COLUMBIA, S.C. — Well, Georgia’s Stetson Bennett got his Heisman Trophy moment.
Bennett’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Brock Bowers in the second quarter Saturday against South Carolina was sick. Just ask the Bulldogs’ star quarterback, who delivered the perfectly placed pass, then puked.
The on-field spew sent the Bulldog Nation into a momentary panic. At first, it was unknown what was wrong with their beloved signal-caller. Was it a knee? His ribs? For what was he being attended on the Georgia sideline?
Alas, Bennett emerged from underneath cold, wet towels to oversee the Bulldogs’ very next possession. They didn’t score this time — a rarity this particular Saturday — but they would get a field goal. And, with that, a collective gasp was released as it was clear that No. 1-ranked Georgia was headed to another blowout victory.
In case there was any doubt, Bennett and Bowers hooked up again on Georgia’s first possession of the second half. This time, Bowers hauled in Bennett’s play-action pass over the middle and took it for a 78-yard touchdown. Add that play to a large collection of highlights, and you have what ended as a 48-7 victory for the Bulldogs. The Gamecocks scored their touchdown with 53 seconds to play in the game.
Georgia’s first SEC victory of the season was its largest margin ever over South Carolina. The previous mark was 40 points. The Bulldogs (3-0, 1-0 SEC) return to non-conference play Saturday against Kent State at Sanford Stadium.
The Gamecocks (1-2, 0-2), in Year 2 under former Georgia assistant coach Shane Beamer, play Charlotte here next week.
Bennett was not long in getting a more restorative rest. After his second scoring hookup with Bowers, he played only one more offensive series for the Bulldogs. Fittingly, that would end in his own score on an 11-yard run.
Bennett’s final numbers told a story of thorough domination: 16-of-23 passing for 284 yards and two touchdowns, plus a rushing score. Bennett left the game as the Bulldogs’ leading rusher with 36 yards. He would’ve had two more yards and another rushing TD had his foot not caught the sideline chalk on what ended up being a 15-yard run.
Yeah, this was Bennett’s day. And Bowers', too.
Georgia’s breakout star and leading receiver in last season’s run to the national championship season scored three times on two receptions and a 5-yard run on a tight-end reverse in the first quarter. Bowers finished with five catches for 121 yards after coming into the game with five for 95 for the season.
Ten Georgia players caught passes in the game. That included freshman tight end Oscar Delp, who scored the first touchdown of his career on a 28-yard reception from quarterback Carson Beck.
All the offensive fireworks rendered another suffocating performance by Georgia’s defense as a mere footnote. Freshman safety Malaki Starks grabbed his second interception of his young career and returned this one 42 yards to set up the Bulldogs’ second scoring drive of the day. Junior defensive back and Dan Jackson and junior linebacker Trezmen Marshall also had picks. Freshman defensive end Mykel Williams recorded his second sack of the season, and linebacker Jamon “Pop” Dumas-Johnson collected a team-best six tackles.
The Bulldogs kept South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler under duress for the duration. Rattler, the high-profile transfer from Oklahoma, was 13-of-25 passing for 118 yards and no touchdowns when Georgia’s front-line defenders all headed to the sideline at the end of the third quarter. At that point, the Gamecocks ventured into Bulldogs’ territory just twice, once reaching the 33 and the other time punting from the Georgia 48.
