Stetson Bennett addresses whether he ever felt he'd be in New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist

Stetson Bennett IV has a story that reads like a Hollywood script. The former walk-on has transformed himself into one of the best quarterbacks in all of college football. Last season, he led the Georgia Bulldogs to a national championship in 2022, won a SEC Championship this year, won SEC Championship Game MVP honors this year, and he’s led the Bulldogs to another appearance in the College Football Playoffs yet again this season. He’s in New York City this weekend as a Heisman Trophy finalist.

On Friday evening as a part of this weekend’s Heisman festivities, Bennett answered some questions from the media. You can listen to his answers in the YouTube video below at 0:38 seconds and from 2:54 to 4:06. You can also read the transcribed answers below.

Bennett said he really never gave much thought to the idea of being in New York City as a Heisman Trophy finalist. “I don’t think I’ve ever thought about it…When some people or outside people say confidence in yourself. And I’ve got confidence in myself, but it’s more so confidence in myself to do a job for this team. I think I’m as good of a quarterback as anybody, but I don’t think about it in the way of I’m the best quarterback, because there’s so many different variables and different offenses and things you’re asked to do. And who do you have around you?” Bennett said.

“There’s so many different variables. I know you guys, the media in general, like to create storylines. I like to read the storylines. Just when it’s maybe not about me. [Laughs]. So, I’ve never thought about that one because I’ve never understood that. A lot of different things go into it. And no, not really, never,” Bennett emphatically said.

When asked if it was his first time in New York this weekend, Bennett responded, “Once when I was like 15. I came up here on my little brother’s field trip.”

Stetson Bennett has stamped his name in Bulldog lore forever

Let’s be honest. Under Bennett’s watch, Georgia football has ascended to heights the program was incredibly close to in the past few years, but they couldn’t quite get over the hump and win the national championship.

His performance in the second half against the Alabama defense in the 2022 National Championship Game will always be the stuff of legends and deservedly so. The breakthrough against Alabama did not come easy, but that’s a huge reason why the performance will forever be cemented in Bulldog football history.

While Bennett might not quite have the stats at other quarterbacks in Georgia football history, you could make the strong argument that few quarterbacks in college football history have had as good of a two-year run he’s had the past two years at Georgia.

In the upcoming College Football Playoff, Bennett will likely pass Matthew Stafford to rank fifth all-time on the Bulldogs’ career passing yardage list. Currently, the 5-foot-11, 190-pounder has thrown for 7,726 career passing yards at Georgia, just five yards short of Stafford (7,731 yards). If the Bulldogs can advance the national championship game again this year, he’ll have a chance to pass Jake Fromm, who ranks fourth all-time (8,224 yards).

This season, Bennett completed 68.1% of his passes for 3,425 passing yards, while tossing in 20 touchdowns and just six interceptions. As a runner, he’s rushed for 184 yards and seven touchdowns.

That mark of 3,425 passing yards in a single-season currently ranks him fourth-all time in school history. If Georgia can advance to the national championship game again, he could potentially get a chance to break Aaron Murray’s single-season passing yardage mark.

While there were some close calls along the way this year, Bennett has guided the Bulldogs to yet another undefeated regular season and that’s never an easy thing to do, especially in the SEC. For a former walk-on to accomplish what Bennett has during his college football career is simply unbelievable.

It’s truly something out of a movie script. And the script is not quite finished yet.

If he can wrap it up with back-to-back national championships in the upcoming College Football Playoff, there will be few other players in college football history with the resume of the man they call the “Mailman”.

No matter what happens in this weekend’s Heisman Trophy ceremony festivities and in the upcoming College Football Playoffs, there’s no question that Stetson Bennett IV has firmly cemented his legacy in the hearts of Georgia fans forever.