No. 11 LSU (9-2, 6-1 SEC West) at No. 1 Georgia (12-0, 8-0 SEC East), 31st annual SEC championship game, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, 3 p.m. (CBS) 6:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
Last game for Georgia: Won at home Saturday 37-14 over Georgia Tech. Georgia trailed 7-0 early and led only 10-7 at halftime. Then the Bulldogs scored 37 unanswered points as they outrushed the Yellow Jackets 264-40. Georgia QB Stetson Bennett completed 10 of 18 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns and had five carries for 21 yards.
Series record and last meeting: LSU leads 18-13-1. In the 2019 SEC championship game, No. 1 ranked and unbeaten LSU beat Georgia 37-10 as Tigers’ QB Joe Burrow completed 28 of 38 passes for 349 yards and four TDs, ran for 41 yards and caught one of his own deflected passes for a 16-yard gain.
The Tigers led 17-3 at halftime and scored the first 17 points of the second half to lead 34-3 at the end of the third quarter. LSU outgained Georgia in total offense yardage 481 to 286. The Tigers held Bulldogs to its lowest rushing total (61 yards) since 2017.
Wide receiver Justin Jefferson had 7 catches for 115 yards and a TD, Terrace Marshall Jr. had 5 receptions for 89 yards and 2 TDs and Ja’Marr Chase had 3 grabs for 41 yards and a TD. Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire ran for 57 yards and had 7 catches for 61 yards.
Defensively, freshman All-American cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. intercepted two passes.
LSU in SEC championship games: 5-1 including 3-1 vs. Georgia with wins over the Bulldogs in 2003 (34-13), 2011 (42-10) and 2019 (37-10) and a loss in 2005 34-14.
Georgia head coach: Kirby Smart (78-15 in 7 seasons overall and at Georgia).
THIS AND THAT
Early betting line: Georgia is a 16-point favorite.
Number of Louisiana natives on Georgia roster: 2
Number of Georgia natives on LSU roster: 6
Number of transfers on Georgia roster from 4-year schools: 4 players from 4 schools including 2 players from 2 Power 5 Conference schools.
GEORGIA PLAYERS TO WATCH
OFFENSE
QB Stetson Bennett (246 of 366 for 3,151 passing yards, 16 TDs, 6 interceptions and 190 rushing yards and 7 TDs on 45 carries), RB Kenny McIntosh (654 rushing yards and 8 TDs on 123 carries and 35 catches for 437 receiving yards and 1 TD), RB Daijan Edwards (604 rushing yards and 7 TDs on 115 carries), TE Brock Bowers (46 catches for 645 receiving yards and 5 TDs, 93 rushing yards and 3 TDs in 6 carries)
DEFENSE
ILB Jamon-Johnson Dumas (59 tackles, 8 TFL, 3 sacks, 17 QBH, FS Malaki Stokes (59 tackles, 7 PBU, 2 interceptions), LB Smael Mondon (58 tackles, 6½TFL, 12 QBH), SS Chris Smith (47 tackles, 4 TFL, 5 PBU, 2 interceptions), DT Jalen Carter (25 tackles, 5 TFL, 2 sacks, 18 QBH), DE Mykel Williams (20 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 sacks, 22 QBH).
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Jack Podlesny (23 for 25 FG, 55 of 55 extra points), P Brett Thorson (44 ypg, 14 fair catches, 15 inside the 20), KO Jack Podlesny (83 KO, 53 touchbacks, 61.4 ypk), KR Kearis Jackson (15 for 314 yards), PR Ladd McConskey (17 for 197 yards).
HIS-TO-RY QUIZ
1. Before he was hired as Georgia’s head coach where he won a national title and six SEC championships for 25 years, what was the late Vince Dooley’s previous job?
A. Georgia’s offensive coordinator
B. Auburn’s freshman team head coach
C. Georgia Tech’s defensive coordinator
D. Georgia’s athletic director
2. How many Georgia players have won the Heisman Trophy?
A. 3
B. 1
C. 4
D. 2
3. What is interred in a mausoleum near the main entrance of the southwest corner of Georgia’s football stadium?
A. Herschel Walker’s old jock straps
B. Former head coach Mark Richt’s playbooks
C. The 19 deceased bulldogs that have served as Georgia’s mascot
D. 4,000 chili dog wrappers from The Varsity
4. What did late legendary Georgia play-by-play announcer Larry Munson say when the Bulldogs scored a game-winning TD at No. 6 Tennessee in 2001?
A. “We just squeezed the Big Orange.”
B. “Looks like 100,000 fans dressed in prison outfits just lost their voices.”
C. “Let’s get on the plane and get the hell out of here.”
D. “We just stepped on their face with a hobnail boot and broke their nose! We just crushed their face!"
ANSWERS: 1. B 2. D 3. C 4. D
