LOS ANGELES — Stetson Bennett did not take long to make an impact on the 2023 National Championship Game. He scored the game’s first touchdown on a 21-yard keeper, giving him eight rushing touchdowns on the season.

Of the 10 rushing touchdowns Bennet has on the season, six have come against ranked teams.

He also set a school record in the opening quarter, as he became Georgia’s single-season passing leader. He threw for 121 yards on nine pass attempts in the first quarter, giving him 3,944 yards in his career. The previous mark was held by Aaron Murray, set back in 2012.

Bennett now has 33 touchdowns on the season, as he threw a 37-yard touchdown to Ladd McConkey to give the Bulldogs a 17-7 lead. Bennett added another rushing touchdown on the next drive to Georgia a 24-7 lead. With 8:30 remaining, he is 11 for 13 with 174 yards, 39 rushing yards and three total touchdowns.

“I’d say I’m as updated as I want to be,” Bennett said on if he was aware the possibility of breaking Murray’s record earlier this week. ”We still have a season. And we’ve still got one more game left. And all that stuff will still be there after that if I do want to look at it eventually. But now’s not the time.”

Later in the second quarter, Bennett became the first player in program history to throw for 4,000 yards in a season.

Bennett is normally at his best in big games for Georgia, as he has been the offensive MVP in all three College Football Playoff games he has played in. With a strong first quarter he is well on his way to locking up those honors once again.

Related: Georgia football quarterbacks share what separates Stetson Bennett: ‘He always comes through’

More Georgia football stories from around DawgNation