Kenny McIntosh scored a touchdown and the two-point conversion was successful for a 50-23Georgia lead. There is a time and a place for this.
With all of the turmoil behind them, the top team in the country left no doubt about their place in the College Football Playoff.
A heads-up play that turned a blocked field goal into a 96-yard touchdown was the difference in the game.
Not that any fortuitous breaks were needed, but Georgia caught a big one when a pass bounced off an LSU receiver's helmet and was picked off by the team, setting up a score.
Daniels injured his ankle late in the first half and LSU's hopes of denying the reigning national champ their first SEC title since last year were further hampered. The backup quarterback played well, leading the team to three second-half touchdown.
It was barely enough.
Georgia will have a return trip to Atlanta for a semifinal game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, just 75 miles from its Athens campus, in the playoffs. In the first two games of the season, the Bulldog's have defeated Oregon and the Tigers before a mostly red-and-black crowd.
One of several upsets that will give the selection committee plenty to think about before its announcement Sunday is LSU's loss to Texas A&M.
USC is likely out of the playoffs after losing to Utah in the conference title game.
The playoff picture has been clouded by the loss of TCU to Kansas State in the Big 12 title game.
Georgia is focused on becoming the first repeat national title winner since Alabama in 2012 regardless of who makes the field.
This is a smart, well-coached group, and they showed they are not only talented, but also smart.
Nazir Stackhouse blocked a field goal late in the first quarter. Smith hovered over the ball as it stopped at the Georgia 4.
Smith took off the other way when the Tigers thought the game was over. Smith sprinted all the way to the end zone with a group of teammates around him.
Bennett took control after LSU tied it up.
The sixth-year senior, a former walk-on who was offensive Most Valuable Player of both Georgia playoff wins a year ago, threw four touchdown passes in 15 minutes.
Georgia had a lead of 35-7.
Smith was in the middle of it again, this time on a pick that led to the score.
The safety broke up a pass intended for Jack Bach, the ball bouncing off his helmet before it was kept alive and eventually wound up in the hands of Georgia LB Smael Mondon Jr.
The day was like that for the team. A promising debut season for Brian Kelly has turned ugly over the past two weeks. With wins over Alabama and Florida, and an SEC West title, the Tigers are on the right track, but still have a lot of work to do to catch up to a program like the Georgia.
The finalCFP rankings will be released on Saturday afternoon. The only question is who the Georgia will play in the Peach Bowl on New Year's Eve, with Ohio State and Alabama both in the mix.
There is a chance that LSU will end up in the bowl.
The AP contributed.
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