mike) Bobo are behind me and AD.”

…Top-ranked Georgia improves to 13-0 for the first time in school history after a 50-30 victory over No. 14 LSU in the SEC Championship Game to capture its 14th SEC title in school history. The 14 titles are the second most in the SEC.

… The 2022 senior class added to its school record for wins as it now stands at 47-5.

… The Bulldogs have won 15 straight going back to last season’s CFP semifinal/Capital One Orange Bowl win over No. 2 Michigan.

… This is the 2nd SEC title in the Kirby Smart era (the first since 2017), as the Bulldogs are now 79-15 in his seven seasons at the helm.

… With the win, Georgia improves to 9-2 all-time as the No. 1 ranked CFP team including 4-0 in 2022.

… Senior quarterback Stetson Bennett becomes the 4th Bulldog to earn SEC Championship Game MVP honors (David Greene, QB-’02, D.J. Shockley, QB-’05, Roquan Smith, LB-’17). The Bulldogs are now 4-6 in the SEC Championship Game and 2-3 versus LSU.

… Georgia carried a 35-10 lead to halftime and won 50-30 with 529 yards of offense on 73 plays.

… The 35 points tied the mark for most in an SEC Championship Game first half as Alabama led Florida 35-17 in 2020.

… Georgia came in ranked 12th nationally in Scoring (38.2 ppg) and now outscored foes 279-67 in the opening half and 115-23 in the 1st qtr.

… After an LSU TD in the first quarter to tie it at 7-all, Georgia responded with a 75-yard touchdown.

… Bennett (23-for-29 for 274 yards, 4 touchdowns) finished the 1st half 19-for-24 for 214 yards and 4 touchdowns to four different Bulldogs. (3-yarder to Brock Bowers, 22-yarder to Ladd McConkey, 14-yarder to Darnell Washington, 3-yarder to Dillon Bell).

… Bennett now has 269 completions this season, which ties the single-season record, also by Eric Zeier in 1993.

… Sophomore Brock Bowers posted a team-high six catches for 81 yards and a touchdown while RS-sophomore Ladd McConkey had five catches in the first half for 69 yards and a touchdown. McConkey (knee) did not return in the second half.

… Following a red zone stop by the defense, Georgia put together a 95-yard drive on eight plays in 4:27 to make it 42-17. A key play in the drive was a 51-yard scamper by Kendall Milton while Kenny McIntosh capped the drive with a 2-yard score, his ninth of the year.

… Georgia came in ranked first nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 11.3 points a game. LSU managed to post 30 points, gaining a season-high 549 yards (502-passing; 47-rushing) on 72 plays. The passing yards was the second most ever by a Bulldog opponent, trailing only the 528 put up by Kentucky in the Wildcats' 34-30 loss in Lexington in 2000.

… Following LSU’s touchdown to make it 7-7, the Tigers' next four possessions resulted in zero yards on 11 plays with three punts and an INT, as Georgia built a 35-7 advantage. On their final possession of the first half, LSU notched a field goal, going 51 yards on seven plays.

… The Tigers became only the second team to score a first-quarter touchdown against Georgia as Ga. Tech did it last week. After Tech scored, Georgia outscored Tech 37-0 until allowing a TD with 2:55 left in the contest. For the rest of the half, Georgia outscored LSU 28-3.

… The leading tacklers were sophomores Javon Bullard and Smael Mondon, each with six. Also, the Bulldogs had four sacks by junior Jalen Carter, sophomore Chaz Chambliss, senior Tramel Walthour, and senior Robert Beal with a forced fumble by Beal.

… Junior Nazir Stackhouse blocked a 32-yard field goal attempt and Chris Smith returned it 96 yards for a score and a 7-0 lead. It marked Georgia’s first special teams TD of the year and first blocked FG return for a touchdown since the 2012 SEC Championship Game when Alec Ogletree returned one blocked by Cornelius Washington 55 yards for a score versus Alabama.

… For Smith, it was his second career touchdown after having a pick-six for 74 yards in the ‘21 season-opening 10-3 win over Clemson.

… There have been five blocked field goals in SEC Championship Game history, and four of them by Georgia. Before tonight, the last one here came in 2017 by DaQuan Hawkins-Muckle on Auburn’s Daniel Carlson’s 31-yard attempt.

… Saturday marked the 27th defense or special teams score in the Smart era. Georgia has scored 41 points on special teams in the Smart era. Earlier this year, it had a blocked punt for a safety versus Kent State.

… Senior kicker Jack Podlesny registered 6 points, going 0-for-1 in FG (miss 43-yarder) with 6 PATs. He had made 11 straight field goals before tonight’s miss going back to the Vanderbilt game. He is now 23-for-26. He has a team-high 130 points. He handled kickoffs, too.

… Georgia finished 5-for-5 in the red zone with 5 touchdowns, while LSU finished 1-for-3 with one TD.

… Georgia came in today ranked 1st nationally in the red zone at 97 percent. They have now scored 69-for-71 times including 48 TDs, 21 FGs and twice coming up empty. The Bulldogs came in No. 1 in scoring defense, and now opponents are only 17-of-28. Today, Georgia blocked a field goal and returned it for a TD on the Tigers' first trip. On 4th-and-1 at the UGA 5, the Tigers were stopped for no gain. The third trip resulted in a touchdown.

… Georgia is now even in turnover margin on the year after forcing three turnovers and having one today. Georgia has scored 54 points off 16 turnovers, while opponents have 50 points off 17 turnovers.

… The Bulldogs got an interception by Smael Mondon after a pass breakup by Chris Smith and a tip by Javon Bullard to Mondon. It led to a TD and a 21-7 advantage. The Tigers recovered a fumble at the LSU 43 on the opening possession of the 2nd half. It led to a touchdown.

… Smith added an interception in the 4th quarter, and it was his team-high third and 10th overall by the Bulldogs this year.

… Warren Brinson recovered a fumble caused on a sack by Robert Beal, Jr. With 3:21 left, Georgia ran out the clock.

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