Why Stetson Bennett IV is the greatest QB in Georgia history, and it's no longer a debate
Fire up the Vince Carter GIF.
“It’s over.”
Stetson Bennett IV is already the best quarterback in Georgia history. I don’t care how Monday’s showing against TCU turns out. I don’t care if Bennett’s only entry into an NFL game comes courtesy of a ticket. I don’t care if Bennett announces his retirement from football at halftime of the National Championship.
OK, I went too far. That’s just a touch unrealistic. After all, the dude is 25 years old and he’s 1 game from accomplishing something that only 3 quarterbacks (AJ McCarron, Matt Leinart and Tommie Frazier) have done in the past 40 years. That is, win consecutive national championships. (USC’s 2003 title was shared and its 2004 BCS title was stripped.)
Bennett has done anything but quit this year. There was never the championship hangover some speculated he’d have following a national championship last year that felt more like a Disney movie (minus the Pappy Van Winkle swig). All Bennett did was one-up his 2021 showing by earning his way to New York and becoming Georgia’s first Heisman Trophy finalist since Garrison Hearst in 1992.
The G.O.A.T. Georgia quarterback? Yeah, Bennett already has that locked up. It should be unanimous now, especially on the heels of Bennett carving up Ohio State to overcome a double-digit deficit in the 4th quarter to win the Peach Bowl.
Go figure that the guy many would argue was better — Aaron Murray — was actually the one who made the argument during Bennett’s SEC Championship brilliance.
Not only is Stetson Bennett going to NYC, he has moved into GOAT status at UGA
He is the greatest QB in Georgia history ??
— Aaron Murray (@aaronmurray11) December 3, 2022
Mind you, that’s from Murray, AKA the SEC’s all-time leader in career passing touchdowns and passing yards. This year, Will Rogers passed Murray on the all-time SEC lead for career completions.
If you just do the career side-by-side without any context, you might wonder why Murray would say such a thing:
But even Murray can admit that cumulative numbers, as impressive as they are, aren’t on the level of Bennett’s feats.
“He has the ring,” Murray told SDS. “We were all brought to UGA to win a championship. He is the only one to have done that in 40-plus years.”
The guy who did that before Bennett, of course, was Buck Belue with the 1980 team. With all due respect to Belue, though, he completed 49% of his passes and averaged 7 completions per game during UGA’s title season, which was fueled by a certain Herschel Walker and a lights out defense.
Let’s also not confuse “most talented” with “best overall” because you’d have a hard time arguing that Georgia had a more talented quarterback than Matthew Stafford. So why not Stafford as “best overall” as well? In games against AP Top 25 opponents in his last 2 years as a starter, he averaged 8.3 yards/pass attempt and he had 15 interceptions in those 10 contests. During that stretch, only 3 times did he have a quarterback rating of 180.0 against an AP Top 25 foe (more on that stat in a minute).
The argument is Murray vs. Bennett.
It’s a simple fact, though for now, let’s throw out the argument that “Stetson is just a winner.” There’s no such thing as “QB wins” and if that’s the first thing that describes the quarterback, it’s usually because he has some holes in his game.
So let’s instead look at a key metric that defines elite quarterbacks. It’s not whether you threw 4 touchdown passes and lit up a Group of 5 team that earned a 7-figure payday in exchange for a beatdown. It’s whether you were dominant against the teams who mattered.
In 2022, Stetson played in 6 games (and counting) against teams currently in the AP Top 25 as of this writing. His quarterback rating was 186. Not only was that by far the best in America in 2022, but in the Playoff era, it trailed only the likes of 2017 Baker Mayfield, 2018 Kyler Murray, 2019 Joe Burrow, 2020 Mac Jones and 2021 CJ Stroud (min. 4 games). In all 6 of those games, Bennett’s QB rating was at least 149 and it was at least 180.0 in 5 of 6 games.
Since Bennett took over for JT Daniels in 2021, he played in 10 games against teams ranked in the AP Top 25 at the time of the matchup. In those games, Bennett had:
- A) A 24-3 TD-INT ratio
- B) 9.9 yards/pass attempt
- C) 7 games with multiple TD passes and no INTs
- D) 2 games with an INT
- E) All the above
It’s “E.” It’s always “E.”
Let’s compare that to Murray’s last 2 seasons as Georgia’s starter so that this isn’t just about cumulative numbers. Against teams who were ranked in the AP Top 25 at the time of the matchup, here’s that breakdown:
I showed Murray those numbers. He had a couple takeaways.
“INTs, Aaron. Take care of the ball!!!!” Murray joked. “(Bennett) plays the game as a risk-taker but has done a good job taking care of the football.”
That last number about QB rating is important because it shows you just how dominant Bennett has been in these important games. And for those who compare Bennett to Greg McElroy and AJ McCarron, Bennett had as many games with a quarterback rating of 180.0 against AP Top 25 teams (at the time of the matchup) as those 2 in their last 2 seasons combined (4 for McCarron and 3 for McElroy). Mind you, Bennett hit that mark 7-of-10 opportunities while McElroy and McCarron accomplished that feat 7-of-25 times.
Even if you wanted to look strictly at games against teams that finished in the AP Top 25, Murray’s best quarterback rating in a season against those foes was in 2013 when he posted a 148.5 mark. Again, Bennett is currently at 186 in those matchups heading into the national championship (that 2021 number was 163.0).
There’s perhaps a better question worth asking if Bennett is able to win his second title that 247sports’ Josh Pate brought up on the latest episode of The Saturday Down South Podcast.
“If I tell you that (Bennett) is the greatest Georgia football player of all-time …” Pate said.
I interrupted him during that response and blurted out “Herschel.” That’s just the knee-jerk reaction that I, along with many others, have had for our entire lifetimes without much room for debate.
Pate continued.
“You push back on me saying there have been more talented players. That has to be the pushback because if we’re talking about the most decorated player, you’re looking at a quarterback of back-to-back title teams in a place where prior to this, they hadn’t won 1 in our lifetime,” Pate said. “There’s no argument to me. There have been plenty more talented players (than Bennett). So if you want to talk about NFL Draft prospects and all that, OK.
“But I know it’s such a shock to the senses because we’re still sort of new in the ‘we’re taking Stetson Bennett seriously’ thing, but very quickly, we’re on the precipice of that conversation of Stetson Bennett, greatest Georgia football player of all-time. I know how unpalatable that seems because I’m struggling just saying it, but I believe it. What’s the pushback on that?”
If Georgia wins on Monday night and Bennett continues his big-game brilliance, yes, we can at least begin that conversation. He will have earned it. It would be a 2-year run unlike any we’ve seen in the Playoff era. If Bennett’s sequel includes more clutch play that leads to another ring, it’ll be hard to argue with.
Let a new Georgia G.O.A.T. debate begin.
It’s hard to argue with what he’s accomplished.
Indeed!
Matt Leinert did not qb back to back champions because USC did not win the natty in 03. LSU did. The AP hasn’t determined the champion since 1997. Calling USC the 03 champion is no different than calling UCF the 2017 champ.
The only true unanimous back to back champs since 1950 were Okla in the 50s, Nebraska in the 90s and Bama in the 2010s, Thats it.
Yes! There was no split. Everyone agreed to the format.
Great article Connor. I agree that Stet plays at another level when playing elite opponents. As a Georgia fan, I’m totally fine with that. I don’t remember a Georgia QB that has done that. Georgia fans are a bit used to our teams choking in big games. Sports psychologists really need to study his brain.
2 weeks ago I would not have even expected to see these 2 teams play. Now I don’t know what to expect from this game. Good luck Dawgs.
Stafford was the most talented. Murray had the best stats. Bennett is tied for most NC rings and gets the shot to take it all on his own. Fans remember talent. The sports media remember stats. Everyone remembers the rings.
That said it’s worth mentioning that Bennett has also played on two of the best, most complete teams that’s UGA has fielded. We focus on the QB but football is a team sport and it’s hard to compare individuals without also looking at the team as a whole.
Very good post.
No argument, but I would go with Bennett being the most successful (Monday night depending).
Maybe not the biggest numbers or greatest skill set. But hard to argue who’s most successful.
Throw a wrinkle in the convo, so under stats, accomplishments, and teams Smart has put together since taking UGA job could you argue that he is the greatest coach of all time at UGA?
@Law at the same time, Stafford’s 2008 team wasn’t bad either. They did what a lot of really talented Georgia teams did…underperform. That’s part of why Bennett has my vote as the GOAT; he wins.
Murray is too classy to point out that he himself did not get 6 years of eligibility. Stetson is a legend but he certainly benefits from being able to play college into his mid 20’s.
Glad it happened though.
No he is not. How can you insult the legacy, lores and tradition of UGA football like that. SBIV is not the GOAT QB in UGA history.
Too much history of UGA for me to type it all in here.
I might have him top 5 but not number one.
You didn’t name anyone. That would help with whatever case you are trying to make.
What QBs in Georgia history do you want taking snaps in the 4th quarter of a do or die game over Bennett?
Fran Tarkenton
I think Tarkenton may be the only legitimate alternative answer to the question.
I had to stop reading at the Leinhart comment. The 2003 national title isn’t shared. LSU has the whole BCS trophy and it has never been to the USC campus. USC didn’t even play for the title in 2003.
And I would argue that in 04 USC didn’t play the team they should have to win that title. 04 Auburn was better than Oklahoma, and was only shut out of the game because OK began the season higher ranked. No way OK should been chosen over an undefeated SEC champion.
Agreed. That would have been a hell of a game.
Agree ‘04 Auburn hopefully the last undefeated SEC Champ to ever get that kind of raw deal. Those guys deserved a chance to play for the Natty. They beat up a really good 10-2 Dawgs team that year. Thought Junior Rosegreen had killed Reggie Brown.
I don’t understand the continuing knocks on SBIV. They said he couldn’t throw the ball long, but he throws the ball long on a dime all the time. they said he wasn’t athletic enough, but he breaks defensive ends ankles and out sprints defensive backs to the end zone. And did you see the touch on that last touchdown pass in the play off against OSU? That was a thing of beauty. Dude can ball. Dude can ball.
Does anyone think we don’t have this two year run if Aaron Murray or David Greene is the QB? I am a Stetson fan but I can’t say he is clearly better than those guys were. He has better stats but part of that is he played in a different offense than they did. Through 14 games, he’s attempted 429 passes and that’s mainly playing 2 1/2 quarters and handing off for 1 1/2 quarters with double digit leads. Stats are not everything. I can say he has won more significant/important games than any QB in Georgia history because of the playoffs.
Not a chance with Greene.
Murray maybe, but I will take Murray’s own opinion on the matter a little more seriously than my own/others.
i definitely question if we’d have the same level of success…particularly in the champ/playoff games with either greene or murray under center.
simply look at bennett’s stats in the 4th qtr of the two biggest games of his career. now, look at the stats of other uga qbs in the 4th qtr of the 2-3 biggest games of their career.
I’m still not ready to forgive Murray for not spiking that ball in the SECCG…
These kinds of declarations are silly.
No one can be the “Greatest Of All Time” in a team sport because they only play in “their time,” with lots and lots of other players.
It makes more sense to declare this team, or the last two seasons, the greatest Georgia team(s).
I think Secretariat was the greatest American athlete of the twentieth century, but it is an individual sport where we can compare times.
Golfers are a good example, too.
The reason I say you can’t do that in team sports is because of the dependencies on teammate’s contributions, or short-comings.
It makes more sense to simply declare him a fine quarterback who played a key role in the greatness of two Georgia teams.
Stop it with the slobbering hyperbole.
It’s embarrassing.
You are making way too much sense. Football is a team sport. Georgia has a championship level team. Bennett’s “story” helps him a lot but not as much as the skill level of the current team. P.S. just don’t embarrass the SEC tonight.
It is not as if there is a whole lot of competition. Even extending our definition of the modern era to 1960 to pick up Fran Tarkenton, UGA has had 2 successful NFL QBs: Tarkenton and Matt Stafford. And Stafford did not win a conference (or division) title.
They have 2 national title QBs: Bennett and Buck Belue.
They have 1 QB that has won more than a single conference title (Belue).
They have 2 QB who set significant records (Aaron Murray, career SEC passing leader, David Greene most career wins).
They have 0 Heisman QBs.
UGA is not quarterback U. Far from it. Even among their rivals – as well as schools in their general area – it is fair to say that UF, FSU, Clemson, Alabama and Auburn all have more QB tradition, and most of those aren’t “QB U” either. But if it makes UGA fans feel better, at least Tennessee, Georgia Tech and South Carolina have even less. Note that the Vols and Tech both had the potential to build on a string of good QBs in the 1990s to develop a QB tradition but both screwed it up. Let’s hope that Smart avoids this. I do admit that Fromm (SEC title) and Bennett (SEC and national title) are good starts, but remember that Mark Richt’s first 4 QBs (not counting placeholders named Joe) won SEC titles (David Greene, DJ Shockley), became an NFL Hall of Famer (Stafford) and set records (Greene and Murray) before things fell apart. Meaning that to this point even though UGA has had more team success under Smart, the QB play was better for most of Richt’s tenure.
well, no one will ever mistake you for an historian of uga football. frank sinkwich’s ’42 heisman and nat’l champ are widely recognized by all…..aside from a few anti-uga fans who ques the absence of one single publication attributing the champ to uga.
of course no one would refer to uga as qbu. i know that i wouldn’t either. however, i’d challenge anyone to name 5 schools with at least 3 qbs to have started no less than 25 games in the nfl.
Bama, Purdue, Michigan, Miami, USC, Oklahoma, Stanford, BYU, the list could go on……
He’s the GOAT purely because of still drunk interview the morning after UGA won it all last year.
Winners have an set of intangibles and seem to find ways to carry the day. The best analysis I can think of is when people try to compare Labron and Jordan. Labron may very well lead in more statistical categories, but there’s really no argument that Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time. While Bennet IV may not be Jordan, he certainly seems to have the makeup of the QB who has figured out how he needs to carry the Dawgs to championships and win them. I have no doubt they will beat TCU tonight. He will have won two championships and I think that’s what fans will remember most. Not QB ratings, passing yards, etc… It’s been fun to watch the Dawgs these last couple years and it’s really hard not to root for Stetson with his back story. It just works. Go Dawgs!
Lebron*
Word
Certainly the most successful QB in UGA history but not nearly the most talented. He plays on the most talented and best UGA teams ever and Stetson turns 26 this year. No joke 26 f’n 26!!!
Just think what J T Daniels could have done, right?
Bennett deserves all the praise and tons of credit. Super college QB
Chris Weinke Won the heisman at the age of 28.