The stakes were much lower than the national championship.

Still, Stetson Bennett delivered.

With the G-Day Game tied in the final event, Bennett took his Black team down the field to set up a game-winning field goal from Jared Zirkel to secure a 26-23 victory over the Red team. For the fans in attendance, this year’s G-Day did not disappoint when it came to a first look at the defending national champions.

One of the most eye-opening moments of the day came from the tight end position. This group combined for 12 catches and 173 yards.

The Bulldogs have a long way to go when it comes to their preparation for the season-opener against Oregon. Still, there were some positive takeaways about a team that should once again be in the College Football Playoff hunt.

The bad news, first: The brief look at football for the spring is over. We have until August before the team reconvenes for practice and until September for the official return of football.

The good news: The Bulldogs were banged up in some spots during the spring but came away mostly intact when it came to major injuries. Georgia should be in a good place once fall camp begins.

The spring game is never fully indicative of how a team will look in the upcoming season. It’s mainly a showcase for the fans, to get them excited for the upcoming series at the end of spring ball. Still, there were some bright spots to take note of.

In the end, Georgia’s theme this spring has been to push forward instead of thinking back on last season's title win. While Georgia won the national championship for the first time in 41 years, head coach Kirby Smart has harped on his team not to become complacent after winning a ring.

TE Arik Gilbert: For the first time, Georgia fans witnessed Gilbert making plays in an official uniform. He didn’t disappoint as the team’s de facto top tight end, catching three passes for 49 yards and a touchdown. His first touchdown was a beautiful throw from Bennett, who placed the ball accurately in between two defenders. Gilbert made a nice snag to complete the play. If Gilbert is able to flex out as a receiving option along with Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington, this position group will easily be the best in the country.

QB Carson Beck: Yes, Beck got to go against the second-team defense, which helped his numbers much more than Bennett. But by having Beck rep with the second team throughout the game, it’s clear the Bulldogs view him as the top backup. Beck completed 13 of 21 passes for 246 yards, with a first pass to Arian Smith that went for 60 yards. There was some concern that Beck could transfer with Bennett returning for a sixth season. But if Beck is the No. 2 quarterback entering the season, he’s likely to stick around.

LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson: With a vanilla defensive game-plan in a spring game designed for offensive football, Dumas-Johnson stood out as someone making plays all over the field. He finished with a game-high seven tackles, with five of them of the solo variety. Georgia has a huge void at inside linebacker with Nakobe Dean, Channing Tindall and Quay Walker off to the NFL.

Tight ends dominate: Bowers and Washington were unable to play due to injuries. Ryland Goede is also out this spring. Yet, there’s plenty more at the position. Gilbert scored two touchdowns and freshman Oscar Delp caught seven passes for 91 yards. Brett Seither also caught two passes for 33 yards. Early in the game, Delp caught a short pass and bulldozed his way past one defender before creating some good yards after contact. The sheer talent at tight end may force offensive coordinator Todd Monken into some situations where he rolls with 13 personnel—one running back, three tight ends—or even 14 personnel: one running back, four tight ends. Hell, why not 05 personnel? Just go five tight ends out there with this kind of athleticism. Bowers and Gilbert are interchangeable at receiver anyway.

McIntosh should be a weapon in 2022: Georgia needs to ensure running back Kenny McIntosh stays healthy. Whereas Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards are excellent between the tackles, McIntosh is a true all-purpose back who can make plays out of the backfield as a receiver. On the first drive of the game, McIntosh ran a wheel route that turned into a 33-yard gain. McIntosh should fit well into the James Cook role. In addition, Edwards was impressive as a runner, particularly on his 10-yard touchdown in the first quarter.

Quarterback looks deep: Bennett’s completion percentage wasn’t great as he only converted on 15 of his 35 passing attempts. He also threw two interceptions, although the first was at the end of the first half in a situation where Georgia likely kicks a field goal. However, he made some great throws throughout the course of the game, especially on a late back shoulder pass to Kearis Jackson to secure the Black team’s victory. He finished the day with 273 yards. Georgia is in good shape at quarterback. Beck played well and showed some good chemistry with the second team. Brock Vandagriff also displayed an excellent running threat, taking some broken plays into 45 rushing yards.