Georgia Football: 2022 Team Awards
It doesn't come as much of a surprise to the college football world that the Georgia Bulldogs are once again in line to compete for a national championship as we sit here nearing Christmas. I mean, there certainly were some questions entering the 2022 season. Especially on the defensive side of things, considering there were only three returning starters.
But after the reinforcements acclimated so seamlessly, the Bulldogs were able to put together another championship season, going a perfect 13-0, winning the SEC, and returning to the College Football Playoff once again. The most impressive part? They only had one game that finished within a single score, which was at Missouri in mid-October. Other than that, the Bulldogs played nearly the entire 2022 regular season without drama.
Related: 5 Reasons Why Georgia Will Win the College Football Playoff
So with that as the backdrop, here are the team awards heading into the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl/College Football Playoff semifinal on Dec. 31 against Ohio State.
Offensive MVP: Stetson Bennett, QB
Obvious answer here, the 5-foot-11, 190-pounder might look more like a D2 or FCS-level quarterback on first blush, but all he did was put together another epic season with Joe Montana-type numbers and finish things off with a trip to New York City. Of course, Bulldog fans feel as though he should've won the Heisman, and they've got a good argument. Although he didn't have a better passer rating this season (154.6, compared to 176.7 last season), he did have a better completion rate (68.1 percent compared to 64.5 last year) with more completions (269 compared to 185) and passing yards (3,425 compared to 2,862).
Defensive MVP: Jalen Carter, DT
He didn't have the most tackles on the team nor lead the SEC in any defensive categories, but this space-eater was the most essential part in helping the defense finish second nationally by giving up just 12.8 points per game. He was dominant in the SEC Championship Game, clogging up lanes, getting pressure on the quarterback, and recording a sack and two tackles for losses. If the Bulldogs are going to win another national title, Carter will be a big part of that Junkyard Dog defense with his knack for stepping up big when it's needed.
Best Play of the Season: Christopher Smith's 96-yard blocked field goal return in the SEC title game
Just in case you missed it, LSU was dominating the Bulldogs early on in the SEC Championship Game, gaining seven first downs to UGA's zero through the first 11-plus minutes. Then, the Tigers lined up for a go-ahead field goal and Georgia blocked it. As the ball settled down at the four-yard line and the two teams started walking toward their sidelines, Smith slyly picked up the errant block and ran unimpeded 96 yards for the first score of the game. It was game-on from there as the Bulldogs hit the hyper-speed button and took a 35-10 halftime lead which was never challenged.
Best Performance (Player): Offensive line
There were a ton of top performances to choose from here — particularly that defense and Stetson Bennett each and every week — but the big uglies up front have turned into a dominant unit late in the season. The O-line has given up just seven sacks and zero since mid-October against Vanderbilt (now that I think of it, how did the lowly Commodores sack Bennett twice?). The O-line also proved huge in the running game as their last four games have seen the Dawgs pound out 945 rushing yards and average a robust 5.8 yards per carry.
Best Performance (Team): The season-opening win over Oregon
As mentioned above, this was the first game of the season and the one game that signaled to the football world that the Bulldogs were going to be the national title favorite once again. And they sent that message loud and clear right from the get-go. Forty-nine-to-freakin'-three. Boo-Yah!
Defining Moment: SEC Championship Game blowout of LSU
While there were very few close games for the Bulldogs to deal with, a lot of people thought the SEC Championship Game could become a trap door game for the Silver Britches, mainly because LSU has talent and had already beaten Alabama, among others. But the Dawgs did not blink, even though they were actually outgained and surrendered 30 points to the Tigers. As mentioned, that 35-10 halftime lead was never threatened as top-ranked Georgia won by three touchdowns.
Biggest Surprise: The leading tacklers
Famously, last year's Bulldog defense lost five first-round draft choices, so a lot of newbies were going to need to step up big time. And Kirby Smart got just that in three emerging talents are tied for the most tackles on the team with 64. Linebackers Jamon Dumas-Johnson and Smael Mondon Jr. both had a handful of tackles in their freshman season as backups, but each took on bigger roles this as sophomores. Tying them in the tackle department is freshman safety Malaki Starks, who also has seven pass breakups and two interceptions entering the playoff.
Biggest Disappointment: No matchup with Alabama
In a season where there has been very little to feel disappointed by anything the Bulldogs have done, we could get a little nit-picky and say that, as college football fans go, we all love to see their matchups between Kirby Smart and Nick Saban. But we'll have to wait till next year to possibly get that showdown to happen again. Or… let's just say the "Biggest Disappointment" is Alabama not living up to Georgia's standards.
Senior Who Will be Missed the Most: Stetson Bennett, QB
No-brainer. Sure. You can't just go out there are find his kind of moxie on the recruiting trail. His intangibles are off the charts, not to mention the statistics that back him up as well. The coaches are probably secretly saying to each other, "Are we SURE he doesn't have another year of eligibility?"
Player to Watch in 2023: Mykel Williams, DL
There are a number of yearlings you could put down here, such as the aforementioned Malaki Starks and linebacker Jalon Walker, who were both named Freshmen All-SEC. But you know how Kirby Smart likes a dominant defensive lineman, right? Williams appears to be heading to future stardom as he leads the team in sack yards (24) and has recorded 21 total stops. And yes, Williams was also named a freshman All-SEC performer as well.
Offseason Storyline: Who takes over at quarterback?
Once again, stating the obvious here, Stetson Bennett is hitting the bricks after the run in the CFB is done. Now, who will take the reins of the offense from here? Is Carson Beck the answer? He has completed 75 percent of his passes this season, tossing four touchdowns and not a single pick. The former 4-star QB is a big (6-5, 225) athlete who could fit in nicely as the next great Bulldog QB. As could last year's 4-star recruit Gunner Stockton. As of this article, Georgia's 2023 class does not include a quarterback, though that could change. And of course, the transfer portal could be a big factor in this scenario. Now that I think of it, isn't JT Daniels back in the portal again?
— Written by Eric Sorenson, who is part of the Athlon Contributor Network. He is a college football, college baseball and college hockey addict... and writer. Follow him on Twitter @Stitch_Head.
