Former ’Bama QB rooting for Bennett
He is lore in shoulder pads. He’s now a 30-something. Married with three kids. And after some years bouncing around the NFL, he’s in the XFL, competing for the quarterback job with the St. Louis Battlehawks.
But AJ McCarron is forever the SEC-dominating, Heisman-contending, titlewinning quarterback from Alabama. And a decade ago, he became the most recent college quarterback to win back-to-back national championships.
Alas, that might last for only four more days.
Georgia plays TCU for the title on Monday. If the Bulldogs defense can clog the Frogs — and the offense put up big points against TCU, as they have against great teams all season — quarterback Stetson Bennett IV will be a back-to-back champ.
“Listen, I’m a huge fan of Stetson Bennett,” McCarron said by phone. “I’m definitely rooting for him. Just one of my favorite guys to watch in college football at the quarterback position.”
In the past 60 years, only five quarterbacks have won consecutive titles — and besides McCarron, the other four come with explanations. Southern California’s Matt Leinart won in 200304, but the first title was only the Associated Press title (Louisiana State won the Bowl Championship Series). Tommie Frazier and Nebraska won the national championship outright in 1994 and 1995, but Frazier missed half of the 1994 season for health reasons and split time in the bowl game. And Nebraska’s Jerry Tagge (1970-71) and Oklahoma’s
Steve Davis (1974-75) played on teams that shared national titles.
So, yeah, Bennett could make some rare history. And I think he will — here’s picking the Dawgs over the (12.5-point) ‘dogs.
But really, even before this season, Bennett was already one of the great stories in the history of college football.
“You talk about his career journey,” McCarron said. “Coming in (to Georgia) as a walk-on and then being told, ‘Hey, you’re never going to play here.’ Then transferring and going to a JUCO.”
Indeed, Bennett played the 2018 season at Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Mississippi. He returned to play for Georgia (he’s a native of the Peach State) and came off the bench in 2019 and 2020. He took over as starter last season
and won it all.
This season, he hasn’t yet lost.
He’s not the tallest or the strongest or the fastest or the anything-est. But he wins football games — and does so with mastery and grit.
“I love watching him play,” McCarron said. “He plays with a lot of passion. And he plays with swagger inside the white lines. He’s very humble and a class act when he does interviews and outside of the field. And I love that he plays with a chip on his shoulder . ...
“It’s always tough, especially when you play at a big school like Alabama or Georgia, these top programs — you’re going to get everybody’s best game every week.”
Such was the case when Bennett faced the Missouri defense.
Incidentally, if an Alabama alum can appreciate Bennett, surely Missouri folks can, too. If anything, they should respect him, after Bennett proved the IV in his name stands for the fourth quarter.
With 14:09 left that October day, Mizzou led the defending champs, 22-12. But Bennett, as if he was an old Western gunslinger wearing a Stetson, led Georgia on two long touchdown drives. The Bulldogs prevailed, 26-22.
The fourth-quarter comeback against Mizzou saved the season.
The fourth-quarter comeback against Ohio State could define a championship season.
Still can’t believe he pulled it off.
In the national semifinal, Georgia entered the fourth quarter trailing, 38-24.
During a video game come to life, Georgia scored 18 points in the fourth quarter, featuring a 76-yard Bennett touchdown heave and a last-minute touchdown drive. Never bet against Bennett. Ohio State missed a potential game-winning field goal with just seconds left. Georgia advanced. It was bonkers yet just another chapter in the Stetson storybook.
“He’s got an awesome opportunity ahead of him,” McCarron said of Monday’s title game. “And he’s going to need everybody else to play well — it’s a true team sport, but I’m excited for him and excited for Kirby.”
That’s Kirby Smart, the Georgia coach who was the Alabama defensive coordinator during AJ’s days.
“We were really close at Bama,” McCarron said. “I think he’s awesome, awesome coach.”
If anything, Smart was smart enough to take a chance with the old walkon at quarterback.