ATHENS -- If you happen to be flying over Wayne County in South Georgia this month, you may see a familiar face peering up at you.
Stetson Bennett, the Georgia Bulldogs’ beloved quarterback, is represented in all his glory in the Poppell Family Farms cornfield. Bennett’s likeness has been cut out of the corn into a maze, which will provide the centerpiece entertainment for the Poppell’s annual “Farm Days” celebration.
While Bennett actually is not from Jesup, where the maze is located, much of his extended family is. And, of course, after leading the Bulldogs to the 2021 national championship, Bennett’s reach far outstretches the boundaries of his hometown of Blackshear and Pierce County, located next door.
“They are truly pillars of our community and South Georgia,” Tanya Poppell told the Press-Sentinel newspaper in Jesup. “Their legacy of kindness, hard work and perseverance has been evident throughout many generations. … And Stetson’s personal story is amazing, one of true grit and determination. … From a walk-on to a champion, what an extraordinary inspiration!”
The aerial photograph of Bennett’s likeness was published online Thursday and on the front page of the weekly printed newspaper. Newspaper publisher Eric Denty said it has been drawing quite a bit of attention ever since.
“The Poppells have a large farm, and they’re big into agri-tourism,” Denty said. “They do this corn maze every year, and they do a lot of other activities through the month of October. His grandfather, the late Buddy Bennett, is in the Wayne County Hall of Fame, and Stetson still has a lot of aunts and cousins around here. So we’ve adopted him.”
Bennett is now a sixth-year senior at Georgia and will lead the No. 3-ranked Bulldogs in the 2022 season, which begins at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium against No. 11 Oregon.
