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2
Georgia 45, Mississippi State 19 | Davis Wade Stadium - Starkville
Issue 12
MISSISSIPPI STATE
2022National
Champions
Edition
Back-To-Back
BY JEFF DANTZLER
This one had scary upset
potential written all over
it. Georgia was coming off
emotional victories over
Florida and Tennessee and had the
hungry Starkville Maroons with
the Late Great Pirate Mike Leach
in command under the lights on
a chilly night. Georgia was back in
the top spot in the rankings and
the SEC’s lone undefeated team.
This was a big step in the gauntlet.
There was a little margin for error.
But these Dawgs from Athens were
aiming for perfection.
Georgia took control and built an
early 17-3 lead. But State would
come back and return a punt for
a touchdown to end the first half
- a sequence and play that left
the Georgia faithful flummoxed
and the Bulldogs head coach
steaming. Georgia stopped a
two-point attempt and led 17-12
at intermission. And after that
stop, Georgia actually had an inch
of momentum. McConkey raced
70 yards to start the third quarter,
then hauled in a 17-yard scoring
toss from Bennett.
State got no closer than 12
points the rest of the way. ‘The
Skyscraper’ Darnell Washington
caught a two-yard TD from
Bennett and then Kendall Milton
delivered the final blow with a 34-
yard touchdown run in the closing
minutes. The Bulldogs were now
a perfect 10-0 and clinched the
SEC East Division title for the fifth
time in the last six years of Smart’s
remarkable tenure. LSU clinched
the SEC West this same day.
Georgia had much larger goals
ahead.
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 108 2022 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS EDITION