STETSON BENNETT

Carson Beck overcame a sluggish first half to throw a 54-yard touchdown pass to Mekhi Mews and No. 1 Georgia, the two-time defending national champion, leaned on its defense to beat Tennessee-Martin 48-7.

No one in college football has bigger shoes to fill than Carson Beck.

Carson Beck will open the season as No. 1 Georgia’s starting quarterback as the Bulldogs begin their quest for a third straight national championship.

Georgia begins its drive for an unprecedented college football championship three-peat as the No. 1 team in The Associated Press preseason Top 25.

The Southeastern Conference is leaning on help from high-profile transfers to replace some of the departed star power at quarterback.

It was an unforgettable NFL draft for former local players, with a record number of players with area ties hearing their names called on a blockbuster final day.

Stetson Bennett will get a chance to deliver for the Los Angeles Rams.

Carson Beck has ended Georgia's spring practice at the front of the line to replace Stetson Bennett, who led the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships for the first time in school history.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart insists he has not lost control of a program that has produced back-to-back national championships but has been rocked by offseason arrests and a car crash that claimed the lives of a player and a recruiting staffer.

Linebacker Ochaun Mathis understood playing an extra college season was a risky move.

Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett, who led the Bulldogs to their second straight national championship, has been arrested in Dallas after police said he was intoxicated and banging on doors.

Kirby Smart didn't really want to discuss his Georgia Bulldogs' chances for a three-peat on the morning after they won their second straight College Football Playoff championship game.

Stetson Bennett and Brock Bowers showed off their remarkable partnership one last time in the College Football Playoff championship game.

Stetson Bennett threw two touchdown passes and ran for two scores in the first half as No. 1 Georgia demolished No. 3 TCU 65-7 to become the first team to win consecutive College Football Playoff national championships.

Based solely on the recruiting rankings, this national championship game between No. 1 Georgia and No. 3 TCU is the most lopsided in the nine-year history of the College Football Playoff.

TCU thought so much of Max Duggan at the beginning of the season that he lost his job.

After the best semifinal day in the nine-year history of the College Football Playoff, the title game will match the defending national champion against the closest thing the sport has had in years to a Cinderella team.

Stetson Bennett capped No. 1 Georgia’s comeback from a two-touchdown, fourth-quarter deficit with a 10-yard, last-minute scoring pass to Adonai Mitchell in a 42-41 victory over No. 4 Ohio State for a shot at its second straight national title.

Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett needs two College Football Playoff wins to achieve rare back-to-back national championships.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart’s plan for a deep running back corps was based on more than making it through a 12-game regular season.

Thirteen of the last 14 Heisman Trophy winners to enter the NFL have done so as first-round draft picks, including all 11 quarterbacks.

Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams is The Associated Press college football player of the year.

Quarterbacks Stetson Bennett of Georgia, Max Duggan of TCU, C.J. Stroud of Ohio State and Caleb Williams of Southern California were announced as finalists for the Heisman Trophy on Monday night.

Georgia will be heading back to its home away from home for the College Football Playoff.

Georgia, Michigan, TCU and Ohio State have made the College Football Playoff, giving the Big Ten multiple programs in the four-team field for the first time.

With all sorts of turmoil behind them, No. 1 Georgia left no doubt about the top team heading into the College Football Playoff.

Stetson Bennett threw two touchdown passes and No. 1 Georgia completed back-to-back undefeated regular seasons for the first time in school history by overcoming a slow start to beat Georgia Tech 37-14.

Kenny McIntosh rushed for a career-best 143 yards, including a crucial 9-yard score late in the third quarter, and top-ranked Georgia withstood Kentucky’s fourth-quarter rally Saturday for a 16-6 win and its second consecutive unbeaten season in the Southeastern Conference.

Stetson Bennett threw for three touchdowns and No. 1 Georgia overcame a first-half surge by Mississippi State for a 45-19 victory.

Georgia leaned on its defense in winning its first national championship since 1980 last season.

Stetson Bennett threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score and No. 1 Georgia shut down No. 2 Tennessee’s high-powered offense in dominating the Vols 27-13 in an SEC showdown of the nation’s top-ranked teams.

It was a bad week on the field and on the recruiting trail, Gators fans.

Daijun Edwards and Kenny McIntosh ran for two touchdowns each, and No_ 1 Georgia pulled away from Florida following a second-half scare to win 42-20 in the rivalry dubbed “the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.”.

Daijun Edwards and Kenny McIntosh ran for two touchdowns each, and No_ 1 Georgia pulled away from Florida following a second-half scare to win 42-20 in the rivalry dubbed “the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.”.

Stetson Bennett threw for 289 yards and two TDs as Georgia stamped its return to No. 1 with a 55-0 rout of Vanderbilt

Stetson Bennett threw for 289 yards and two TDs as Georgia stamped its return to No. 1 with a 55-0 rout of Vanderbilt.

Stetson Bennett raced 64 yards for a touchdown, Daijun Edwards scored three times on the ground and No. 2 Georgia ran over listless Auburn 42-10

Daijun Edwards plunged into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown with just over 4 minutes to go to help top-ranked Georgia rally from 10 points down in the fourth quarter to beat Missouri 26-22.

Brock Bowers scored two more touchdowns and No. 1 Georgia survived a sloppy performance and surprisingly gritty effort from Kent State, holding off the Golden Flashes 39-22.

Stetson Bennett went 16 for 23 for 284 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score to lead No. 1 Georgia to a 48-7 victory over South Carolina. The Bulldogs' defense nearly had its second shutout of the season before South Carolina scored a touchdown against the backups with 53 seconds to go.

Stetson Bennett passed for 300 yards while throwing and running for touchdowns and No. 2 Georgia’s rebuilt defense delivered another dominant performance in the Bulldogs’ 33-0 win over Samford.

The Southeastern Conference was perhaps one blocked kick away from perfection on opening weekend, with a few impressive nonconference wins and some no-brainers.

Georgia moved up to No. 2 in the first Associated Press college football poll of the regular season.

Defending national champion Georgia became the second team in 15 seasons to score a touchdown on its first seven possessions against a ranked opponent.

Third-ranked Georgia made a statement that its offense is ready to take the lead.

Stetson Bennett threw for 368 yards and accounted for three touchdowns and Georgia's revamped defense didn’t miss a beat.

Alabama is No. 1 in the preseason AP Top 25 for the second straight season.

Any uncertainty about the quarterback position with the defending national champions can be put aside. Within minutes, J.T. Daniels entered the transfer portal and Stetson Bennett IV announced that he is staying at Georgia for his senior season.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart told a near-capacity crowd at Sanford Stadium the Bulldogs don’t plan to wait another 41 years for their next national championship.

Kirby Smart learned from his former boss that the time for celebrating is short in college football.

Alabama had plenty of chances in the College Football Playoff championship Monday — but rarely turned those opportunities into touchdowns.

Georgia won its long-awaited national championship the way it dominated during an undefeated regular season — by relying on its defense.

Stetson Bennett delivered the biggest throws of his storybook career and Georgia’s defense sealed the sweetest victory in program history, vanquishing rival Alabama 33-18 to win the College Football Playoff title game.

Stetson Bennett’s 40-yard touchdown pass to Adonai Mitchell has given Georgia a 19-18 lead over Alabama in the national championship game.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart got an inside look at what it takes to build a college football juggernaut working for Nick Saban at Alabama for eight years.

By bringing the Bulldogs to another national title game, coach Kirby Smart has made Georgia a regular part of the championship picture.

The national championship game quarterbacks are a former five-star recruit already with a Heisman Trophy and a former walk-on ending a long journey with his home state team.

Michigan won the coin toss.

Stetson Bennett threw three touchdown passes, Nakobe Dean led an angry Georgia defense and the third-ranked Bulldogs returned to their dominant ways, beating No. 2 Michigan 34-11 in the Orange Bowl to advance to the College Football Playoff championship.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart says Stetson Bennett remains the starting quarterback going into Friday's CFP semifinal against Michigan.

Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide have faced sporadic challengers during their long reign over the Southeastern Conference.

Stetson Bennett passed for 255 yards and four touchdowns, and No. 1 Georgia finished its undefeated regular season with a 45-0 victory over Georgia Tech. Georgia gained momentum for next week’s Southeastern Conference championship game against No. 3 Alabama in Atlanta.

Standout defensive tackle Jordan Davis scored his first career touchdown and No. 1 Georgia’s stout defense was again dominant in a 56-7 rout of Charleston Southern.

Stetson Bennett ran for a touchdown and threw for another as top-ranked Georgia remained perfect, wrapping up its Southeastern Conference schedule by routing Tennessee 41-17.

Stetson Bennett passed for 255 yards and two touchdowns before giving way to former starter JT Daniels, leading No. 1 Georgia to a 43-6 win over Missouri.

No_ 1 Georgia and its top-ranked defense dominated Florida in the annual rivalry known as “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party."

No_ 1 Georgia is a two-touchdown favorite against rival Florida in the game known as “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.”.

Georgia and Alabama could be heading for another showdown in the Southeastern Conference championship game.

Georgia's first game as the nation’s No. 1-ranked team since 2008 was a big success.

Georgia finds itself in a most unusual position.

Stetson Bennett passed for 231 yards and two touchdowns and led No. 2 Georgia past No. 18 Auburn for the second straight year in a 34-10 victory Saturday.

No. 2 Georgia brings its vaunted defense into Auburn this weekend in the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry.

Zamir White rushed for two touchdowns and recovered a blocked punt for another score, and No. 2 Georgia pounded No. 8 Arkansas 37-0 in the Bulldogs’ second consecutive shutout.

8 Florida beat fifth-ranked and undermanned Georgia 44-28 on Saturday. The Bulldogs (4-2), who entered the game as 3½-point favorites, were likely eliminated from College Football Playoff consideration and probably have a quarterback competition moving forward. Trask and the Gators took advantage, burning Georgia repeatedly with wheel routes while overcoming a 14-0 deficit. POLL IMPLICATIONSGeorgia likely will fall out of top 10 of T he Associated Press' college football poll for the first time this season. ___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

The "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” is one step shy of serving as the SEC East Division title game, with the winner gaining a chokehold on a spot in the league championship game in Atlanta next month. The Gators are averaging 42 points a game thanks to quarterback Kyle Trask, dynamic receiver Kadarius Toney and matchup nightmare tight end Kyle Pitts. The Bulldogs are giving up 16.2 points a game and has been downright dominant in every game outside a 41-24 loss to No. Georgia: QB Stetson Bennett has been far from perfect in the last two games, throwing a combined five interceptions against Alabama and Kentucky. … The Bulldogs are the home team, which means they only got four at Sanford Stadium when the SEC went to a 10-game, league-only schedule.

3 Georgia in the second half of a 41-24 victory Saturday night. “The goal was just to win the game,” Jones said. The Tide has won the last six meetings with Georgia, including a 3-0 record against Saban's former defensive coordinator, Kirby Smart. The first two came in the January 2018 national championship game and the SEC championship game the following season. POLL IMPLICATIONClemson hasn't done anything to weaken its claim to the top spot, but perhaps Alabama's decisive win will close the gap some.

Bouncing back from a goal-line stand at the end of the the first half, the No. “They really outplayed us in the second half,” coach Jeremy Pruitt said. All those good feelings evaporated when Tennessee turned it over on its first two possessions of the second half. Tennessee's defense held Georgia to a pair of field goals after those miscues, but the Vols offense just couldn't get anything going. SILLY MISTAKESWhile it didn't matter in the end, Georgia made plenty of mistakes that irritated Smart.

Stetson Bennett threw for 240 yards and a touchdown, solidifying his hold on the quarterback job as No. Postal Service cap in an effort to get noticed, Bennett was never viewed as a starting candidate for the Bulldogs. No matter the time of year, Georgia kept the upper hand with a fourth straight victory over Auburn. Georgia star Richard LeCounte got the boot in the second period for a helmet-to-helmet collision with Auburn receiver Shedrick Jackson. His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/paulnewberry___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher, left, talks with quarterback Kellen Mond (11) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Vanderbilt Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

including the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry, highlights the fifth week of the college football season. 4 Georgia on Saturday night as the second month of the season starts, but only the second week of SEC play. The first of three games that decide the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy might have sneaked up on college football fans. The Falcons will play six conference games to go along with Navy and Army. ___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

4 Georgia: Two of the SEC’s four top-10 teams meet in an interdivisional matchup in prime time. Both overcame challenges to win their openers, with Georgia rallying for 32 unanswered points with two passing touchdowns by backup quarterback Stetson Bennett to beat Arkansas 37-10. 23 Kentucky for three quarters before pulling away in the fourth for a 29-13 win behind two of Bo Nix's three passing touchdowns. 13 Aggies held Vanderbilt to just 150 yards passing and registered two interceptions, including one in the fourth quarter, to preserve a narrow win. The Wildcats outgained Auburn and played the Tigers tough for three quarters before the game slipped away in the fourth.

4 Georgia rallied to beat Arkansas 37-10 on Saturday in the season opener for each school. Zamir White rushed for 71 yards on 13 carries, including a 6-yard TD that gave the Bulldogs a 34-10 lead in the final period. Reed kicked a 25-yard field goal with 8:23 left in the third to give the Razorbacks a 10-5 lead. Bennett’s pass to Pickens got the lead for Georgia, and he made it 20-10 when he found John FitzPatrick for a 7-yard TD. Arkansas: The Razorbacks haven’t won an SEC game in almost three years, so a halftime lead against the Bulldogs is a positive step.

ATHENS, Ga. Jamie Newman, the Wake Forest transfer who was the projected starting quarterback for No. 4 Georgia, is opting out of the season to prepare for the 2021 NFL draft. Former walk-on Stetson Bennett, who was Jake Fromms top backup last season, freshman Carson Beck and DWan Mathis are the Bulldogs other quarterbacks. Newman announced in January he would transfer to Georgia for his final year of eligibility. In his statement, Newman thanked Smart for extending the offer for me to be a part of the University of Georgia football program.

ATLANTA Georgia has picked up another high-profile transfer to compete for its starting quarterback job, landing former Southern California starter JT Daniels. Daniels started for the Trojans in 2018, but lost his job to Kedon Slovis after going down last season with a knee injury. He announced Thursday that hes heading to Georgia, which is seeking a replacement for three-year starter Jake Fromm. Daniels won the starting job again out of camp last summer in new offensive coordinator Graham Harrells up-tempo scheme, but the sophomore tore a ligament in his knee in the Trojans season opener against Fresno State. Slovis stepped into the starting job and excelled in Harrells offense as a freshman, passing for 3,502 yards with 30 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

D'Andre Swift #7 of the Georgia Bulldogs rushes ten yards for a touch down against the Murray State Racers during the first half at Sanford Stadium on September 7, 2019 in Athens, Georgia. 3 Georgia broke loose in the second quarter for a 63-17 rout of FCS school Murray State on Saturday. Finally, redshirt freshman Zamir White darted for a 6-yard score, sending Georgia to the locker room with a 42-7 lead. But Murray State (1-1) rushed for just 23 yards. "I'm happy he got to play," Georgia coach Kirby Smart said.