Georgia Bulldogs Set Records During 2022 National Championship Season
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ATHENS The latest national championship Georgia squad established memorable performances that will be included in the NCAA, College Football Playoff (CFP) and Bulldog record books from their historic 15-0 campaign.
A few highlights worth noting include:
*The Bulldogs were the only team to finish the 2022 season nationally ranked in the top five for Scoring Offense (41.1 points per game) and Scoring Defense (14.3 ppg).
*Georgia held seven teams this season to a season-low in points in a game including No. 3 TCU in the CFP National Championship as the Bulldogs completed their undefeated run with a 65-7 triumph.
*For the second consecutive year, Georgia led the nation in Point Differential. In 2022, it was +402 as the Bulldogs outscored their opponents 616-214. For the 2021 national champions, it was +426 (579-153).
*During its run as back-to-back national champions, Georgia has beaten every program that either won or played for a national championship during the CFP era.
*Kirby Smart is the only active head coach to lead his alma mater to multiple national titles and just the fifth since 1936 when the Associated Press poll era began.
*Smart is one of only 10 head coaches to win back-to-back national titles during this era including one of just two active coaches to do it (Nick Saban, Alabama 2011-12).
*Senior quarterback Stetson Bennett became the first player to be named the offensive Most Valuable Player in four CFP games including twice in a CFP National Championship Game.
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Here now is a look at the records set by this season’s national champions:
NCAA STATISTICAL CHAMPION RECORDS (number of times in school history led that category)
*Victories/Winning Percentage: 15-0 (4th)
*Rushing Defense: 77.1 yards per game (3rd)
*Red Zone Offense: Scored 97.6% of the time, going 81-for-83 with 57 TDs and 24 FGs (1st)
*First Downs: 375 (1st)
*4th Down Conversion Pct.: 86.7% of the time going 13-for-15 (1st)
*Scoring/Total Points: 151 by Jack Podlesny on 26 FGs and 73 PATs (2nd, Garrison Hearst-TB in 1992)
UGA TEAM RECORDS
*The 2022 senior class posted a 49-5 mark with two national championships and one SEC title
*Georgia is the first team to win back-to-back titles in the CFP era
*Georgia has tied the school mark for consecutive wins with 17, and that’s the longest active streak in the FBS.
*Georgia’s 29 wins over the last two seasons ties the major college record (Clemson had 29 from 2018-19)
*Georgia went 15-0 to become one of only three teams to do that in the modern era (Clemson in ’18, LSU in ’19; meanwhile Yale, Penn and Chicago all won at least 15 from 1889-1899)
*Georgia extended its nation’s leading active bowl streak to 26 seasons and improved to 37-21-3 all-time in bowl games (includes three CFP title games)
*Most Points: 616
*Most TDs including Most Rushing TDs: 76 including 44
*Most Passes Attempted/Completed and Yards: 492/336 for 4,437
*Highest Completion Percentage: 68.30
*Most Offensive Plays and Yards: 1,049 for 7,517
*Highest Average Yards Per Game/Season and Per Play: 501.1 for 7.17
*Most First Downs and Most Passing: 375 overall including 206
*Most PATs Attempted/Made: 73-for-74
CFP CHAMPIONSHIP GAME RECORDS
*^Most Points, Game: 65 (also ties for most points against an AP Top 3 foe)
*^Largest Margin of Victory: 58 (also largest in an FBS title game since 1992)
*^Most Unanswered Points: 55
*Most Points, First Quarter: 17
*^Most Points, First Half: 38
*^Most Points, Third Quarter: 14
*^Most Touchdowns, Game: 9
*^Most Touchdowns Rushing: 5 (tied, also by Ohio State in 2015)
*~Highest Average Gain Per Play: 8.2 (589 on 72)
*^Highest Average Yards Per Completion: 16.8 (20-28, 335 yards)
*^Best Third Down Efficiency: 69.2 (9-of-13)
*Most Quarterback Sacks: 5 for 38 yards (tied mark)
*Most Interceptions: 2 (tied mark)
*^Most Minutes With The Lead: 56:01 (Was 0-0 for the first 3:59)
*Game Time (Shortest): 3:11
*^Highest Passer Rating: 226.9 by Stetson Bennett
*^Most Points Responsible For: 36 by Stetson Bennett, 4 passing, 2 rushing (tied Joe Burrow, LSU in 2020; Bennett became the first player in the BCS/CFP era to score at least two passing TDs and two rushing TDs in a title game)
*^Most Interceptions: 2 by Javon Bullard
*^Most Extra Points Made: 8 by Jake Podlesny
^also UGA Bowl Record; ~UGA Bowl record is 8.9 (533 on 60 set in 2022 Peach Bowl win over No. 4 Ohio State)
UGA INDIVIDUAL SEASON RECORDS
*Most Passes Attempted/Completed and Yards: 454/310 for 4,127 by Stetson Bennett
*Highest Completion Percentage: 68.28 by Stetson Bennett (also for Career at 65.11)
*Most Yards Passing By A Senior: 4,127 by Stetson Bennett
*Most Offensive Plays: 511 by Stetson Bennett
*Total Offense: 4,332 by Stetson Bennett
*Most Points Scored & Most By Kicking: 151 by Jack Podlesny
*Most PATs Attempted/Made: 73-of-74 by Jack Podlesny