MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett came out firing darts, leading the Bulldogs to a 27-3 halftime lead in the Orange Bowl CFP Semifinal by engineering scoring drives on five of UGA’s first six possessions.
But Bennett, 16-of-22 passing for 234 yards and 2 touchdowns — in addition to a 20-yard run that set up a field goal — left the Hard Rock Stadium turf getting an earful from coach Kirby Smart on the way to the halftime lockerroom.
“We want to go score there, be aggressive, try to get a field goal, try to score like we’ve done the whole time,” Smart explained, disappointed with Bennett handing off three times and throwing an incompletion on the final play before intermission.
“We didn’t manage the clock real well at the end.”
But Bennett, 16-of-22 passing for 234 yards and 2 touchdowns — in addition to a 20-yard run that set up a field goal — left the Hard Rock Stadium turf getting an earful from coach Kirby Smart on the way to the halftime locke rroom.
Georgia had taken possession at its own 36-yard line with 1:28 left in the first half after Derion Kendrick intercepted a Cade McNamara pass at the Michigan 41.
Kendrick, however, lost 8 yards on the interception return, and UGA was docked another 15 yards after Christopher Smith was called (and ejected) for targeting on Kendrick’s return.
Bennett connected on a 57-yard TD pass to Jermaine Burton to cap the Bulldogs’ first-half scoring, earlier connecting with James Cook on a 53-yard strike.
Brock Bowers opened the scoring with a 9-yard TD reception on Georgia’s opening drive and leads UGA with 5 catches through the first half.
This marks the first time since 2010 Michigan has given up scores on an opponents’ first five drives in a game.
