The 2022 SEC Championship Game was a college football game played on December 3, 2022, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. It was the 31st edition of the SEC Championship Game and determined the champion of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) for the 2022 season. The game began at 4:00 p.m. EST on CBS. The contest featured the LSU Tigers, the West Division champions and the Georgia Bulldogs of the East Division.
The Tigers clinched a spot in the game following Alabama's defeat of Ole Miss on November 12. Earlier in the season, LSU had defeated both Alabama and Ole Miss. LSU's last appearance, and victory, in the game was in 2019.
Georgia began the season as the No. 3 ranked team in both the AP and Coaches Polls. In the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game, Georgia defeated No. 11 Oregon 49âÂÂ3. The following week, after jumping to No. 2 in both polls, Georgia defeated No. 25-FCS-ranked Samford 33âÂÂ0. Georgia would jump to No. 1 in the AP Poll before defeating South Carolina 48âÂÂ7 on the road. Georgia would return to Athens as the No. 1 team in both polls. Georgia would go on to defeat Kent State 39âÂÂ22. The following week at Missouri, Georgia would trail 22âÂÂ12 in the fourth quarter. After 14 unanswered points, Georgia would win the game 26âÂÂ22. Georgia would return home for a two-game home stretch including victories over rivals Auburn and Vanderbilt before a bye week. Following the bye week, Georgia would defeat Florida 42âÂÂ20. During the game, Nolan Smith would tear a pectoral muscle, prematurely ending his season. Georgia would remain No. 1 in the AP and Coaches Polls but was ranked No. 3 in the inaugural College Football Playoff rankings. In the game of the century, Georgia defeated Tennessee 27âÂÂ13. The following week, Georgia clinched a spot in the SEC Championship with a 45âÂÂ19 victory over Mississippi State.