Everyone remembers the confetti. They remember the 65-7 demolition of TCU in Los Angeles and Stetson Bennett walking off into the sunset as a back-to-back legend. But if you actually look back at the 2022 Georgia football schedule, it wasn't always a cakewalk.
Most people assume the Bulldogs just steamrolled everyone because of that final score in the Natty. Honestly? That's not really how it went down in the trenches.
The 2022 Georgia Football Schedule: A Season of Near-Disasters
The year started with a bang. On September 3rd, Georgia met Oregon in Atlanta for the Chick-fil-A Kickoff. Kirby Smart basically taught his former assistant Dan Lanning a lesson he’d never forget. 49-3. It was a statement.
But then things got... weird.
After easy wins against Samford and South Carolina, the Bulldogs hosted Kent State. You’d think a MAC team would be a "get the backups in by halftime" kind of game. Nope. Georgia turned the ball over three times. They won 39-22, but the vibes in Athens were off.
Then came the Missouri trip.
If you want to talk about the moment the 2022 Georgia football schedule almost fell apart, it’s October 1st in Columbia. Georgia trailed for nearly the entire game. They were down 22-12 in the fourth quarter. It took two late touchdowns from Daijun Edwards and Kendall Milton to escape with a 26-22 win.
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One bad bounce and there is no 15-0.
Navigating the SEC Gauntlet
After the Missouri scare, the Dawgs woke up. They destroyed Auburn 42-10 and shut out Vanderbilt 55-0. Then came the "Game of the Century" (or at least the week).
On November 5th, No. 1 Tennessee brought their high-flying offense to Sanford Stadium. The rain was coming down. The crowd noise was so loud it literally caused Tennessee to commit false start after false start. Georgia’s defense, led by Jalen Carter and Kelee Ringo, absolutely suffocated the Vols.
The 27-13 score didn't even reflect how dominant Georgia was that day.
The rest of the regular season was business as usual:
- A 45-19 win at Mississippi State.
- A freezing 16-6 slugfest against Kentucky in Lexington.
- A 37-14 victory over Georgia Tech to keep the Governor's Cup.
By the time the SEC Championship rolled around, Georgia looked invincible again. They hung 50 on LSU in Atlanta, with Brock Bowers proving he was the best player in college football regardless of position.
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The Peach Bowl Heart Attack
Forget the TCU blowout for a second. The real national championship happened on New Year's Eve in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Ohio State had Georgia on the ropes. C.J. Stroud was carving up the secondary. The Buckeyes led by 14 points in the fourth quarter. It felt over.
But Stetson Bennett didn't care. He led a frantic comeback, capped off by a 10-yard touchdown pass to Adonai Mitchell with 54 seconds left. Even then, it came down to a missed field goal by Noah Ruggles as the clock struck midnight.
If that kick is three feet to the left, we aren't talking about a dynasty. We're talking about a "what if."
Key Performers on the 2022 Roster
You can't talk about the results without the stats. Stetson Bennett threw for 4,128 yards and 27 touchdowns. He wasn't just a "walk-on" anymore; he was a Heisman finalist.
Brock Bowers was the statistical anomaly. 63 catches for 942 yards and 7 touchdowns. He led the team in every major receiving category. Then you had the backfield committee of Kenny McIntosh, Daijun Edwards, and Kendall Milton, who combined for over 2,000 rushing yards.
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On defense, it was a collective effort. Malaki Starks emerged as a superstar freshman safety. Jamon Dumas-Johnson anchored the middle. It was a unit that only allowed 14.3 points per game.
Why 15-0 Matters Now
Looking back, the 2022 Georgia football schedule represents the peak of the Kirby Smart era. It was the first time Georgia went a perfect 15-0. It proved that 2021 wasn't a fluke.
If you're looking to study how to build a program, look at the depth of that 2022 team. They lost 15 players to the NFL Draft the year before and somehow got better offensively.
Next Steps for Fans and Analysts:
- Re-watch the Missouri game: See how Kirby Smart handles a team that has clearly lost its focus. It's a masterclass in mid-game adjustments.
- Study the 12-personnel sets: Todd Monken's use of Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington together changed how modern college offenses use tight ends.
- Check the 2023 Draft results: See how many players from this specific 15-0 run ended up as first-round picks. It’s a staggering number that explains why they were so hard to beat.
The 2022 season wasn't just about winning; it was about survival in the SEC and proving that "The Standard" was real.