The University of Georgia football team defeats Texas Christian University 65-7 in the College Football National Championship at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Monday.

With 13:25 remaining in the fourth quarter of Georgia’s national championship victory over TCU, head coach Kirby Smart called timeout.

This wasn’t just any timeout though. It wasn’t called because the play clock was running down, or Smart saw something he didn’t like. It was called to give one of Georgia football’s most decorated players in program history a chance to soak in the moment.

As Bennett walked off the field, he embraced his coach and took in the standing ovation of tens of thousands of Bulldog fans.

“First time he’s ever walked off that I was hugging him,” Smart said.

Asked what the moment meant to him, Bennett said it was special to have one last huddle with his teammates.

“In the huddle, just as simple as it is, just one last huddle with the guys, you know?” Bennett said. “And that was special, coming off and seeing coach Smart, that was really cool.”

Bennett’s journey over the last six seasons has been one of the most improbable in the history of college football. From a walk-on in 2017 to transferring out of the program in 2018, envisioning this kind of outcome for his collegiate career would’ve been nearly impossible even two years ago.

Now, he will leave Athens with two national titles, a bevy of school passing records and some of the greatest performances in the College Football Playoff.

In four CFP games during his career, Bennett completed 78 of 115 pass attempts for 1,239 yards and 14 total touchdowns. When the lights were the brightest, he found a way to play his best time and time again.

Bennett’s teammates have often pushed back on criticism he’s received from the media and the fanbase during his career.

Senior safety Christopher Smith said seeing Bennett have that moment was special.

“It meant a lot,” Smith said. “After everything he’s been through, for him to just keep pushing, for him to show that amount of determination that he showed to the team and that fight, it definitely pushed the rest of our team. I’m very thankful for that man.”

Tight end Brock Bowers, Bennett’s favorite target in the game, said he was thrilled for his quarterback.

“It’s awesome,” Bowers said. “You see all the 13 jerseys, and everyone just loved him so much in Georgia. There’s no other way I’d want him to go out. Having six touchdowns by himself, he balled out tonight. I was so happy for him.”

Bennett’s six total touchdowns against TCU tied a record set by former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow for most touchdowns accounted for in a CFP National Championship.

Smart took the opportunity post game to vouch for his quarterback before Bennett embarks on his journey into the pro game.

“When you have a quarterback that can do the protections and check things and know what the defense is doing, yet still beat you with your feet, you’ve got a high-level quarterback,” Smart said. “And people have slept on Stetson Bennett for too long. He needs an opportunity to play for a long time at the next level.”

Smart’s team will have a new quarterback under center when the 2023 regular season opens on Sept. 2, but Bennett will always hold a special place in the lore of Georgia football and the hearts of Bulldog fans.

“I think the coolest thing to me is in 20 years when this is cool to us, we all come back and we’re talking about how Bull intercepted that ball before the half and I threw it to AD [Mitchell] for the touchdown,” Bennett said. “That’s the coolest thing, because this team loves each other. When coach Smart says he’s never had a group like this, obviously I hadn’t been in this — whatever, he’s right. We love each other. Every single person on this team would do anything for each other.”