ATLANTA -- With all sorts of turmoil behind them in the rankings, the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs left no doubt about the top team heading into the College Football Playoff, dismantling No. 11 LSU 50-30 in the Southeastern Conference championship game Saturday.
Stetson Bennett's threw a season-high four touchdown passes in another stellar postseason performance, while Christopher Smith gave the Bulldogs an early spark with a heads-up play that turned a seemingly harmless blocked field goal into a 96-yard TD.
Not that any fortuitous breaks were needed, but Georgia (13-0, No. 1 CFP) caught a big one when a deflected pass bounced off an LSU receiver's helmet and wound up being picked off by the Bulldogs, setting up a score that contributed to a 35-10 lead by halftime.