Stetson Bennett helped lead Georgia to a comeback win over Ohio State in the College Football Playoff semifinal game on Saturday night at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta, but you wouldn’t know it based on Kirby Smart’s postgame interview.
Smart was interviewed by ESPN’s Laura Rutledge after his Georgia Bulldogs came back to beat the Ohio State Buckeyes 42-41. They were down 21-7 in the second quarter, and trailed 38-24 to start the fourth quarter, yet they came back to win after the Buckeyes missed a 50-yard field goal attempt at the end.
When the Georgia coach was interviewed after the game, he credited Bennett for the comeback, but also criticized his former walk-on.
Kirby Smart couldn’t give Stetson Bennett some props for the comeback win just roasted him lol pic.twitter.com/JpO8C7CSTA
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) January 1, 2023
“He showed great competitive character,” Smart said of Bennett. “But he’s gotta play within our system. And he’s gotta do what he’s coached to do, or you can’t win games. You know, he didn’t get those opportunities until the defense stopped them. … He must play better if we expect to win the next one.”
Bennett went 23/34 for 398 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception. He also rushed for a touchdown. But his interception in Georgia territory in the second quarter turned into an Ohio State touchdown, and put the Bulldogs down by 14.
Georgia was able to do what Michigan could not do: come back for a CFP semifinal victory. Now the Bulldogs will face TCU next Monday for the national championship. You better believe Bennett will be focused for that game after being chewed out by his head coach.
