Stetson Bennett for Heisman? UGA football players, Kirby Smart weigh in

ATLANTA — Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett completed another MVP performance on one of college football's grandest stages Saturday in leading the Bulldogs past LSU, 50-30, in the SEC Championship.

Add that accomplishment to MVP showings in last season's National Championship game and the Orange Bowl, and Bennett has proven that he rises to the occasion when Georgia's stakes are highest.

So, was his 274 yards passing and four touchdown performance on Saturday enough to lift the Bulldogs' super senior into discussion for the Heisman trophy?

"Sounds great to me," said tight end Darnell Washington. "That's music to my ears."

"You can definitely make a case. He's a little underrated in my opinion," said sophomore tight end Brock Bowers. "Big games, you've always got to show up and we expect that out of our quarterback. He played awesome these last couple games."

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Bennett has passed for 3,425 yards and 20 touchdowns this season with seven additional scores rushing. His 263.5 yards per game are 26th in the country, but a couple Heisman favorites such as USC's Caleb Williams (313.5 yards per game, 37 TDs) and Ohio State's CJ Stroud (278.3, 37), or even Tennessee's Hendon Hooker (285, 27) have better stats on paper.

Heisman voters must consider that Bennett is the only undefeated quarterback of those considered Heisman candidates, as well as how the Bulldogs have performed this season while relying heavily on his arm, despite the perception that he's a game managing quarterback in a run-first offense.

Georgia teammates all agreed Saturday that their quarterback should be in the discussion for the award presented next Saturday in New York.

"I mean, what would you think I'd (say)?" said linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson. "Stet put on a show today, just like any other game during the season. I wouldn't be surprised if he wins it."

Asked if he would lobby for Bennett to be a Heisman favorite, Georgia coach Kirby Smart said, "well, absolutely," while his quarterback sat beside shaking his head in disbelief that the subject was broached.

"I had several people come up to me and say they thought he played the best game of his career tonight," Smart said. "He played really good."

Heisman finalists will be announced Monday night, and Bennett is a longshot to be included. But his value for Georgia the past two seasons can't be overlooked.

"In my opinion, if I was the one to pick the Heisman winner, I would give it to him," said linebacker Smael Mondon. "Whether he wins it or not, whether he's in the discussion or not, we know what Stet does for us...He knows he's number one in our hearts."

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Can Stetson Bennett win the Heisman Trophy? UGA football players say