ATLANTA — In a game that meant nothing for Georgia beyond seeding in the playoffs, the No. 1 Bulldogs shrugged off some easy challenges from No. 14 LSU to win the SEC championship and cement themselves as favorites, to repeat as national champion in a month’s time.
For a brief moment, LSU looked slightly competitive with three losses to the undefeated Dawgs. But that mirage vanished the moment the Tigers field-goal team steamed late in the first quarter, forgetting that a blocked field-goal kick is still a live ball. Georgia’s Christopher Smith didn’t forget, however, and picked up the live ball, rushed 96 yards untouched for the game’s first goal, and Georgia never fell short to capture its first SEC title since 2017 in a decisive 50-30 win .
In less than four furious minutes of play that began with that blocked field goal, Georgia scored three touchdowns against LSU’s one, and the Tigers never again threatened in earnest.
Georgia scored goals in just about every way imaginable: on the ground, in the air, off the field, and on special teams. By the time Georgia reached half of the hundred and completed a trick play two-point conversion, at least half of the heavily Georgia-leaning stadium was cleared. The Bulldogs are expecting a bigger game in four weeks.
Stetson Bennett erased any doubt about his suitability to lead the Bulldogs on the national stage, finishing with 274 yards on 23 of 29 passes and four touchdowns. He distributed the ball to nearly a dozen receivers, with mainstays Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey scoring the most receptions. McConkey left the game early with a knee injury sustained late in the first half; His status remains a question mark and was the only real negative on the night for a Bulldog team who are absolutely rolling right now.
LSU, on the other hand, has questions to answer after a season that has come to a standstill. Quarterback Jayden Daniels was ruled fit after an ankle injury he sustained against Texas A&M last week, but he clearly didn’t have the explosiveness or touch he’d displayed all season. Daniels seemed to worsen the ankle injury again in the first half, so Garrett Nussmeier replaced him in the second half. Nussmeier immediately led LSU to a three-play 57-yard touchdown drive. The problem for LSU was that a deficit of 25 points could only be reduced to 18 points.
The story goes on
The Tigers exceeded all reasonable expectations for first-year head coach Brian Kelly, winning the SEC West and defeating Alabama. But a late loss to Texas A&M dashed LSU’s playoff hopes — a loss that hurts even more given the way other games played out on Saturday — and Kelly’s team saw firsthand the gulf between Georgia and the rest of the SEC .
At this point last year, Georgia had gone undefeated in the regular season but fell to Alabama in the SEC championship, and critics questioned both the Bulldogs’ 2021 schedule and toughness. But Georgia rallied to blow up Michigan and throttle Alabama in a rematch for the national title, and the Dawgs haven’t lost a game since — or left any real doubts about their dominance.
Georgia now awaits the result of the Big Ten championship and the final seeding from the College Football Playoff Committee. However, based on Saturday night’s performance, the Bulldogs should be in for a comfortable No. 1 spot for New Year’s Eve.
Stetson Bennett and the Georgia Bulldogs fielded LSU, and the College Football Playoffs are next. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
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Contact Jay Busbee at [email protected] or on Twitter @jaybusbee.