Stetson Bennett caps off Cinderella story with back-to-back CFB national titles
The Georgia Bulldogs (15-0) stomped the TCU Horned Frogs (13-2) Monday night at SoFi Stadium on the last college football game of quarterback Stetson Bennett, who received a standing ovation early in the fourth quarter when subbed off by head coach Kirby Smart.
By that point in the contest, Georgia led TCU 52-7, with Bennett throwing for 304 yards and four touchdowns on 18-for-25 completed passes.
He also rushed for 39 yards and two TDs on just three carries, enough to earn him the finals MVP award and a flawless victory, capping off his Cinderella story with back-to-back national titles.
Bulldogs wide receiver Ladd McConkey caught two touchdown passes from Bennett, while Brock Bowers and Adonai Mitchell each added one more.
On the ground, running back Branson Robinson added two more tuddies, with Kendall Milton getting one, as well. TCU quarterback Max Duggan rushed in for his side's only score of the night, but two early interceptions changed the course of this championship game.
Bennett, 25, is not expected to excel in the NFL due to his age and lack of size, but he's at his best with the odds stacked against him.
He was a walk-on at Georgia in 2017 and redshirted for a year before transferring to Jones County Junior College.
The Bulldogs offered him a scholarship in 2019 and he became their backup QB.
Bennett then earned the starting position and in the next two seasons led his team to become the first football program in collegiate history to accomplish back-to-back national championships.
College football players have four seasons of eligibility over a five-year span, but the NCAA granted an extra year to all student-athletes due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
That additional year of eligibility is Bennett managed to play a sixth season in college football.
Some football pundits wants to use Bennett's age as an excuse to belittle his accomplishments and to judge his future in the sport.
Bennett is older than NFL quarterbacks such as Jalen Hurts, Justin Herbert, Tua Tagovailoa and Trevor Lawrence, but Tom Brady is proof of longevity and a perfect example of what a late-round selection can do in the league.
In his postgame interview, while still on the field, Bennett handled himself like a pro, but did not deny his amounting emotions when asked how he felt.
"I don't know, champions of the world," Bennett said. "Just trying to see everybody for the last time. Trying not to cry."
While Bennett certainly hopes this isn't the pinnacle of his football-playing career, he did say that getting a standing ovation is something he'll never forget.
"I'll remember that for the rest of my life," Bennett said.
