UGA Football: Everything You Need to Know About Georgia vs Mississippi State

Georgia leads the series with MSU 19-6 including 4-2 in Starkville. Overall, the Bulldogs have won 12 of the past 13 meetings against MSU. The teams last clashed in 2020 with Georgia posting a 31-24 win in Athens. Georgia hasn’t been to MSU since 2010. A 24-12 defeat snapped Georgia’s nine-game winning streak in the series. It dropped the Bulldogs to 1-3 on the year and they wound up 6-7, marking the first losing season for the Bulldogs since 1996.

Despite Mississippi State taking the lead three different times and tying the game late in the third quarter, the SEC East Bulldogs scored the fourth quarter’s only points to earn the seven-point victory in the teams’ last meeting in 2020. Both teams combined for only 30 yards on the ground, however Georgia quarterback J.T. Daniels threw for 401 yards and four touchdowns in his debut while freshman MSU signal caller Will Rogers connected on 41 of 52 attempts for 336 yards and a score. Current Pittsburgh Steeler George Pickens put Georgia up 7-3 early in the second quarter on a 4-yard touchdown catch and Jermaine Burton (197 receiving yards) knotted the score at 17-all in the second period’s final 30 seconds. While Burton’s second scoring catch in the third quarter put UGA up by a touchdown, it was Kearis Jackson who hauled in a 40-yard touchdown catch from Daniels to lock down the No. 13 Bulldogs’ fifth win of the year. Current Philadelphia Eagle Nakobe Dean led the defensive attack for the Bulldogs with 12 stops.

In the highest ranked matchup in Sanford Stadium history, No. 3 Georgia defeated No. 1 Tennessee 27-13 (CFP ranking). The high-flying Vols entered the contest leading the nation in scoring (49.4 ppg) and were held to the lowest tally in the Josh Heupel era.

After registering just 10 sacks through eight games, the Bulldogs collected six against top-ranked Tennessee who had surrendered only 13 on the year. Sophomore STAR Javon Bullard led the attack with the first two of his career.

Georgia is 4-1 as the No. 3 CFP team. On CFP Selection Sunday in 2017 and 2021, the Bulldogs made the CFP as the No. 3 seed. In the first CFP rankings this year, the Bulldogs were No. 3 behind UT and Ohio State. Georgia was No. 1 in the Associated Press and Coaches polls while UT was No. 2 (AP) and No. 3 (Coaches).

In 2022, the Bulldogs checked in at No. 3 in the CFP rankings last Tuesday. Last year, Georgia was No. 1 in all five regular season CFP rankings and were No. 3 on selection day.

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 in mid September.

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 on Oct. 1. After a 42-10 win over Auburn in week six, the Bulldogs reclaimed the top spot in the AP poll.

Georgia has been ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in 24 of the past 26 AP polls, with the other two weeks at No. 3.

*2-4 (includes 2017-19, ’21 SECCGs, 2018 & 2022 CFPNC)

%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); Daijun Edwards AU (10/8/22)
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.

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.

{100 Points on 15 TDs, 5 Safeties}
2016: 14 points in three different games (Pick-Six, Fumble Ret., Safety)
2017: 6 points in one game (Fumble Ret.)
2018: 12 points in two different games (Pick-Six, Fumble Ret.)
2019: 18 points in three different games (2 Fumble Ret., 1 Fumble Rec.)
2020: 22 points in four different games (2 Pick-Sixes 1 Fumble Ret., 2 Safeties)
2021: 28 points in six different games (4 Pick-Sixes, 2 Safeties)
2022: none
Longest Pick-Six: 79 yards by Kelee Ringo vs. #1 Alabama, 2022 CFP National Championship
Longest Fumble Ret. For a TD: 64 yards by Tyson Campbell @ Missouri, 2018

The Bulldogs ran for a season-high 292 yards and six touchdowns in their 42-10 win over Auburn. The Bulldogs averaged 7.5 yards/carry against the Tigers. Georgia’s rushing tally versus Auburn was the most since 2020 against Missouri (316). The six rushing scores were the most for Georgia since the 2018 contest versus UMass. The Bulldogs are tied for second nationally with 29 rushing touchdowns.

Georgia’s offensive line returns three of five starters. C Sedrick Van Pran (24 consecutive starts), RT Warren Mc- Clendon (team high 33 consecutive starts) and RG Tate Ratledge (nine consecutive starts) all got the nod in the first nine games along with LT Broderick Jones (nine consecutive starts). LG Xavier Truss started the first eight games this year and due to a toe injury for Truss, RSo. Devin Willock got his first career start against No. 1 Tennessee.

The unit was named to the Joe Moore Midseason Honor Roll as one of the country’s top offensive lines. Warren Ericson relieved an injured Ratledge for the final 14 games of 2021 and fills in this year. Amarius Mims is lining up at either tackle position as well. They have helped Georgia pile up 40.1 points/game and 514.2 yards/game thus far.

Senior PK Jack Podlesny is the SEC co-leader and is ranked sixth nationally in Scoring (92, 10.2 points/game). Podlesny has made 51 of 61 field goal attempts in his career (83.6 percent) and drilled 153 of 154 PATs. This season, he is 16-of-18 on field goals and a perfect 44-for-44 on PATs. Podlesny’s 306 points ranks sixth best in school history.

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 43 touchbacks out of his 63 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.

Freshman Brett Thorson, a native of Australia, had a season-long punt of 75 yards versus No. 1 Tennessee. This tied for the 10th longest in school history and tied for the longest since 2009. Thorson’s 75 yarder went out of bounds at the Vols’ 1 yard line. In the win over Auburn, he punted five times for a 41.4 avg. and all five were inside the 20. He has averaged 43.4 this season. The Bulldogs did not punt versus KSU, and that was the first time since the 2018 UMass game. Georgia is tied for the fourth fewest punts nationally with 22. The Georgia snappers return in senior Payne Walker (FGs/PATs) and junior William Mote (punts).

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 23-3 and has completed 64.3 percent of his passes (489-for-761, 6,907 yards, 50 TDs, 17 INTs).

In school history, Georgia is 3-5 all-time against the No. 1 team and Bennett is 2-0. He led Georgia to a victory over No. 1 Alabama in the 2022 CFP National Championship Game and then against top-ranked Tennessee this season.

Currently ranks third nationally among active players in Total Offense Yards Per Play for a career at 8.42, which is on pace for a school record (7.69 by Aaron Murray). Current active national leader is C.J. Stroud (9.35, Ohio State) followed by Grayson McCall (8.56, Coastal Carolina).

After falling behind for only the second time this season (No. 1 Tennessee 3-0, 10:05 1stQ), Bennett directed an 80-yard touchdown drive that was capped by his 13- yard scamper to the pylon. The Bulldogs would never trail again against the Vols.

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.

Bennett and Tim Tebow (four) are 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.

*Ties school record

Stetson Bennett Rushing (UGA Career – 32 games)

Georgia is averaging 40.1 points/game, which ranks 11th nationally.

The Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 361-97 this season, including 208-41 in the opening half.

The Bulldogs are 50 of 51 in the Red Zone (a national leading 98 percent) this year with 35 touchdowns and 15 field goals.

Georgia jumped out to a 24-6 halftime lead on 306 total yards versus No. 1 Tennessee and eventually posted a 27-13 victory.

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 has a team high 38 catches for 507 yards (13.3 avg.) and three scores. He is also the primary punt returner with 15 for 144 yards.

Georgia’s tight end room features All-American and 2021 Freshman of the Year Brock Bowers, junior Darnell Washington, redshirt sophomore Arik Gilbert and freshman Oscar Delp.

Bowers leads the group this year with 34 catches for a team high 574 yards and three TDs while Washington has 19 for 332 yards. Bowers highlighted a career high 154 yards on five catches in the win over Florida and had a 73-yard scoring grab.

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 six 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 eight of nine game this season and has been a team captain twice in 2022. He had a career high four catches for 78 yards in the rout versus Vanderbilt.

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.

Gilbert scored his first touchdown as a Bulldog on a 4-yard pass from Beck versus VU.

Georgia’s veterans in the backfield are senior Kenny McIntosh and juniors Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards.

Edwards is the leading rusher with 486 yards on 87 carries (5.6 avg.) and seven 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 and missed the next two games before returning against No. 1 Tennessee.

McIntosh scored a touchdown both rushing and receiving for the first time in his career against Vanderbilt. He 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. McIntosh has run the ball 79 times for 384 yards and six touchdowns.

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 292 rushing yards and four TDs.

Georgia is aiming for its fifth SEC Eastern Division title in the Kirby Smart era. The Bulldogs previously have won it in 2017-19 and 2021. Georgia won the 2017 SEC Championship Game over Auburn. The Bulldogs are also aiming for double-digit wins for the fifth time in a season under Smart, which includes a program best 14 in 2021 en route to the national championship.

This season, the Bulldogs lead the SEC and rank second nationally in Scoring Defense, giving up just 10.8 points per contest. The defense has posted 19 scoreless quarters in 2022.

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.

Georgia shut down No. 1 Tennessee to the tune of 13 points after the Vols came in averaging a national best 49.4 points per contest. The 13 points was the lowest scored under head coach Josh Heupel. The Vols did not get a touchdown until 4:15 left in the contest. UT was just 2-of-14 on third downs (14 percent).

Florida was held to 100 yards rushing on 34 attempts (2.9 yards per carry). The Gators entered the game with an FBS best 6.4 ypc.

Georgia posted its second shutout of the year with a 55-0 win over Vanderbilt. This marked the 10th shutout in the Kirby Smart era (since 2016), the most in the FBS during that span.

Georgia is allowing teams to convert on third downs only 27 percent of the time (34 of 124) and that ranks fourth 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 with 53 seconds remaining in the game.

The Bulldogs have only allowed three rushing TDs this season (KSU, UF, #1 UT).

Jamon Dumas-Johnson is leading the team with 42 tackles, including six tackles for loss and three sacks. He had one of the six sacks in the win over No. 1 Tennessee.

Georgia has seven picks on the year and has recovered four fumbles and currently sits even in turnover margin. 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. Jackson has not played since the Vanderbilt game because of a foot injury.

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 the game’s only touchdown against No. 3 Clemson in 2021. 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. Recently, Smith was named a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist.

1. Alabama, 44-6
2. GEORGIA, 43-5
3. Clemson, 42-7

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). Smith was injured in the Florida game and has not played since that contest.

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 10 QB; Davey O’Brien Class of 2022

Chris Smith: SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week (vs. #11 UO); AP/CBS/ Sporting News Midseason All-America Team; Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist; SEC Defensive Player of the Week, Bednarik Award Weekly Honor Roll (vs. UF); Chuck Bednarik Award semifinalist

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); Wuerffel Trophy semifinalist

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); CBS/Sporting News Midseason All-America Team; SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week (vs. UF); Maxwell Award semifinalist; ; Rotary Lombardi Award semifinalist

Branson Robinson: SEC Freshman of the Week (AU)

Offensive Line: Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll

Malaki Starks: The Athletic/Yahoo/On3 Midseason Freshman All-America Team; Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award Semifinalist

Jalen Carter: Sporting News Midseason All-America Team; Rotary Lombardi Award semifinalist

Jamon Dumas-Johnson: Butkus Award semifinalist

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.

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: So. ILB Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Fr. DE Mykel Williams, So. ILB Smael Mondon, So. DB Javon Bullard, So. DB Kamari Lassiter, Jr. N Nazir Stackhouse. Williams became just the ninth true freshman starter to make his debut in a season opener in the Kirby Smart era.

Samford: Fr. S Malaki Starks
South Carolina: Fr. WR Dillon Bell, Jr. DL Zion Logue, Sr. DL Tramel Walthour
Missouri: Jr. DB Tykee Smith (first start of his Bulldog career, 18th start of his career after transferring from West Virginia)
Auburn: Junior ILB Rian Davis
#1 Tennessee: RSo. OG Devin Willock

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: J. Dumas-Johnson, K. McIntosh, D. Washington, N. Smith

Vanderbilt: B. Bowers, Z. Logue, W. McClendon, J. Podlesny
Florida:Stetson Bennett, J. Dumas-Johnson, N. Smith, K. McIntosh
#1 Tennessee: J. Dumas-Johnson, K. McIntosh, S. Van Pran, C. Smith
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: 6 (Longest: 36-yd TD rush, Jones)
VAN: none

GAME EIGHT:
UGA: 4 (Longest: 73-yd TD pass, Bennett to Bowers)
UF: 5 (Longest: 78-yd TD pass, Richardson to Henderson)

GAME NINE:
UGA: 3 (Longest: 52-yd pass, Bennett to Smith)
TENN: 1 (Longest: 28-yd pass, Hooker to Hyatt)

GAME 10:
UGA:
MSU:

GAME 11:
UGA:
UK:

GAME 12:
UGA:
GT:

Georgia is even in turnover margin. The Bulldogs have 38 points off nine turnovers. Opponents have 26 points off nine turnovers.

#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: GA got 7 off 1 TO; UGA no TOs.

Florida: UGA got no TOs; UF got 10 pts. on 3 TOs
#1 Tennessee: UGA got 3 pts off 2 TOs; UT got 3 pts off 2 TOs
Miss. State:
Kentucky:
Georgia Tech: