2022 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
LSU (V) vs. Georgia (H)
Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022 • 4 p.m. ET (3 p.m. CT)
Atlanta, Ga. • Mercedes-Benz Stadium (75,000)
CBS Sports
THE TEAMS: LSU (9-3, 6-2 SEC) is the Western Division representative and the visiting team. Georgia (12-0, 8-0 SEC) is the Eastern Division Champion and the home team.
NATIONAL RANKINGS: Georgia comes into the game as the No. 1-ranked team in the nation in the Associated Press, USA Today Coaches and College Football Playoff polls. LSU is the No. 11-ranked team in the nation by the AP while ranked No. 13 in USA Today Coaches and No. 14 in the
CFP. This is the 12th consecutive season the SEC Championship Game has featured a Top-15 matchup and fifth consecutive featuring an undefeated, No. 1-ranked team in the nation.
SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Only once since 2006 (2014) has the winner of the SEC Championship Game failed to advance to the national championship game. The game, which started in 1992, is in its 31st year. It was a result of conference expansion, which saw Arkansas and South Carolina become the first members added in SEC history. Nearly two million fans have witnessed the pageantry of the game first-hand, with now 28 sellouts in its history, including the last 28 consecutive contests. (Only 1993 and 1995 were not). The first two games were played at Legion Field in Birmingham and the game was played at the Georgia Dome from 1994-2016. This will mark the sixth SEC Championship Game played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
SEC CHAMPIONS: LSU will be vying for its 13th SEC Championship and second in the last four seasons. Georgia is aiming for its 14th SEC Championship and first since 2017.
TELEVISION: CBS Sports will televise the game nationally for the 21st straight year (BRAD NESSLER, Play-by-Play; GARY DANIELSON, Analyst; JENNY DELL, Sidelines; CRAIG SILVER, Producer). CBS has aired the game nationally since 2001. ABC Sports televised the game from 1992-2000.
TV RATINGS: The 2021 SEC Championship attracted over 15 million viewers, the most watched championship game in college football since 2018. The 2018 SEC Championship Game was the most-watched and highest-rated regular-season college football game on any network in seven years with
a 10.1/23 rating/share and 17.5 million viewers. It also marked the second most-watched SEC Championship ever in 26 years since the game debuted in 1992. Nearly 14 million viewers watched the 2019 contest. Shifting to primetime, the Alabama-Florida SEC Championship in 2020 averaged a 4.9 and 8.92 million viewers on CBS. It was the first primetime SEC Championship since the 2006 game. The 2009 SEC Championship Game earned an 11.8 rating and a 24 share, marking the highest-rated SEC Championship Game in history.
RADIO: Managed by Learfield IMG College, the SEC Radio Network will broadcast the game on a syndicated basis to the 11-state SEC region and around the nation via satellite radio on SiriusXM. (SEC Radio Network: DAVE NEAL, Play-by-Play; DAVE ARCHER, Analyst; STEPHEN HARTZELL, Sidelines). The National/Learfield IMG broadcast is available on Sirius 138/XM 190. The LSU broadcast is available on Sirius 158/XM 191, while the Georgia broadcast is available on channel 84 on both Sirius and XM.
SERIES: LSU leads the overall series 18-13-1 including 2-0 against Smart’s Bulldogs. During the 2018 regular season, second-ranked Georgia was upset 36-16 by 13th-ranked LSU in Baton Rouge. The Bulldogs finished 11-3 that year. The only other meeting came in the 2019 SECCG. Georgia completed that campaign 12-2.
IN THE SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: This is the fifth time LSU and Georgia have squared off in the SEC Championship Game. LSU has won three of the four previous SEC Championship Game matchups, most recently in 2019. Four of the previous nine overall matchups between the two schools have taken place in the SEC Championship Game. This is the second-most common SEC Championship Game matchup. The previous matchups occurred in 2003, 2005, 2011 and 2019. Alabama and Florida have met 10 times in the game, which is the most common matchup
SEC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME QUICK FACTS
Year Started: 1992 in Birmingham (31st year)
Years in Atlanta: 28 (first game in 1994)
Capacity: 75,000 (78,030 in 2021)
Attendance Record: Atlanta (78,030 in 2021); Birmingham (83,091 in 1992)
[28 of 30 games sold out; only 1993 and 1995 did not]
Atlanta Contract: Through 2026 game
CBS Contract: Through 2024 game
Highest TV Rating: 11.8 (24 share) – 2009
Highest scoring game: 2013 (Auburn 59, Missouri 42)
Winner to National Championship Game: 15 (1992, Alabama; 1996, Florida; 1998, Tennessee; 2003, LSU; 2006, Florida; 2007, LSU; 2008, Florida; 2009, Alabama; 2010, Auburn; 2011, LSU; 2012, Alabama; 2013, Auburn).
Winner to the College Football Playoff: 8 (2014, Alabama; 2015, Alabama; 2016, Alabama; 2017, Georgia; 2018, Alabama; 2019, LSU; 2020, Alabama; 2021, Alabama).
Winner to the CFP Championship Game: 7 (2015, Alabama; 2016, Alabama; 2017, Georgia; 2018, Alabama; 2019, LSU; 2020, Alabama; 2021, Alabama)
LSU TIGERS (9-3, 6-2 SEC)
Head Coach: Brian Kelly (Assumption, ‘83)
Overall/Years: 293-100-2 (.744) / 32nd season
LSU/Years: 9-3 (.750) / 1st season
vs. SEC (regular season): 6-2 (.750) / 1st Season
In SEC Championship Games: 0-0
2022 Schedule: See page 2
National Rankings: 11 AP/13 Coaches
SEC Championships: 11 (1935, 1936, 1958, 1961, 1970, 1986, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2019)
All-Time in SEC Championship Games: 5-1 (2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2019)
Current Streak: Lost 1
Key Players
QB Jayden Daniels (6-3, 200, Jr., Can Bernardino, Calif.)
Two games of 300 or more passing yards, including a season-high 349 yards at Florida … Three games of 100+ rushing yards, including a season-best 121 yards vs. Ole Miss … Leads team with 824 rushing yards.
WR Malik Nabers (6-0, 195, So., Youngsville, La.)
Leads the team with 726 reciving yards and 58 receptions … Seven catches in each of the last two games … Season0high 129 receiving yards vs. UAB.
DE BJ Ojulari (6-3, 250, Jr., Marietta, Ga.)
53 total tackles, including 7.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks … One forced fumble … Named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week two times this season.
LB Harold Perkins Jr. (6-2, 220, Fr., New Orleans, La.)
57 total tackles, including nine tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks … Two forced fumbles and one interception … Earned SEC weekly honors three consecutive weeks during the regular season
GEORGIA BULLDOGS (12-0, 8-0 SEC)
Head Coach: Kirby Smart (Georgia, ‘98)
Overall/Years: 78-15 (.839) / 7th season
Georgia/Years: Same
vs. SEC (regular season): 49-12 (.803) / 7th Season
In SEC Championship Games: 1-3
2022 Schedule: See page 2
National Rankings: 1 AP/1 Coaches
SEC Championships: 13 (1942, 1946, 1948, 1959, 1966, 1968, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1982, 2002, 2005, 2017)
All-Time in SEC Championship Games: 3-6 (2002, 2003, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021)
Current Streak: Won 14
Key Players
QB Stetson Bennett (5-11, 190, Sr., Blackshear, Ga.)
Finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, as well as the Burlsworth Trophy … Threw for a season-high 368 yards in the season-opening win vs. Oregon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
ILB Jamon Dumas-Johnson (6-1, 245, So., Hyattsville, Md.)
Has started at LB in all 12 games to date … Tied for team’s leading tackler with 59 total stops, including 8.0 tackles for loss (leads team) and 3.0 QB sacks (tied for team high).
WR Ladd McConkey (6-0, 185, RSo., Chatsworth, Ga.)
Has started at WR in 11 of 12 games to date … Tied with Brock Bowers for team lead in receptions with 46 on the season for 606 yards and four TDs … Has 17 punt returns for a 11.6 average (7th nationally).
DB Chris Smith (5-11, 195, Sr., Atlanta, Ga.)
Has started at DB in all 12 games to date … Has 47 tackles — fourth-best on the team — four for lost yardage, one QB sack, two interceptions, five pass breakups and one fumble recovery
Series/Game Notes
Record: LSU, 18-13-1
Last: LSU, 37-10 (Dec. 7, 2019)
Series: This is the fifth time LSU and Georgia have squared off in the SEC Championship Game. LSU has won three of the four previous SEC Championship Game matchups, most recently in 2019. Four of the previous nine overall matchups between the two schools have taken place in the SEC Championship Game. This is the second-most common SEC Championship Game matchup. The previous matchups occurred in 2003, 2005, 2011 and 2019. Alabama and Florida have met 10 times in the game, which is the most common matchup.
