The 2022 Georgia Bulldogs football team represented the University of Georgia in the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bulldogs played their home games at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia, and competed in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by seventh-year head coach Kirby Smart. They entered the season as the defending consensus national champions.
This season is one of two back-to-back Georgia seasons that won a national championship. In the 2021 season, Georgia won 33–18 against Alabama, and in the 2022 season, Georgia won 65–7 against TCU.
The Bulldogs finished the regular season 12–0, 8–0 in SEC play to finish first in the conference's Eastern Division. In the SEC Championship Game, the Bulldogs defeated the LSU Tigers 50–30 to win their first SEC title since 2017. They advanced to the College Football Playoff for the second straight year and were selected to play against Ohio State in the Peach Bowl. Georgia mounted the largest 4th-quarter comeback in CFP history to defeat Ohio State by a score of 42–41, after Ohio State missed a potential game-winning 50-yard field goal in the final seconds of the game. As the season's last major team with an undefeated record, the Bulldogs faced off against Texas Christian University (TCU) at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California for the 2023 CFP National Championship on January 9, 2023. They dominated TCU 65–7 to become the first team since the 2012 Alabama Crimson Tide to repeat as national champions, along with becoming just the 3rd team to complete a 15–0 season in the modern era, after LSU in 2019 and Clemson in 2018. They would be subsequently joined by Michigan the following year. Their 58-point margin of victory over TCU was the largest of any bowl game result, until next season when Georgia defeated Florida State with a 60-point margin, 63–3, in the 2023 Orange Bowl.
Offseason
NFL draft
Fifteen Bulldogs were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, setting a new record for draft picks from a single school in the seven-round draft era (1994–present).
Travon Walker DE Jacksonville Jaguars 1 1Jordan DavisDTPhiladelphia Eagles113Quay WalkerLBGreen Bay Packers122Devonte WyattDEGreen Bay Packers128Lewis CineSMinnesota Vikings132George PickensWRPittsburgh Steelers252James CookRBBuffalo Bills263Nakobe DeanLBPhiladelphia Eagles383Channing TindallLBMiami Dolphins3102Zamir WhiteRBLas Vegas Raiders4122Jake CamardaPTampa Bay Buccaneers4133Justin ShafferGAtlanta Falcons6190Jamaree SalyerGLos Angeles Chargers6195Derion KendrickCBLos Angeles Rams6212John FitzPatrickTEAtlanta Falcons6213
Players 2022 Georgia offseason departures Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Notes George Pickens #1 WR 6'3" 200 Junior Hoover, AL Declared for the 2022 NFL Draft Zamir White #3 RB 6'0" 215 Junior Laurinburg, NC Declared for the 2022 NFL Draft James Cook #4 RB 5'11" 190 Senior Miami, FL Declared for the 2022 NFL Draft Quay Walker #7 LB 6'4" 240 Senior Cordele, GA Graduated/Declared for the 2022 NFL Draft Derion Kendrick #11 DB 6'0" 190 Senior Rock Hill, SC Graduated/Declared for the 2022 NFL Draft Lewis Cine #16 DB 6'1" 200 Junior Cedar Hill, TX Declared for the 2022 NFL Draft Nakobe Dean #17 LB 6'0" 225 Junior Horn Lake, MS Declared for the 2022 NFL Draft Adam Anderson #19 LB 6'5" 230 Senior Rome, GA Graduated John Staton IV #35 LB 6'1" 225 Grad Student Atlanta, GA Graduated Brady Tindall #39 WR 5'10" 192 Senior Atlanta, GA Graduated Channing Tindall #41 LB 6'2" 230 Senior Columbia, SC Graduated/Declared for the 2022 NFL Draft Chase Harof #43 TE 6'2" 250 Senior Roswell, GA Graduated Travon Walker #44 DL 6'5" 275 Junior Thomaston, GA Declared for the 2022 NFL Draft Justin Shaffer #54 OL 6'4" 330 Senior Ellenwood, GA Graduated/Declared for the 2022 NFL Draft Jamaree Salyer #69 OL 6'4" 325 Senior Atlanta, GA Graduated/Declared for the 2022 NFL Draft John FitzPatrick #86 TE 6'7" 250 Junior Atlanta, GA Declared for the 2022 NFL Draft Jake Camarda #90 P/PK 6'2" 180 Senior Norcross, GA Declared for the 2022 NFL Draft Julian Rochester #92 DL 6'5" 300 Senior Mableton, GA Graduated Devonte Wyatt #95 DL 6'3" 315 Senior Decatur, GA Graduated/Declared for the 2022 NFL Draft Jordan Davis #99 DL 6'6" 340 Senior Charlotte, NC Graduated/Declared for the 2022 NFL Draft
Outgoing transfers Eight players elected to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal during or after the 2021 season.
Name No. Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown New school Jalen Kimber #6 DB 6'0" 170 Freshman Mansfield, TX Transferred to Florida Jermaine Burton #7 WR 6'0" 200 Sophomore Calabasas, CA Transferred to Alabama Ameer Speed #9 DB 6'3" 211 Senior Jacksonville, FL Transferred to Michigan State Justin Robinson #9 WR 6'4" 220 Freshman McDonough, GA Transferred to Mississippi State Lovasea Carroll #12 DB 6'1" 195 Freshman Warrenton, GA Transferred to South Carolina JT Daniels #18 QB 6'3" 210 Junior Irvine, CA Transferred to West Virginia Jaylen Johnson #23 WR 6'2" 192 Junior Duluth, GA Transferred to East Carolina Daran Branch #26 DB 6'2" 178 Freshman Amite, LA Transferred to LSU Latavious Brini #36 DB 6'2" 210 Senior Miami Gardens, FL Transferred to Arkansas Clay Webb #60 OL 6'3" 290 Sophomore Oxford, AL Transferred to Jacksonville State Owen Condon #75 OL 6'7" 310 Junior Oklahoma City, OK Transferred to SMU Tymon Mitchell #91 DL 6'3" 300 Junior Nashville, TN Transferred to TCU
† Elected to use the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA in response to COVID-19.
Additions
Incoming transfers
Name No. Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Prev. school
Recruiting class
*= 247Sports Composite rating; ratings are out of 1.00. (five stars= 1.00–.98, four stars= .97–.90, three stars= .80–.89, two stars= .79–.70, no stars= <70) †= Despite being rated as a four and five star recruit by ESPN, On3.com, Rivals.com and 247Sports.com, TBD received a four-five star 247Sports Composite rating. Δ= Left the Georgia program following signing but prior to the 2022 season.
Overall class rankings ESPN #2 #2 1 18 7 0 0 0 On3 Recruits #3 #3 5 16 6 0 0 0 Rivals #2 #2 5 15 6 0 0 0 247 Sports #3 #3 5 15 7 0 0 0
Returning starters
Offense
Player Class Position Stetson Bennett Graduate Quarterback Kendall Milton Junior Running Back Adonai Mitchell Sophomore Wide receiver Kearis Jackson Senior Wide receiver Ladd McConkey RS Sophomore Wide receiver Warren Ericson Senior Offensive Line Sedrick Van Pran-Granger RS Sophomore Offensive Line Broderick Jones RS Sophomore Offensive Line Brock Bowers Sophomore Tight endReference:
Defense Player Class Position Jalen Carter Junior Defensive Line Nolan Smith Senior Linebacker Kelee Ringo RS Sophomore Cornerback Christopher Smith II Senior Defensive Back William Poole Graduate Defensive BackReference:
Special teams
Player Class Position Jack Podlesny Senior Kicker Payne Walker Senior Long snapperReference:
† Indicates player was a starter in 2021 but missed all of 2022 due to injury.
Roster
Preseason
Spring game
The Bulldogs held spring practices in March and April 2022 with the Georgia football spring game, "G-Day" taking place in Athens, GA on April 16, 2022.
Award watch lists Listed in the order that they were released
Lott TrophyJalen CarterDTJr.Kelee RingoCBRS Jr.Dodd Trophy Kirby Smart HC –Maxwell AwardStetson BennettQBGSBrock BowersTEJr.Davey O'Brien AwardStetson BennettQBGS Biletnikoff AwardBrock BowersTESo.John Mackey AwardArik GilbertTERS So.Brock BowersSo.Darnell WashingtonJr.Rimington TrophySedrick Van Pran-GrangerOLRS So.Butkus AwardJamon Dumas-JohnsonLBSo.Jim Thorpe AwardChristopher Smith IIDBSr.Kelee RingoRS So.Bronko Nagurski TrophyJalen CarterDTJr.Kelee RingoCBRS So.Nolan SmithLBSr.Outland TrophyBroderick JonesOTRS So.Jalen CarterDTJr.Warren EricsonOLSr.Lou Groza AwardJack PodlesnyPK Wuerffel TrophyKearis JacksonWR/STWalter Camp AwardBrock BowersTESo.Jalen CarterDTJr.Kelee RingoCBRS So.Bednarik AwardJalen CarterDTJr.Kelee RingoCBRS So.Nolan SmithLBSr.Rotary Lombardi AwardBrock BowersTESo.Jalen CarterDTJr.Nolan SmithLBSr.Manning AwardStetson BennettQBJohnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Ted Hendricks Award
SEC media days The 2022 SEC Media days will be held in July 2022. The Preseason Polls will be released in July 2022. Each team had their head coach available to talk to the media at the event. Coverage of the event was televised on SEC Network and ESPN.
Media poll (East Division) 1 Georgia 1254 (172) 2 Kentucky 932 (4) 3 Tennessee 929 (1) 4 Florida 712 5 South Carolina 662 (3) 6 Missouri 383 7 Vanderbilt 196 (1)
Media poll (SEC Championship) 1 Alabama 158 2 Georgia 18 3 South Carolina 3
Preseason All-SEC teams
Media First Team
Position Player Class Team OffenseTEBrock BowersSophomore Georgia DefenseLBNolan SmithSenior GeorgiaDTJalen CarterJunior GeorgiaCBKelee RingoRS Sophomore Georgia Special teamsWR/STKearis JacksonSenior Georgia
Second Team
Position Player Class Team OffenseOLSedrick Van Pran-GrangerRS Sophomore Georgia DefenseSSChristopher Smith IISenior Georgia
Third Team
Position Player Class Team OffenseRBKenny McIntoshSenior Georgia Source:
Coaches
First Team
Position Player Class Team OffenseTEBrock BowersSophomore GeorgiaOTWarren McClendonJunior Georgia DefenseDTJalen CarterJunior GeorgiaCBKelee RingoRS Sophomore Georgia
Second Team
Position Player Class Team OffenseQBStetson BennettSenior GeorgiaOLSedrick Van Pran-GrangerRS Sophomore Georgia DefenseLBNolan SmithSenior GeorgiaDBChristopher Smith II Georgia Special teamsWR/STKearis JacksonSenior Georgia
Third Team
Position Player Class Team OffenseWRLadd McConkeyJunior Georgia Source:
Schedule Georgia and the SEC announced the 2022 football schedule on September 21, 2021.
Game summaries vs No. 11 Oregon
vs No. 25 (FCS) Samford
vs South Carolina
vs Kent State
vs Missouri
vs Auburn
vs Vanderbilt
vs Florida
vs No. 1 Tennessee
Vs. Mississippi State
Vs. Kentucky
Vs. Georgia Tech
Vs. LSU (SEC Championship)
Vs. Ohio State (Peach Bowl–CFP Semifinal)
vs No. 3 TCU (National Championship)
Statistics No. 3 TCUNo. 1 Georgia First downs 932 Total yards 188589 Rushes/yards 28–36 44–254 Passing yards 152335 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 14–23–220–28–0 Time of possession 23:0136:59 Team Category Player StatisticsNo. 3 TCU Passing Max Duggan 14/22, 152 yards, 2 INT Rushing Emari Demercado 14 carries, 59 yards Receiving Derius Davis 5 receptions, 101 yardsNo. 1 Georgia Passing Stetson Bennett 18/25, 304 yards, 4 TD Rushing Kenny McIntosh 8 carries, 50 yards Receiving Brock Bowers 7 receptions, 152 yards, TD
Rankings
Personnel
Coaching staff Kirby Smart Head coach 7th Todd Monken Offensive coordinator / quarterbacks coach 3rd Stacy Searels Offensive line coach 1st Scott Cochran Special teams coordinator 3rd Will Muschamp Defensive coordinator/safeties coach 1st Glenn Schumann Co-defensive coordinator/inside linebackers coach 4th Chidera Uzo-Diribe Outside linebackers coach 1st Bryan McClendon Pass game coordinator/wide receivers coach1st Dell McGee Run game coordinator/running backs coach 4th Todd Hartley Tight ends coach 4th Tray Scott Defensive line coach 6th Fran Brown Defensive back coach 1st Scott Sinclair Strength and conditioning coach 2ndReference:2021 Georgia Bulldogs Football Media Guide, p. 2
Football support staff
Eric Black – Director of football creative – football Mike Cavan – Director of football administration Austin Chambers – Assistant director of player development Jay Chapman – Director of football management David Cooper – Director of recruiting relations Anna Courson – Football operations assistant Chandler Eldridge – Co-director of football creative – design Hunter Parker – Football operations assistant Bryant Gantt – Director of player support and operations Matt Godwin – Player personnel coordinator Christina Harris – Director of recruiting administration Hailey Hughes – Football operations coordinator Ann Hunt – Administrative assistant to head coach