By BJ Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com

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Starting for the injured J.T. Daniels, Stetson Bennett was historically proficient.

Stetson Bennett IV made history for Georgia — and did so in the first half in Saturday’s 56-7 win over UAB. By intermission, he had somehow completed 8-of-9 passes for 269 yards and a program record-tying five touchdowns. Impressively, Bennett threw touchdowns to four different receivers: two to Brock Bowers, one to Jermaine Burton, one to Arian Smith and one to Kenny McIntosh. Bennett even added a 20-yard run. He wasn’t just playing great football in the Bulldogs’ second game, he was playing fantasy football.

Bennett is the first quarterback this millennium with five touchdown passes on 12 or fewer throws. He averaged a stunning 24 yards per attempt.

Furthermore, over the past two full seasons, Georgia had only two total passes of 60 yards or more; Bennett had three such throws, including an 89-yard touchdown to Bowers, through the game’s first 16 minutes.

Starting for the injured J.T. Daniels, Bennett was historically proficient, ultimately finishing 10-of-12 for 288 yards and the aforementioned five touchdowns. He has served various roles for the Bulldogs throughout his career, with the UAB game unfolding as one constant highlight as much as a high point. Bennett completed 20-of-27 passing with two scores in a reserve capacity in 2019, then stepped into the starting lineup in 2020 and did a nice job. In his first-ever start, Bennett, nicknamed the “Mailman”, delivered with 240 yards passing and a touchdown in a win over Auburn.

Debuting with two touchdowns at Arkansas in the season-opener a year ago, Bennett would start five games for Georgia last season. His first start of this fall resulted in one of the best passing performances the Bulldogs have ever had. Bennett was a record-setting prep passer at Pierce County in Blackshear; he finished his career in the top ten in Georgia high school football history in career passing yards and passing touchdowns. Saturday’s showcase was reminiscent of those days.

Who knows what Bennett’s role will be moving forward. That said, he just made a point. He made history along the way.