UGA Football: Everything You Need to Know About Georgia vs Vanderbilt
- Kickoff: Saturday, October 15 – 3:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Sanford Stadium | Athens, Ga.
- 2022 Records: Georgia 6-0 (3-0 SEC), Vanderbilt 3-3 (0-2 SEC)
- History: Georgia vs. Auburn All-Time Series Results: UGA 59-20
- 2022 Rankings: Georgia #1/2, Vanderbilt NR
- TV: SECN – Taylor Zarzour, Play-by-Play; Matt Stinchcomb, Analyst; Alyssa Lang, Sideline Reporter
- Video Stream: SECN+
- Radio: WSB AM 750 – Bulldog Network | Affiliates | Scott Howard (PxP), Eric Zeier (Color), DJ Shockley (sideline)
- Audio Stream: georgiadogs.com
- Satellite: 81
- Web Stats: Live Stats
- Twitter: #VANDYvsUGA
- SECN ReBroadcast:TBA
Georgia | 2022 Averages | Vanderbilt |
39.5 (17th) | Points/Game | 33.2 (–) |
10.7 (4th) | Points Allowed/Game | 36.8 (–) |
197.5 (–) | Rush Yards/Game | 167.5 (–) |
320.3 (12th) | Pass Yards/Game | 212.3 (–) |
517.8 (4th) | Total Offense/Game | 379.8 (–) |
263.2 (8th) | Total Defense/Game | 479.5 (–) |
(top 25 NCAA rankings) |
Top-ranked Georgia (6-0, 3-0 SEC) returns to Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium Saturday to play host to the Vanderbilt Commodores (3-3, 0-2 SEC). Kickoff will be at 3:30 p.m. ET, and the game will be televised by the SEC Network. Saturday will be Homecoming, and the Commodores have served as the opponent on this day 24 times. The Bulldogs are 20-4 against Vanderbilt on Homecoming and own a 59-20-2 advantage in the overall series. Vanderbilt’s last win over Georgia spoiled 2016 Homecoming, edging the Bulldogs 17-16.
In the history of Georgia football, the Bulldogs are 80-18-2 on Homecoming. Georgia has faced 10 different SEC teams on Homecoming. Along with the game, the traditions include a Friday afternoon parade, former Redcoat Band members and UGA cheerleaders performing with the current squads during the game and at halftime. Also, a Homecoming King and Queen are crowned.
Vanderbilt finishes a stretch of three straight games against top 10 opponents when it visits top-ranked Georgia. The Commodores led No. 9 Ole Miss 20-17 at the half this past Saturday in Nashville before the Rebels stormed back for a 52-28 win. Two weeks ago, the Commodores fell 55-3 to No. 2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Vanderbilt is in its second season under Clark Lea. The Commodores are averaging 33.2 points a game while allowing 36.8 points a game.
The Commodores are tied for first nationally (with Ohio State, Clemson and Tennessee) having scored on every trip to the Red Zone this season. Vanderbilt is 21-for-21 (17 TDs, 4 FGs) in the Red Zone. In addition, Vanderbilt has registered a takeaway in 15 consecutive games, dating to last season. The 15-game streak is the longest active streak in the SEC and the fourth-longest in the FBS.
Georgia transitioned from No. 3 in the preseason poll to No. 2 after week one and then to No. 1 in the Associated Press (AP) poll prior to the South Carolina game. After whipping the Gamecocks 48-7, the Bulldogs assumed the top spot in the Coaches poll as well. The Bulldogs were a consensus No. 1 for the next two weeks. Then Georgia fell to No. 2 in both the AP/Coaches polls following its 26-22 road win at Missouri. After a 42-10 win over Auburn in week six, the Bulldogs reclaimed the top spot in the AP poll. Georgia’s shuffling from No. 1 to 2 and now back to No. 1 over the course of three AP polls hasn’t happened to a school in more than a decade. Florida in 2009 was the last to do it with Alabama as both teams swapped spots in late October. Georgia has been ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in 20 of the past 22 AP polls, with the other two weeks at No. 3.
Despite a record 15 players getting selected in the NFL draft, including five defenders in the first round, Georgia’s defense this season ranks as one of the country’s best again. The Bulldogs stand fourth nationally in Scoring Defense at 10.7 points/game. In 2021, Georgia led the nation in Scoring Defense at 10.2 points/game. This marked the third time in school history that Georgia ranked atop that category.
Year | W | L | Pct. | SEC | Bowl |
2016 | 8 | 5 | .615 | 4-4 | Liberty |
2017 | 13 | 2 | .867 | 8-2* | CFP Rose/NCG |
2018 | 11 | 3 | .786 | 7-2* | Sugar |
2019 | 12 | 2 | .857 | 7-2* | Sugar |
2020 | 8 | 2 | .800 | 7-2 | Chick-Fil-A |
2021 | 14 | 1 | .933 | 9-1* | CFP Orange/NCG |
2022 | 6 | 0 | 1.000 | 3-0 | |
Total | 72 | 15 | .828 | *45-13 |
*2-4 (includes 2017-19, ’21 SECCGs, 2018 & 2022 CFPNC)
SEASON | OPPONENT | START OF 4TH QUARTER OR DEFICIT | FINAL |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | % #22 UNC | Trailed 24-23 | 33-24 |
2016 | @ Missouri | Trailed 27-21 | 28-27 |
2016 | @ Kentucky | Trailed 21-16 | 27-24 |
2016 | #8 Auburn | Tied 7-7 | 13-7 |
2016 | ^TCU | Trailed 23-21 | 31-23 |
2017 | @ #24 Notre Dame | Trailed 17-16, Trailed 19-17 With 10:21 Left | 20-19 |
2017 | $ #2 Oklahoma | Tied 31-31, Trailed 45-38 With 0:55 Left | 54-48 2ot |
2020 | ~ #8 Cincinnati | Trailed 21-10, Trailed 21-19 With :03 Left | 24-21 |
2022 | ! #1 Alabama | Trailed 18-13 With 10:14 Left | 33-18 |
2022 | @ Missouri | Trailed 19-12, Trailed 22-12 With 14:09 Left | 26-22 |
%Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic; ^Liberty Bowl; $Rose Bowl Game; ~Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl; !CFP National Championship
Rushing Yards: 222, Nick Chubb vs. #22 UNC (9/3/16)
Rushing TDs: 3, Sony Michel UK (11/18/17); vs. #2 Oklahoma (1/1/18)
Longest Rush: 83-TD, D’Andre Swift @ #9 UK (11/3/18)
Passing Yards: 401, JT Daniels MSU (11/21/20)
Passing TDs: 5, Stetson Bennett UAB (9/11/21)
Receiving Yards: 197 (8 rec.), Jermaine Burton MSU (11/21/20)
Receiving TDs: 2, by 7 different Bulldogs multiple times
Longest Pass/TD Pass: 89-TD, S. Bennett to Brock Bowers UAB (9/11/21)
Tackles: 15, Nakobe Dean vs. #8 UF (11/7/20)
Sacks: 3, Trenton Thompson vs. TCU (12/30/16); Azeez Ojulari vs. #8 UC (1/1/21); Channing Tindall @ UT (11/13/21)
TFL: 3, Azeez Ojulari #7 AU (10/3/20); Thompson vs. Nicholls (9/10/16); 3, Azeez Ojulari vs. #8 UC (1/1/21); Channing Tindall @ UT(11/13/21)
Under Kirby Smart, Georgia has registered 26 scores on defense and special teams. The Dogs are 23-1 (loss came versus #8 UF in 2020) when they register a non-offensive score under Smart.
This year, the Bulldogs have had a safety versus Kent State. In 2021, Georgia had six of these scores: Chris Smith’s 74-yd INT return (#3 CU); Jamon Dumas-Johnson’s 20-yd INT return (UAB); Safety (SC); Zamir White 0-yd return of blocked punt (#8 ARK); Nakobe Dean’s 50-yd INT return (UF); Safety (UM); Kelee Ringo’s 79-yd INT return (UA-2).
Kirby Smart is one of 11 Power 5 head coaches who are leading their alma maters.
Head Coach | Alma Mater |
---|---|
Tom Allen | Indiana (7th Season) |
Paul Chryst | Wisconsin (8th Season) |
Mario Cristobal | Miami (Fla.) (1st Season) |
Pat Fitzgerald | Northwestern (17th Season) |
Scott Frost | Nebraska (5th Season) |
Mike Gundy | Oklahoma State (18th Season) |
Jim Harbaugh | Michigan (8th Season) |
Clark Lea | Vanderbilt (2nd Season) |
David Shaw | Stanford (12th Season) |
Kirby Smart | Georgia (7th Season) |
Jonathan Smith | Oregon State (5th Season) |
Offensive Coordinator – Quarterbacks Coach – Todd Monken
Fain & Billy Slaughter Co-Defensive Coordinator – Inside Linebackers – Glenn Schumann
Co-Defensive Coordinator – Will Muschamp
Passing Game Coordinator – Wide Receivers – Bryan McClendon
Run Game Coordinator – Running Backs – Dell McGee
Defensive Backs Coach – Fran Brown
Assistant Coach – Tight Ends – Todd Hartley
Offensive Line Coach – Stacy Searels
Assistant Coach – Defensive Line – Tray Scott
Assistant Coach – Outside Linebackers – Chidera Uzo-Diribe
The Bulldogs will feature four new on the field coaches. Bryan McClendon, who won an SEC title with Georgia as a receiver in 2005, returns as passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach. He most recently held the same spot for Oregon from 2020-21. McClendon was a graduate assistant at UGA in 2007-08 and was the running backs coach from 2009-15. Stacy Searels will be Georgia’s new offensive line coach after serving in the same role for the Bulldogs from 2007-10. He has most recently been North Carolina’s OL coach for the last three years. Another pair of coaches will join UGA for the first time in their careers. Fran Brown was named the defensive backs coach after serving as the secondary coach at Rutgers. Chidera Uzo-Diribe is the Bulldogs’ new outside linebackers coach following a stint in the same position at Texas Christian University.
The Bulldogs ran for a season-high 292 yards and six touchdowns in their latest win over Auburn. The Bulldogs averaged 7.5 yards/carry against the Tigers. The six rushing scores were the most for Georgia since the 2018 contest versus UMass. Georgia’s offensive line returns three of five starters. C Sedrick Van Pran (21 consecutive starts), RT Warren McClendon (team high 30 consecutive starts) and RG Tate Ratledge (six consecutive starts) all got the nod in the first six games along with LT Broderick Jones (six consecutive starts) and LG Xavier Truss (six consecutive starts). Jones started the final four regular season games last year when Jamaree Salyer went down with an injury. Ratledge also started the 2021 opener but was lost for the year with an injury sustained in the fourth series of that contest. Warren Ericson relieved Ratledge for the final 14 games of 2021 and returns this year. Amarius Mims is also back and is lining up at either tackle position while
Devin Willock has earned a spot in the regular rotation as well at OG. They have helped Georgia pile up 39.5 points/game and 517.8 yards/game thus far.
Senior PK Jack Podlesny leads the SEC and ranks seventh nationally in Scoring (64, 10.7 points/game). Podlesny has made 47 of 57 field goal attempts in his career (82.5 percent) and drilled 137 of 138 PATs. This season, he is 12-of-14 on field goals and a perfect 28-for-28 on PATs. During the 33-0 win over Samford, he scored a career-high 15 points, which was the most for a Bulldog since All-American Rodrigo Blankenship scored 17 against Missouri in 2017. Podlesny was 4-of-5 on field goals versus Samford and hit all three of his PATs. He is also handling kickoffs and has 31 touchbacks out of his 44 kickoffs. Podlesny was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week after going 3-for-3 on FGs and hitting all four of his PATs versus KSU and repeated with the honor a week later at Missouri.
Early enrollee Brett Thorson, a native of Australia, had a season-long punt of 56 yards at USC. In the win over Auburn, he punted five times for a 41.4 avg. and all five were inside the 20. He has averaged 42.9 this season. The Bulldogs did not punt versus KSU, and that was the first time since the 2018 UMass game. The Georgia snappers return in senior Payne Walker (FGs/PATs) and junior William Mote (punts).
Career Placekicking Statistics For Podlesny | ||||||
Year | PAT | Pct. | FG | Pct. | LG | Pts |
2020 | 38×38 | 100.0 | 13×16 | 81.3 | 53 | 77 |
2021 | 71×72 | 98.6 | 22×27 | 81.5 | 49 | 137 |
2022 | 28×28 | 100.0 | 12×14 | 85-7 | 42 | 64 |
Total | 137×138 | 99.2 | 47×57 | 82.5 | 53 | 278 |
Field Goal Breakdown | |||||||
Year | 1-19 | 20-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50-99 | Long | |
2020 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 6-7 | 2-4 | 3-3 | 53 UC | |
2021 | 0-0 | 10-10 | 7-9 | 5-8 | 0-0 | 49 UA | |
2022 | — | 6-6 | 4-4 | 2-3 | 0-1 | 42 SC | |
Total | 0-0 | 18-18 | 17-20 | 9-15 | 3-4 | 53 UC |
Kickoff History For Podlesny | |||||||
Year | No. | Yds. | TB | OB | |||
2020 | 21 | 1,340 | 12 | 1 | |||
2021 | 4 | 234 | 2 | 0 | |||
2022 | 44 | 2,753 | 31 | 1 | |||
Total | 69 | 4,348 | 45 | 2 | |||
Podlesny Has Averaged 63.0 Yards On 69 Kickoffs With 45 Touchbacks And Two Out Of Bounds. |
Senior Stetson Bennett, a native of Blackshear, Ga., began his career with the Bulldogs as a walk-on in 2017 when he was redshirted. Bennett transferred to Jones College (Miss.) where he started in 2018 and then returned to the Bulldogs on scholarship in 2019. He saw action that season in five games including throwing passes in four of them. In 2020, he started five games and then got the nod in the final 11 contests of the 2021 national championship season.
In his Bulldog career, Bennett is 20-3 and has completed 61.6 percent of his passes (429-for-668, 6,045 yards, 44 TDs, 15 INTs).
Bennett took off for a career-long 64-yard touchdown run during the win over Auburn, giving the Bulldogs a 28-3 edge at the start of the fourth quarter. His scoring scamper was the longest for a Georgia QB since 1976 when Ray Goff flew 73 yards for paydirt in a 41-0 win at Clemson.
On the road against South Carolina, Bennett connected on 16 of 23 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns to go along with a rushing touchdown and 36 yards on the ground.
Bennett joined Tim Tebow (four) as the only two SEC players since 2004 to have at least four consecutive games with 250 passing yards and one rushing score. Aaron Murray is the only other Bulldog quarterback to have at least 250 passing yards and at least one rushing score in four games overall during a season (2013).
Bennett earned Walter Camp National FBS Offensive Player of the Week and Manning Award National QB of the Week honors while leading No. 3 Georgia to a 49-3 rout of No. 11 Oregon in this season’s opener. He directed the Bulldogs to seven touchdowns on their first seven drives and finished 25 of 31 for a career-high 368 yards and two touchdowns. Bennett also had a 1-yard rushing score against the Ducks. Bennett’s 368 passing yards in the win was the most in a season opener by a Bulldog since 1994 when Eric Zeier tallied 485 yards in a road win over South Carolina.
He ranked fourth nationally in Passing Efficiency (176.7) last year, which broke the school record in that category previously belonging to Aaron Murray (174.8, 2012).
Bennett helped Georgia complete a historic 8-0 SEC regular season and its first undefeated regular season since 1982.
During the CFP National Championship Game versus No. 1 Alabama, Bennett finished 17-for-26 passing with 224 yards, two touchdowns and no picks. Trailing 18-13 with 10:14 left in the game, Bennett directed a four-play, 75-yard scoring drive that gave the Bulldogs a one-point lead at the 8:09 mark (a two-point conversion failed). Georgia never relinquished its lead to collect its first national championship in 41 years. Bennett was named the game’s Offensive MVP as was the case in the CFP Semifinal Orange Bowl victory over Michigan.
2019 | Att | Cmp | TD | Int | Yds | Sk | Eff. |
MSU | 13 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 124 | 0 | 184.7 |
ASU | 10 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 109 | 0 | 181.6 |
GT | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 142.3 |
#2 LSU | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
2019 TOTAL | 27 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 260 | 0 | 172.0 |
2020 | Att | Cmp | TD | Int | Yds | Sk | Eff. |
@ ARK | 29 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 211 | 1 | 152.8 |
#7 AU (W) | 28 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 240 | 1 | 144.5 |
#14 UT (W) | 27 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 238 | 1 | 157.8 |
@ #2 UA (L) | 40 | 18 | 2 | 3 | 269 | 2 | 103.0 |
@UK (W) | 13 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 131 | 0 | 123.1 |
Vs. #8 UF (L) | 16 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 78 | 0 | 80.3 |
@ MU | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
Vs. #8 UC | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 200.8 |
2020 TOTAL | 155 | 86 | 8 | 6 | 1,179 | 5 | 128.7 |
2021 | Att | Cmp | TD | Int | Yds | Sk | Eff. |
UAB (W) | 12 | 10 | *5 | 0 | 288 | 0 | 422.4 |
SC | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | -22.1 |
VU | 15 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 151 | 0 | 166.6 |
#8 ARK (W) | 11 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 72 | 0 | 118.6 |
@ #18 AU (W) | 21 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 231 | 1 | 190.5 |
#11 UK (W) | 20 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 250 | 1 | 224.5 |
UF (W) | 19 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 161 | 1 | 120.1 |
UM (W) | 19 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 255 | 0 | 215.9 |
@ UT (W) | 29 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 213 | 2 | 131.7 |
CSU (W) | 14 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 105 | 0 | 153.0 |
GT (W) | 20 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 255 | 1 | 243.1 |
#4 UA (L) | 48 | 29 | 3 | 2 | 340 | 3 | 132.2 |
#2 UM (W) | 30 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 313 | 0 | 183.7 |
#1 UA (W) | 26 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 224 | 5 | 163.1 |
2021 TOTAL | 287 | 185 | 29 | 7 | 2,862 | 14 | 176.7 |
2022 | Att | Cmp | TD | Int | Yds | Sk | Eff. |
#11 UO (W) | 31 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 368 | 0 | 201.7 |
SAM (W) | 34 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 300 | 1 | 154.4 |
KSU (W) | 36 | 27 | 0 | 1 | 272 | 1 | 132.9 |
@ MU (W) | 43 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 312 | 2 | 116.8 |
AU (W) | 32 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 208 | 1 | 123.3 |
2022 TOTAL | 199 | 138 | 5 | 1 | 1,744 | 3 | 150.2 |
CAREER TOTAL | 668 | 429 | 44 | 15 | 6,045 | 23 | 157.5 |
*Ties school record
Stetson Bennett Rushing (UGA Career – 32 games)
Year | Att. | Yards | Per/Att. | Per/Gm. | TD | LG |
2019 | 4 | 12 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 1 | 14 |
2020 | 24 | 54 | 2.3 | 6.8 | 2 | 12 |
2021 | 56 | 259 | 3.9 | 18.5 | 1 | 30 |
2022 | 21 | 106 | 5.0 | 17.7 | 6 | 64TD |
TOTAL | 105 | 431 | 4.1 | 13/1 | 9 | 64TD |
Georgia’s tight end room is loaded. Along with 6-4, 230-pound All-American and 2021 Freshman of the Year Brock Bowers, the top targets here include 6-7, 270-pound junior Darnell Washington, 6-5, 255-pound redshirt sophomore Arik Gilbert and 6-5, 225-pound freshman Oscar Delp.
Bowers leads the group this year with 22 catches for 378 yards while Washington has 12 for 207 yards. In the win over Kent State, Bowers accounted for 137 all-purpose yards and two rushing touchdowns. This marked the first time Bowers had scored two rushing touchdowns in a single game (@ Vanderbilt, 2021) and gave him four rushing scores in his career. His first carry of the KSU game was on the second play of the game and went for a 75-yard touchdown.
Bowers is the only player in the country this season with a rushing TD of at least 75 yards and a receiving TD of at least 75 yards.
Twice in his career Bowers has had two receiving scores and a rushing score in the same game. He did it during the road win at South Carolina and also at Vanderbilt last year. He finished with five catches for 121 yards, including a 78-yard touchdown against the Gamecocks.
Bowers has had five 100-yard receiving games in his career; three of his career TD catches have covered 75+ yards; his first career TD catch covered 89 yards against UAB.
Washington has started nine consecutive games and has been a team captain twice in 2022.
Delp’s first career catch was also the first touchdown of his career on a 28-yard strike from Carson Beck
against USC. Before Delp, the last Bulldog to score on his first career catch was Arian Smith at USC in 2020. For the year, Delp has five catches for 61 yards.
Georgia’s veterans in the backfield are senior Kenny McIntosh and juniors Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards.
Edwards is the leading rusher with 285 yards on 49 carries (5.8 avg.) and four touchdowns. During the win over Auburn, he became the first Bulldog RB since Sony Michel in the 2018 Rose Bowl Game to have three rushing TDs in a game.
Edwards provided the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter of the 26-22 win at Missouri on a one-yard rush. Milton also had a touchdown in the last period against the Tigers to help lock down the victory. Milton left the Auburn game with a groin injury.
McIntosh had nine catches for 117 yards (both career highs) to go along with five carries for 18 yards and a touchdown during the rout of No. 11 Oregon.
Milton scored both a rushing and a receiving touchdown against No. 11 Oregon for the first time in his career. For the year, he has 284 rushing yards and four TDs.
In the season-opening win over No. 11 Oregon, Kenny McIntosh led the Bulldogs with 117 receiving yards on nine catches. It was the most yards by a Bulldog running back since 1995 when fullback Larry Bowie tallied 156 yards on 10 catches against Virginia in the Peach Bowl.
McIntosh’s nine catches were the most since 2013 when Todd Gurley had 10 (for 77 yards) against #7 Auburn.
For the year, McIntosh has a team high 26 receptions for 250 yards (9.6 avg.). He has 199 rushing yards and three touchdowns. 100+ Yards Receiving By A Bulldog RB In The Modern Era 156, Larry Bowie on 10 catches, 1995 Peach Bowl vs. Virginia in Atlanta 117, Kenny McIntosh on 9 catches, 2021 vs No. 11 Oregon in Atlanta 112, James Cook on 4 catches, 2021 Capital One Orange Bowl vs. No. 2 Michigan in Miami, Fla. 101, James Cook on 4 catches, 2020 at No. 2 Alabama
The Bulldogs are averaging 39.5 points/game, which ranks 17th nationally.
The Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 237-64 this season, including 126-32 in the opening half.
The Bulldogs are 35 of 36 in the Red Zone (97 percent) this year with 24 touchdowns and 11 field goals, which ranks fifth nationally.
Georgia’s offense generated 49 points against No. 11 Oregon in the 2022 season opener. The Bulldogs tallied 571 yards of offense on only 62 plays and scored touchdowns on their first seven possessions of the game.
Georgia’s leading receiver against the Ducks was Kenny McIntosh (9-117-0). Also of note, WR Ladd McConkey scored receiving and rushing touchdowns in the same game for the second time in his career (@ Vanderbilt, 2021) versus Oregon as WR AD Mitchell also snagged a touchdown catch.
McConkey is ranked second on the team with 25 catches for 313 yards (12.5 avg.) and a score. He is also the primary punt returner with nine for 107 yards.
In 2021, Georgia featured the nation’s top Scoring Defense allowing just 10.2 points/ game. In six games last year, Georgia did not allow an offensive TD and that led the FBS.
This season, the Bulldogs lead the SEC and rank fourth nationally in Scoring Defense, giving up just 10.7 points per contest. The defense has posted 12 scoreless quarters in 2022.
Georgia is allowing teams to convert on third downs 28 percent of the time (23 of 82) and that ranks 12th nationally.
The 2022 Bulldog defense kept No. 3 Oregon to only a field goal in the season opener. This marked the first time Oregon had failed to score a touchdown in a game since 2017. Late in the fourth quarter, Georgia had an impressive goal line stand late that ended at the two yard line following a 19-play, 87-yard drive that lasted 8:47.
Georgia’s first touchdown allowed this year came at South Carolina in game three this year with 53 seconds remaining in the game.
The Bulldogs forced three interceptions during the victory at South Carolina. Freshman Malaki Starks had his team-leading second pick, one that he returned 42 yards, while S
Dan Jackson and ILB Trezmen Marshall each had their first INT.
Georgia’s leading tacklers in the win over No. 11 Oregon were senior Chris Smith (six) and Starks (eight). Both Bulldogs also registered interceptions that eventually turned into 14 points and helped Georgia build a 21-0 lead.
This marked Smith’s fourth career pick and his second in a row in a season-opening game after returning his interception for a score against No. 3 Clemson in 2021 for the game’s only touchdown. Smith shared SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors following his performance against Oregon. He snagged his second pick of 2022 during the win over Kent State.
Georgia lost the turnover battle to Kent State and Missouri. KSU forced three miscues and the Bulldogs created only one. Missouri created a pair and Georgia forced none.
Jamon Dumas-Johnson has been the leading tackler the last three games, including a career high eight in the road win over Missouri. Dumas-Johnson equaled his sack total from 2021 against Kent State with two sacks and also added another tackle for loss.
1. Alabama, 43-4
T2. GEORGIA, 40-5
T2. Clemson, 40-6
4. Cincinnati, 38-6
5. Louisiana, 36-9
2016: 12 points in two games (KOR, PR)
2017: none
2018: 12 points in two games (PR, Blocked Punt Ret.)
2019: none
2020: none
2021: 8 points in two games (Blocked Punt Ret.; Safety/Blocked Punt);
2022: 2 points in one game (Safety/Blocked Punt)
Longest PR For a TD: 82 yards by Isaiah McKenzie vs. Louisiana, 2016
Longest Blocked PR For a TD: 8 yards by Eric Stokes @ Missouri, 2018
Longest KOR For a TD: 43 yards by Terry Godwin @ South Carolina, 2016
Currently, there are four Bulldogs who have blocked a kick/punt in their Georgia career. This season, freshman OLB Jalon Walker
blocked a punt that resulted in a safety versus Kent State.
Jalen Carter’s blocked field goal against Alabama in the 2022 CFP National Championship Game changed the momentum in the third quarter and ignited the Bulldog offense. The Bulldogs would outscore Alabama 20-9 in the final quarter.
Overall, Georgia blocked five kicks last year including punts against No. 8 Arkansas (Dan Jackson) and Missouri (Nolan Smith), a field goal by Kentucky (Devonte Wyatt, 1st round pick Green Bay) and a PAT (Carter versus Kentucky).
Stetson Bennett: Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week, Manning Award Quarterback of the Week, Davey O’Brien Great 8 (vs. #11 UO); Manning Award Stars of the Week, Davey O’Brien Great 8 (@ SC); Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Top 25 QB
Chris Smith: SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week (vs. #11 UO)
Jack Podlesny: Lou Groza Award Stars of the Week (SAM); SEC Special Teams Player of the Week (KSU); Campbell Trophy semifinalist; SEC Special Teams Player of the Week, Lou Groza Award Stars of the Week (MU)
Kearis Jackson: Allstate AFCA Good Works Team member (Georgia leads the nation with 22 selections since award’s inception in 1992)
Brock Bowers: SEC Offensive Player of the Week, John Mackey Award TE of the Week, Maxwell Award Weekly Honor Roll (@ SC); Maxwell Award Weekly Honor Roll (KSU)
This past summer, former Georgia defensive lineman Richard Seymour became the latest Bulldog elected to the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame. He played for New England from 2001-08 after being drafted sixth overall. He was a three-time Super Bowl champion with the Patriots and appeared in a fourth Super Bowl. Seymour, a native of Gadsden, S.C., was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and a five-time All-Pro pick. He played for Oakland from 2009-12 and then retired. Seymour finished his career with 496 tackles and 57.5 sacks. At Georgia, Seymour was an All-American in 2000 and a two-time All-SEC selection.
Seymour joined Charley Trippi, Fran Tarkenton, Terrell Davis and Champ Bailey as Bulldogs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
On a related note, Bailey is set for induction to the College Football Hall of Fame in December in Las Vegas. He was one of the most versatile players in Georgia history including logging more than 1,000 snaps on offense, defense and special teams during the 1998 Bulldog campaign when he earned First Team All-America honors. A Folkston native and also a record-setting track and field athlete during his UGA career, he will be the 16th Georgia player to join the College Football Hall of Fame. He was the seventh overall pick by Washington in the 1999 NFL Draft and played 15 seasons for Washington (199-2003) and Denver (2004-13). He was a 12-time Pro Bowl selection and was inducted in the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
Most Wins In FBS History (Min. 800) | |||
Rk | Wins | Team | Years |
1. | 982 | Michigan | 142 |
2. | 948 | Ohio State | 132 |
948 | Alabama | 127 | |
4. | 931 | Oklahoma | 127 |
932 | Notre Dame | 131 | |
932 | Texas | 129 | |
7. | 914 | Penn State | 135 |
8. | 911 | Nebraska | 132 |
9. | 862 | USC | 128 |
861 | Tennessee | 125 | |
11. | 859 | Georgia | 129 |
Senior receiver/returner Kearis Jackson was recently named to the 2022 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. Jackson is one of 11 players from the NCAA FBS selected based on their commitment to community service.
Georgia leads the nation in Allstate AFCA Good Works Team honorees with 22 since the award’s inception in 1992, including 17 since 2000.
Jackson, a native of Fort Valley, Ga., is one of only two players from the Southeastern Conference on the FBS 2022 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. The SEC leads all conferences with 82 all-time selections.
The Bulldogs had six first-time starters on defense in their opener versus No. 11 Oregon: ILB Jamon Dumas-Johnson, DE Mykel Williams, ILB Smael Mondon, DB Javon Bullard, DB Kamari Lassiter, N Nazir Stackhouse. Williams became just the ninth true freshman starter to make his debut in a season opener in the Kirby Smart era. In game two, true freshman Malaki Starks earned his first start for the Bulldogs. Freshman WR Dillon Bell, junior DL Zion Logue and senior DL Tramel Walthour both started for the first time at South Carolina. At Missouri, Tykee Smith made the first start of his Bulldog career and this 18th start of his career (transferred from West Virginia). Junior ILB Rian Davis got the nod for the first time in the win over Auburn.
Georgia featured 12 true freshmen in its 2022 opener against No. 11 Oregon after having an NCAA record 15 players selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. A total of 21 true freshmen have played during the 2022 campaign.
During the 2021 season opener, six true freshmen saw action against No. 3 Clemson in Charlotte at Bank of America Stadium. In 2021, a total of 24 true freshmen played for the Bulldogs.
#11 Oregon:Nolan Smith, Kenny McIntosh, Christopher Smith, Sedrick Van Pran
Samford:Zion Logue, Warren Ericson, Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint
S. Carolina:Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Kearis Jackson, Warren McClendon
Kent State:Nolan Smith, Sedrick Van Pran, Darnell Washington, Chris Smith
Missouri:Brock Bowers, J. Dumas-Johnson, M. Rosemy-Jacksaint, Dan Jackson
Auburn: . Dumas-Johnson, K. McIntosh, D. Washington, N. Smith
Vanderbilt:
Florida:
Tennessee:
Miss. State:
Kentucky:
Georgia Tech:
GAME ONE:
UGA: 7 (Longest: 38-yd pass, Bennett to McIntosh)
#11 ORE: 0
GAME TWO:
UGA: 4 (Longest: 37-yd pass, Bennett to McConkey)
SAM: 1 (36-yd pass, Crittendon to King)
GAME THREE:
UGA: #1 UGA: 4 (Longest: 78-yd TD pass, Bennett to Bowers)
USC: 3 (Longest: 46-yd pass, Rattler to Bell)
GAME FOUR:
UGA: 3 (Longest: 75-yd TD run, Bowers)
KENT ST.: 3 (Longest: 56-yd TD pass, Schlee to Walker)
GAME FIVE:
UGA: 6 (Longest: 35-yd rush, Milton)
MIZ: 5 (Longest: 63-yd rush, Schrader)
GAME SIX:
UGA: 4 (Longest: 64-yd TD rush, Bennett)
AUB: 1 (62-yd TD pass, Ashford to Hunter
GAME SEVEN:
UGA:
VAN:
GAME EIGHT:
UGA:
UF:
GAME NINE:
UGA:
TENN:
GAME 10:
UGA:
MSU:
GAME 11:
UGA:
UK:
GAME 12:
UGA:
GT:
Georgia is +4 in turnover margin. The Bulldogs have 31 points off seven turnovers. Opponents have 10 points off three turnovers. Georgia did not have a turnover in its first three games before having three against Kent State.
#11 Oregon: UGA got 14 pts. off 2 TOs; UGA did not have any TOs.
Samford: UGA got 3 pts. off 1 TO; UGA did not have any TOs.
S. Carolina: UGA got 14 pts. off 3 TOs; UGA did not have any TOs.
Kent State: UGA got no pts. off 1 TO; KSU got 3 pts. off 3 TOs.
Missouri: UGA did not force any TOs; MU got 3 pts. off 2 TOs.
Auburn: UGA got no pts. off 1 TO; AU got 3 pts. off 1 TO
Vanderbilt:
Florida:
Tennessee:
Miss. State:
Kentucky:
Georgia Tech: