Georgia expecting roster turnover, but as a national champion

University of Georgia photo / Georgia's two head football coaches with Associated Press national championships, Kirby Smart and Vince Dooley, talk after the Bulldogs' 33-18 win over Alabama in Monday night's title game in Indianapolis. University of Georgia photo / Georgia's two head football coaches with Associated Press national championships, Kirby Smart and Vince Dooley, talk after the Bulldogs' 33-18 win over Alabama in Monday night's title game in Indianapolis.

By David Paschall January 11, 2022 7 min read

The Georgia Bulldogs woke up Tuesday morning as the national champions of the 2021 college football season.

Then they started fielding questions about 2022.

Georgia ascended to the top of the sport for the first time since the 1980 season with Monday night’s dizzying 33-18 victory over Alabama that contained a back-and-forth second half and ended with the Bulldogs scoring 20 unanswered points. Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart, quarterback Stetson Bennett and safety Lewis Cine held a final news conference Tuesday in Indianapolis, where they discussed Georgia’s past, present and future.

Bennett is a fifth-year senior who arrived in Athens as a walk-on in 2017, but he could choose a sixth season and a run at consecutive national titles should he use the NCAA’s extra year implemented after the coronavirus outbreak.

Photo Gallery

Georgia defeats Alabama in CFP national championship

Georgia's Brock Bowers is congratulated after scoring a touchdown during the second half of the College Football Playoff championship football game against Alabama Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Georgia's Brock Bowers celebrates his touchdown with teammate Justin Shaffer (54) during the second half of the College Football Playoff championship football game against Alabama Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Georgia's Zamir White is stopped during the second half of the College Football Playoff championship football game against Alabama Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Alabama's Cameron Latu reacts after catching a touchdown pass during the second half of the College Football Playoff championship football game against Georgia Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Fans at the University of Georgia’s coliseum in Athens, Ga., hold their heads after Alabama converted a first down during the second half of the College Football Playoff championship game Monday, Jan. 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Ben Gray)

Fans at the University of Georgia’s coliseum in Athens, Ga., celebrate a Georgia touchdown during the second half of the College Football Playoff championship game against Alabama on Monday, Jan. 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Ben Gray)

Georgia's Zamir White is congratulated after running for a touchdown during the second half of the College Football Playoff championship football game against Alabama Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart reacts during the second half of the College Football Playoff championship football game against Alabama Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Alabama place kicker Will Reichard has a field goal attempt blocked during the second half of the College Football Playoff championship football game against Georgia Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Alabama head coach Nick Saban watches during the second half of the College Football Playoff championship football game against Georgia Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Georgia's Kelee Ringo stops Alabama's Brian Robinson Jr. during the second half of the College Football Playoff championship football game Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Alabama's Brian Robinson Jr. runs for a first down past Georgia's Quay Walker during the second half of the College Football Playoff championship football game Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Alabama's Trey Sanders tries to get past Georgia's Quay Walker during the second half of the College Football Playoff championship football game Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart celebrates after the College Football Playoff championship football game against Alabama Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, in Indianapolis. Georgia won 33-18. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Georgia's Nolan Smith celebrates with head coach Kirby Smart after the College Football Playoff championship football game against Alabama Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, in Indianapolis. Georgia won 33-18. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Georgia's Javon Bullard celebrates after the College Football Playoff championship football game against Alabama Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, in Indianapolis. Georgia won 33-18. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Georgia players celebrate after the College Football Playoff championship football game against Alabama Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, in Indianapolis. Georgia won 33-18. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Georgia's Kelee Ringo returns an interception for a touchdown during the second half of the College Football Playoff championship football game against Alabama Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Georgia's Stetson Bennett celebrates after the College Football Playoff championship football game against Alabama Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, in Indianapolis. Georgia won 33-18. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Georgia's Stetson Bennett runs past Alabama's Phidarian Mathis during the first half of the College Football Playoff championship football game Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Georgia's Stetson Bennett thorws a pass during the first half of the College Football Playoff championship football game against Alabama Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart kisses the trophy while Zamir White (from left) Jamaree Salyer, Nakobe Dean and quarterback Stetson Bennett celebrate on stage winning the College Football Playoff Championship game over Alabama, early Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, in Indianapolis. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart celebrates winning the College Football Playoff Championship game against Alabama, getting a hoist from outside linebacker Bolan Smith, early Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, in Indianapolis. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

AP photo by Charlie Riedel / Fans begin to fill the stands at Lucas Oil Stadium before the College Football Playoff championship game between SEC powers Alabama and Georgia on Jan. 10 in Indianapolis.

David Paschall

David Paschall has covered sports at the Chattanooga Times Free Press since 1999 and wrote for the Chattanooga Free Press in the nine years before that. David has mostly covered college athletics, with a focus on the University of Georgia from 2000 to 2019 and the University of Tennessee since 2020. He grew up in Chattanooga and is a graduate of the Baylor School and Auburn University. David has received multiple writing awards and has served as a Heisman Trophy voter since 2003. He has also worked in radio in Chattanooga and has been on the SEC Network's "Classic Rewind" series since 2014. David and his wife, Kelly, have three children — Conner, Emily and Spencer.

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.