ATHENS — JT Daniels hadn’t played a four-quarter football game in nearly two years, but the USC transfer picked up where he left off.
Daniels passed for a career-high 401 yards on 28-of-38 passing to lead No. 13 Georgia to a 31-24 win over Mississippi State on Saturday night in Sanford Stadium.
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It was the first Bulldogs’ 400-yard passing performance since SEC all-time passing leader Aaron Murray threw for 415 in a 43-38 loss to Auburn in 2013.
Daniels, who threw four touchdowns with no interceptions, would have had more, but UGA receivers had three dropped passes.
Daniels’ previous career-high passing effort came at USC against an undefeated Notre Dame team on Nov. 24, 2018. Daniels completed a Trojans’-record 37 passes (51 attempts) for 349 yards in a 24-17 loss to the Irish.
The next time Daniels took the field after that was the 2019 season opener when he suffered a torn ACL and meniscus in his right knee. It ended his season, and ultimately, his career at USC.
Daniels transferred to Georgia in May, and the Bulldogs’ quarterback drama has been well-documented ever since then.
Todd Monken’s Air Raid offense came to life with the insertion of Daniels, as he pushed the ball down field repeatedly.
Freshman Jermaine Burton was the main benefactor, reeling in 8 catches for a career-high 197 yards and two touchdowns.
George Pickens also recorded a season-high 8 catches for 87 yards and a touchdown.
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