UGA Football: The Dawgs Prepare for the Cardinals of Ball State

Kirby Smart is in his eighth year at the helm, and after last Saturday, the Bulldogs are 8-0 in season openers. Overall, Smart’s Bulldogs are 82-15 including back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022. The Bulldogs rank ninth all-time in victories with 869.

Due to the cancellation of a previously scheduled matchup at Oklahoma (who now will join the SEC in 2024), Georgia plays host to four straight games to start the campaign and seven total in 2023. The last time the Bulldogs played four straight contests in Sanford Stadium was in 2004.

The last schedule that featured four home games to start a season was in 1999. That year, the Bulldogs went 4-0, beating Utah State, USC, UCF and LSU.

Georgia has tied the school record with 28 consecutive regular season victories dating back to a 31-24 home victory over Mississippi State on Nov. 21, 2020. The Bulldogs won 28 in a row from 1981-83. The NCAA’s longest active regular-season win streak belongs to Mount Union as the DIII school has won 55 in a row.

For the second straight week, Georgia will face a new foe as Ball State battles Georgia for the first time Between The Hedges Saturday at noon (SEC Network). The 2023 Bulldogs return nine players with starting experience on offense, including junior C Sedrick Van Pran and All-American and John Mackey Award winner junior TE Brock Bowers, who was the 2021 and 2022 leader in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns. Georgia ranked fifth nationally averaging 41.1 points per game last season and opened 2023 with a 48-7 win over UT Martin. A few offensive veterans did not suit up in the season opener and should bolster the unit when they return. These Bulldogs were starting wideouts junior Ladd McConkey and senior Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint along with senior running back Daijun Edwards. Also of note, senior Kendall Milton was not 100 percent but that wasn’t going to stop him from playing in the opener. He finished with a team-high 53 yards on nine carries including a 37-yarder.

Junior QB Carson Beck made his first career start and led the Bulldogs to a win over the Skyhawks. Georgia tallied 559 yards of total offense (149 rushing, 400 passing). Quarterbacks Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton garnered some playing time too after the Bulldogs built a 31-0 advantage.

The Cardinals, who are based in Muncie, Ind., are members of the Mid-Atlantic Conference (MAC). Ball State went 5-7 last season, including 3-5 in the MAC. They are coached by Mike Neu who is in his eighth season at the helm with a record of 33-49 (.673).

The Cardinals started this season against Kentucky in Lexington. The Wildcats topped Ball State 44-14 after trailing 7-3 at the end of the first quarter. Kentucky reeled off 27 straight points to take control of the game. Ball State gave up both a 69-yard fumble recovery for a score as well as a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the closing minute of the third quarter.

The Cardinals started graduate transfer quarterback Layne Hatcher and then turned to true freshman Kadin Semonza in the second half. Semonza directed a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to make it 30-14 with 42 seconds in the third quarter. He finished 15-for-21 for 165 yards and one TD. BSU finished with 295 yards of total offense (72 rushing, 223 passing).

Ball State Football SID: Kevin Messenger (765) 285-8242; kmessenger@bsu.edu

Since the arrival of Kirby Smart in 2016, the Bulldogs have featured talented defenses. From 2016-2018, Mel Tucker served as the DC before leaving to take the head coaching job at Colorado (now at Michigan St.). Dan Lanning assumed the DC role from 2019-2021 until being hired as the head coach at Oregon in 2021. Now Glenn Schumann is in his second season as the Fain & Billy Slaughter Defensive Coordinator. Also, the 2023 defensive staff features Will Muschamp (co-Defensive Coord.), Fran Brown (DB), Tray Scott (DL) and Chidera Uzo-Diribe (OLB). The Bulldogs return 12 players who have starting experience from a corps that ranked fifth nationally in 2022 allowing opponents only 14.3 points per contest.

In the season-opening win over UT Martin, Georgia carried a shutout to the fourth quarter. However, UT Martin scored with 6:39 left in the contest. In the first half, the Skyhawks were limited to 89 yards on 24 plays as the Bulldogs enjoyed a 17-0 lead. The Skyhawks finished with 260 yards of offense on 63 plays. Georgia’s leading tacklers were sophomore safety Malaki Starks with eight and senior star Tykee Smith with six including a TFL. Sophomore DE Mykel Williams had a sack as he led the team last year with 4.5 sacks. Freshman DB Kyron Jones registered a pick-six after collecting a tipped pass, racing 26 yards for the final score.

Year	Pts./Game	NCAA Rank	Record	Shutouts
2016	24.0	35th	8-5	0
2017	16.4	6th	13-2	1
2018	19.2	15th	11-3	1
2019	12.6	1st	12-2	3
2020	20.0	16th	8-2	0
2021	10.2	1st	14-1	3
2022	14.3	5th	15-0	2
2023	7.0	T15th	1-0	0

Georgia is on a school record 18-game winning streak. The current stretch of success began with a 34-11 win over Michigan in the 2021 CFP semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl.

Georgia has tied the school record with 28 consecutive regular season victories dating to a 31-24 home triumph over Mississippi State on Nov. 21, 2020. Also, Georgia won 28 in a row from 1981-83.

Georgia’s longest home winning streak is 24 set from 1980-83. Currently, the Bulldogs have won 19 straight at home. The current streak began with a 21-0 win over Kentucky on Oct. 19, 2019.

The Bulldogs are 30-1 in their last 31 games including winning back-to-back national championships.

The 2023 Bulldogs: Averaging 48.0 points/game, which ranks 18th nationally

Have outscored their opponents 48-7, including 17-0 in the opening half

Own a +41 point differential

5-for-5 in the Red Zone (T1st nationally 100%) with 3 TDs, 2 FGs

The 2022 Bulldogs: Averaged 41.1 points/game, which ranked 5th nationally

Outscored their opponents 616-214, including 341-105 in the opening half

Second consecutive year led the nation in point differential at +402

81 of 83 in the Red Zone (98% led nation) with 57 TDs and 24 FGs

The 2021 Bulldogs: Averaged 38.6 points/game, which ranked ninth nationally

Outscored their opponents 579-153, including 358-65 in the opening half

Led the nation in point differential at +426

59 of 69 in the Red Zone (86% ranked 50th) with 42 TDs and 17 FGs

All-American and 2022 Mackey Award winner junior Brock Bowers returns as one of the nation’s top talents and made an immediate impact in the season opener. He scored the first TD of the season on a three-yard scamper (his fifth career rushing TD) and finished the night as the leading receiver with five catches for 77 yards, all coming in the first half.

A 2022 Rotary Lombardi Award finalist, Bowers led the team with 63 catches (school record mark by a UGA TE) for a team high 942 yards and seven TDs.

In his career, Bowers has 124 receptions for 1,901 yards and 20 TD catches. The school record for TD receptions is 30 by Terrence Edwards. Also, Bowers has 14 rushes for 168 yards and five TDs.

Bowers has had two receiving scores and a rushing score in the same game twice. (At South Carolina in 2022 and at Vanderbilt in 2021)

Bowers has seven career 100-yard receiving games; Three of his career TD catches have covered 75+ yards; His first career TD catch covered 89 yards against UAB. Also, Georgia welcomes back sophomore Oscar Delp plus freshmen Lawson Luckie and Pearce Spurlin III. Delp made his first career start in the 2023 season opener as the Bulldogs began in a two tight end set, and he caught a 21-yard TD pass from Brock Vandagriff to make it 38-0 in the 4th quarter. Currently, Luckie is sidelined with an injury that occurred near the end of preseason camp.

Georgia’s offensive line returns three of five starters from a year ago. For the past two years, the offensive line has been a finalist for the Joe Moore Award, which has gone to the University of Michigan. The Bulldogs are replacing Warren McClendon and Broderick Jones as that duo combined for 56 career starts before moving on to the NFL. The Bulldogs welcome back junior C Sedrick Van Pran, who has a team-best 31 consecutive starts, plus redshirt sophomore guard Tate Ratledge and senior guard Xavier Truss, who each started 14 contests in 2022. Junior Amarius Mims filled in for McClendon after a knee injury sidelined him during the College Football Playoff. Mims is now in the starting unit.

The team tragically lost OL Devin Willock in a car accident this past January. Willock played in all 15 games last year, starting a pair of contests. To honor their late teammate, a different offensive lineman will wear Willock’s #77 jersey each game this season. Against UT Martin, Truss wore it.

Georgia’s veterans in the backfield are seniors Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards and both missed time during preseason camp due to injuries. While Milton tallied a team-best 53 yards on nine carries in the season opener, Edwards did not play. Georgia will not have sophomore Branson Robinson this year after going down with a season-ending knee injury in late August.

Along with Milton, redshirt freshman Andrew Paul (4 for 18 yards), who missed all of last season due to a knee injury, redshirt sophomore Cash Jones (3 for 12 yards plus 4 catches for 25 yards) and freshman Roderick Robinson (8 for 50 yards) registered carries against UT Martin.

In 2022, Edwards ranked second on the team with 769 yards for a 5.5 average and had seven touchdowns while Milton had 592 rushing yards and eight TDs. Options Abound At Wideout Georgia features an array of experienced pass catchers and 11 different Bulldogs had a reception in the season opener. Senior Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint and junior Ladd McConkey did not see action. Rosemy-Jacksaint had 29 receptions for 337 yards and two TDs last year. McConkey finished second on the team with 58 catches for 762 yards and seven scores. Also, he was the primary punt returner with 16 for 197 yards

The starters against UT Martin were Arian Smith, sophomore Dillon Bell and redshirt sophomore Mekhi Mews. Mews enjoyed a career night, tallying three catches for 75 yards including a 54-yard TD from Carson Beck that capped a 98-yard drive. He served as the punt/kick returner and had 125 all-purpose yards.

Transfers Dominic Lovett (Missouri) and Rara Thomas (Miss. State) made their Bulldog debut. Lovett had three catches for 25 yards while Thomas had one for a team-high 56 yards. In two seasons with the Tigers, Lovett had 82 catches for 1,019 yards and three TDs while Thomas had 62 catches for 878 yards and 12 TDs.

Georgia has had 34 players drafted over the past three seasons including 19 on defense and eight of those defenders have gone in the first round. Georgia continues to reload and develop elite talent.

Junior Jamon Dumas-Johnson, a 2022 Butkus Award finalist, returns to direct the linebackers. He served as a game captain in the season opener. Last season, he finished second on the team with 70 tackles, including nine TFL and four sacks. Junior ILB Smael Mondon was the team leader with 76 stops although he was limited in camp while recovering from a foot injury. Junior OLB Chaz Chambliss has assumed a larger leadership role in 2023 and made his first career start in the season opener.

Junior DB/safety Javon Bullard has bulked up to 195 pounds after playing last year at 180. He earned CFP Defensive MVP honors in both the Semifinal Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (three tackles, sack) and the National Championship Game (a tackle, two interceptions, a fumble recovery). He was a game captain against UTM.

Sophomore safety Malaki Starks finished third on the 2022 team with 68 tackles and had two interceptions while starting 14 of the 15 games. In the 2023 opener, he posted a team-high eight stops.

Junior DB Kamari Lassiter is poised to have a big 2023 season after tallying 38 tackles a year ago in starting all 15 games.

Sophomore Daylen Everette was among a host of Bulldogs who saw extended action against UTM. He made his first start and finished with two stops and a TFL.

Senior Star Tykee Smith tallied six stops against UT Martin.

Sophomore DL Mykel Williams, who led the squad with 4.5 sacks in 2022, picked up his first sack in 2023 in the season opener. He is part of an experienced front that features seniors Zion Logue, Warren Brinson, Tramel Walthour and Nazir Stackhouse.

In 2022, Georgia finished +2 in turnover margin, collecting 12 picks and recovering seven fumbles. After the season opener, the Bulldogs are +1 and that was a tipped pass that resulted in a pick-six by true freshman DB Kyron Jones.

Australian punter Brett Thorson, who earned All-SEC Freshman honors in 2022, posted a 45.0 average on 36 punts last year. This season, he has a 44.6 average after booming five punts in the season opener. He placed two inside the 20, one went 50+ yards and three resulted in fair catches.

Thorson benefits from having senior snapper William Mote back in the fold. Mote has been the Bulldogs’ primary snapper on punts the past two years. In 2023, he will snap on field goals and PATs.

Entering 2023, junior Jared Zirkel was 1-for-1 in career field goals (21-yarder at USC last year) and had nine career kickoffs. He is battling the nation’s No. 1 prep kicker, Peyton Woodring, for the placekicking job as well as handling kickoffs. In the season opener, Zirkel took care of the kickoffs (averaged 64.4 yards on nine with seven touchbacks) while Woodring tallied 12 points on six PATs and two field goals that covered 23 and 33 yards.

Woodring became the first true freshman Bulldog placekicker to start a season opener since Marshall Morgan in 2012. Before Morgan, it was Blair Walsh in 2008. Did You Know? Woodring’s 12 points was the most by a Georgia true freshman kicker in a season opener since Kevin Butler set a school-record with 14 points in a 44-0 rout of Tennessee in Athens to open the 1981 season.

Career Punting For Brett Thorson
Year	Punts	Yards	Avg.	I20	50+	60+	FC	BL	LG
2022	36	1620	45.0	19	9	1	18	0	75 UT
2023	5	223	44.6	2	1	0	3	0	53UTM
Total	41	1843	45.0	21	10	1	21	0	75 UT

Career Placekicking For Peyton Woodring
Year	PAT	Pct.	FG	Pct.	LG	Pts
2023	6-6	1.000	2-2	1.000	33	12
Field Goal History For Peyton Woodring
Year	I20	20-29	30-39	40-49	50-99	LG
2023	0-0	1-1	1-1	0-0	0-0	33

KO History For Jared Zirkel
64.7 Yard Avg. On Kickoffs
Year	No.	Yds.	TB	OB
2021	3	195	3	0
2022	6	390	5	0
2023	9	580	7	0
Total	18	1165	15	0

Junior Carson Beck, a 6-4, 220-pound native of Jacksonville, Fla., is in his first season as the starting quarterback. He got his first start versus UT Martin in the 2023 opener and went 21-for-31 for 294 yards a touchdown in three quarters while guiding the Bulldogs to a 48-7 win. He entered the 2023 season having appeared in 12 games over the past three years and was 36-for-58 (62.1%) for 486 yards with six TDs and two INTs in his first three seasons. In the National Championship Game rout of TCU, he played the entire fourth quarter after Georgia built a 52-7 lead en route to the 65-7 triumph, completing two of three passes for 31 yards.

Along with Beck, Georgia’s quarterbacks include 6-3, 210-pound redshirt sophomore Brock Vandagriff of Bogart, Ga., and 6-1, 215-pound redshirt freshman Gunner Stockton of Tiger, Ga. Vandagriff has appeared in six games in his career, including a 2-for-3 performance against the Skyhawks that yielded 77 yards and a TD in the 2023 opener.

Stockton made his debut against UT Martin and went 3-for-5 for 29 yards plus had two rushes for 18 yards.

Passing Yards	294 Vs. UT Martin, 2023
Completions	21 Vs UT Martin, 2023
Attempts	31 Vs. UT Martin, 2023
TD Passes	2 Vs. Vanderbilt, 2022
Long Pass Completion	54 Yards Vs. UT Martin, 2023
Long Rush	20 Vs. USC, 2022

Year	G/GS	Cmp.	Att.	Pct.	Yds.	INT	TD	Eff.	LG
2020	1/0	0	0	—	0	0	0	—	—
2021	4/0	10	23	43.5	176	2	2	119.06	32 UAB
2022	7/0	26	35	74.3	310	0	4	186.40	28 SC
2023	1/1	21	31	67.7	294	0	1	158.05	54TD UTM
Total	13/1	57	89	64.0	780	2	7	159.12	54TD UTM

Game	Cmp.	Att.	Pct.	Yds.	INT	TD	SK	LG
2020
MZ	0	0	—	0	0	0	0	—
2021
UAB	4	10	40.0	88	1	1	0	32
@VU	1	3	33.3	11	0	0	0	11
CS	5	10	50.0	77	1	1	0	30
@GT	0	0	—	0	0	0	0	—
2022
Vs #11 ORE	5	6	83.3	71	0	1	0	23
SAM	5	7	71.4	52	0	0	0	16
@SC	5	6	83.3	55	0	1	0	28
AU	0	0	—	0	0	0	0	—
VU	8	11	72.7	98	0	2	0	24
GT	1	2	50.0	3	0	0	0	3
Vs #3 TCU	2	3	66.7	31	0	0	0	20
2023
UTM(W)	21	31	67.7	294	0	1	0	54
Total	57	89	64.0	780	2	7	0	54

The Bulldogs feature a new offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach in Mike Bobo this season after Todd Monken left to accept a similar spot with the Baltimore Ravens. However, Bobo is no stranger to Georgia. A native of Thomasville, Ga., who played quarterback for the Bulldogs from 1994-97, he had served as a quality control analyst for the Georgia offense since January 2022. Bobo had a 14-year stint with the Bulldogs from 2001-14 under Mark Richt (QB coach and then OC). Bobo played four seasons with head coach Kirby Smart at Georgia and coached alongside him in 2005 when Smart was running backs coach.

Did You Know? Georgia’s school record (41.3 points/game) came in 2014 when Bobo was the OC.

RUSHING
Kendall Milton, RB 53 yards, 9 att., 5.9 avg., 0 TD, 37 long
Roderick Robinson, RB 50 yards, 8 att., 6.3 avg., 1 TD, 23 long
PASSING
Carson Beck, QB 26 comp., 31 att., 294 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 54 long
RECEIVING
Brock Bowers, TE 5 rec., 77 yards, 15.4 avg., 0 TD, 23 long
Cash Jones, RB 4 rec., 25 yards, 6.3 avg., 0 TD, 12 long
Mekhi Mews, WR 3 rec., 75 yards, 25.0 avg., 1 TD, 56 long
TACKLES
Malaki Starks, S 8 total tackles, 3 solo, 5 assists
Tykee Smith, Star 6 total tackles, 3 solo, 3 assists, 1 TFL
Javon Bullard, S 4 total tackles, 2 solo, 2 assists

The 2023 senior class already has a pair of national championships and can take aim at setting the career victory mark too. The 2022 Bulldog seniors established the school record by posting a 49-5 mark and that included just nine regular season games and a bowl triumph during the COVID-shortened season of 2020. The 2023 seniors embarked on their career in 2020. They have a 38-3 record through game one of 2023.

Currently, there are three Bulldogs who have blocked a kick/punt in their Georgia career. In 2022, DL Nazir Stackhouse blocked a field goal that was returned 96 yards for a touchdown by teammate Chris Smith in the opening quarter of the SEC Championship Game versus No. 14 LSU. In addition, OLB Jalon Walker blocked a punt that resulted in a safety versus Kent State. S Dan Jackson blocked a punt against No. 8 Arkansas in 2021.

The Bulldogs have had a school record 65 consecutive sellouts. During this stretch, Georgia drew a record 93,246 for the win over Notre Dame in 2019. Capacity is 92,746, which ranks as the ninth largest on-campus stadium. The current streak began Sept 15, 2012 versus Fla. Atlantic. The Bulldogs’ home facility has been undergoing a two-phase $65.8 million improvement. Phase one features new locations for Gate 1 and Gate 9, addition of Grab & Go concession options at Gate 6 and Gate 9, the concourse from Gate 6 to Gate 9 has more than doubled in width, family bathrooms, additional restrooms plus a Sensory Room now at Section 128. Phase two in 2024 will feature additional 200- and 300-level restrooms and suites plus a new press box.

The Bulldogs had eight first-time starters in their opener versus UT Martin: WR Arian Smith, QB Carson Beck, TE Oscar Delp, LT Earnest Greene, WR Mekhi Mews, ILB Xavian Sorey, OLB Chaz Chambliss, DB Daylen Everette plus true freshman PK Peyton Woodring.

The Bulldogs had 16 true freshmen make their debut in the 2023 season opener. 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 played during the 2022 campaign.

UT Martin:Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Sedrick Van Pran, Javon Bullard, Brock Bowers
Ball State:
South Carolina:
UAB:
Auburn:
Kentucky:
Vanderbilt:
Florida:
Missouri:
Ole Miss:
Tennessee:
Georgia Tech:

Georgia is +1 in turnover margin.

The Bulldogs have six points off one turnover.

Opponents have not forced a turnover.

UTM: UGA got 6 pts. off 1 TOs; UGA had no TOs
BSU:
USC:
UAB:
AU:
UK:
VU:
UF:
MIZ:
OM:
UT:
GT:

Georgia ranks fifth in NCAA history for consecutive games scoring and third among schools with active streaks:

Team – Games
Florida – 438 (1988-present)
TCU – 382 (1991-present)
Michigan – 365 (1984-2014)
BYU – 361 (1975-2003)
Georgia – 360 (1995-present)

UGA has nine plays of 25 yards –or more while its opponents have one.

GAME 1 (Longest):
#1 UGA: 9 (56-yd pass, Vandagriff to Thomas)
UTM: 1 (26-yd rush, Dent)
GAME 2 (Longest):
UGA:
BSU:
GAME 3 (Longest):
UGA:
SC:
GAME 4 (Longest):
UGA:
UAB:
GAME 5 (Longest):
UGA:
AUB:
GAME 6 (Longest):
UGA:
UK:
GAME 7 (Longest):
UGA:
VAN:
GAME 8 (Longest):
UGA:
UF:
GAME NINE (Longest):
UGA:
MIZZOU:
GAME 10 (Longest):
UGA:
OM:
GAME 11 (Longest):
UGA:
UT:
GAME 12 (Longest):
UGA:
GT:

Georgia’s 25 players drafted in the NFL the past two seasons is the most by a single school in consecutive drafts in the modern era (since 1967).

Georgia had a record 15 players selected in the 2022 draft including five in the first round starting with the No. 1 overall pick, Travon Walker, DL (Jacksonville).

Ten Bulldogs were selected in the 2023 NFL draft with three in the first round.

In the Kirby Smart era, 55 Bulldogs have been selected in the NFL Draft.

Georgia has had five Bulldogs elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Charley Trippi (1968), Fran Tarkenton (1986), Terrell Davis (2017), Champ Bailey (2019) and Richard Seymour (2022).

Georgia has had at least one former player in the Super Bowl for 22 consecutive years. During that time, 39 different Bulldogs have made a total of 49 trips to the game.

• Georgia’s 25 players drafted in the NFL the past two seasons is the most by a single school in consecutive drafts in the modern era (since 1967).
• Georgia had a record 15 players selected in the 2022 draft including five in the first round starting with the No. 1 overall pick, Travon Walker, DL (Jacksonville).
• Ten Bulldogs were selected in the 2023 NFL draft with three in the first round.
• In the Kirby Smart era, 55 Bulldogs have been selected in the NFL Draft.
• Georgia has had five Bulldogs elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Charley Trippi (1968), Fran Tarkenton (1986), Terrell Davis (2017), Champ Bailey (2019) and Richard Seymour (2022).
• Georgia has had at least one former player in the Super Bowl for 22 consecutive years. During that time, 39 different Bulldogs have made a total of 49 trips to the game.

Bulldogs On 2023 NFL Teams

Jonathan Ledbetter, DL Arizona Cardinals
Lorenzo Carter, LB Atlanta Falcons
John FitzPatrick, TE Atlanta Falcons
*Justin Shaffer, OL Atlanta Falcons
Ben Cleveland, OL Baltimore Ravens
Roquan Smith, LB Baltimore Ravens
^Nick Moore, SN Baltimore Ravens
James Cook, RB Buffalo Bills
Leonard Floyd, LB Buffalo Bills
Justin Houston, LB Carolina Panthers
Trey Hill, C Cincinnati Bengals
Nick Chubb, RB Cleveland Browns
Eric Stokes, DB Green Bay Packers
Quay Walker, LB Green Bay Packers
Devonte Wyatt, DL Green Bay Packers
Isaiah McKenzie, WR Indianapolis Colts
Tyson Campbell, DB Jacksonville Jaguars
Travon Walker, DL Jacksonville Jaguars
Malik Herring, DL Kansas City Chiefs
John Jenkins, DL Las Vegas Raiders
Christopher Smith, DB Las Vegas Raiders
Zamir White, RB Las Vegas Raiders
Tre’ McKitty, TE Los Angeles Chargers
Jamaree Salyer, OL Los Angeles Chargers
Stetson Bennett, QB Los Angeles Rams
Derion Kendrick, DB Los Angeles Rams
Warren McClendon, OL Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford, QB Los Angeles Rams
Channing Tindall, LB Miami Dolphins
Isaiah Wynn, OL Miami Dolphins
Lewis Cine, S Minnesota Vikings
David Andrews, C New England Patriots
Lawrence Cager, WR New York Giants
Azeez Ojulari, LB New York Giants
Andrew Thomas, OL New York Giants
Mecole Hardman, WR New York Jets
Jalen Carter, DL Philadelphia Eagles
Jordan Davis, DL Philadelphia Eagles
Nakobe Dean, LB Philadelphia Eagles
Kelee Ringo, DB Philadelphia Eagles
Nolan Smith, LB Philadelphia Eagles
D’Andre Swift, RB Philadelphia Eagles
Broderick Jones, OL Pittsburgh Steelers
George Pickens, WR Pittsburgh Steelers
Darnell Washington, TE Pittsburgh Steelers
^Robert Beal, DL San Francisco 49ers
*Chris Conley, WR San Francisco 49ers
Charlie Woerner, TE San Francisco 49ers
Kenny McIntosh, TB Seattle Seahawks
Jake Camarda, P Tampa Bay Buccaneers
*Richard LeCounte, DB Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Kearis Jackso, WR Tennessee Titans
Monty Rice, LB Tennessee Titans
*Jake Fromm, QB Washington Commanders

*practice squad
^injured reserve
As of Sept. 1, 2023

• Eighth season as Georgia coach • 81-15 Career Record • 2021 & 2022 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
• 2017 CFP national runner-up • 2017, 2022 SEC Champions • SEC Eastern Division Champs 2017-19 & 21-22
• 2017 George Munger award (National Coach of the Year by Maxwell Club) • SEC Coach of the Year, 2017, 2021-22
• Bulldogs have won two Butkus Awards • One Outland Trophy, Bednarik Award, Thorpe Award, Groza Award, Mackey Award, Manning Award & Burlsworth Trophy
• One Heisman Trophy finalist • 17 1st-team All-Americans
• 15 1st Round NFL Draft picks • 55 NFL Draft Picks
• A total of 199 players on SEC Academic Honor Rolls, including a high of 35 on the 2021 national championship team

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	15	0	1.000	8-0
2023	1	0	1.00	0-0
Total	82	15	.845	52-13

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 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
2022	~ #4 Ohio State (CFP Semi)	Trailed 38-24, Trailed 41-35 With 2:43 Left	42-41

%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 8 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); Azeez Ojulari vs. #8 UC (1/1/21); Channing Tindall @ UT (11/13/21)

Under Kirby Smart, Georgia has registered 28 scores on defense and special teams. The Dogs are 25-1 (loss came versus #8 UF in 2020) when they register a non-offensive score under Smart. This year, freshman DB Kyrun Jones returned an INT versus UT Martin 26 yards for a score. In 2022, the Bulldogs had a safety on a blocked punt versus Kent State and Chris Smith ran a blocked field goal back 96 yards for a touchdown versus No. 14 LSU. In 2021, Georgia had six of these scores: 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/CFP National Championship Game).

{106 Points on 16 TDs, 5 Safeties}

2016: 14 points in 3 different games (Pick-Six, Fumble Ret., Safety);
2017: 6 points in one game (Fumble Ret.);
2018: 12 points in 2 different games (Pick-Six, Fumble Ret.);
2019: 18 points in 3 different games (2 Fumble Ret., 1 Fumble Rec.);
2020: 22 points in 4 different games (2 Pick-Sixes 1 Fumble Ret., 2 Safeties);
2021: 28 points in 6 different games (4 Pick-Sixes, 2 Safeties);
2022: none
2023: 6 points in one game (Pick-Six)

2016: 12 points in 2 games (KOR, PR);
2017: none;
2018: 12 points in 2 games (PR, Blocked Punt Ret.);
2019: none;
2020: none;
2021: 8 points in 2 games (Blocked Punt Ret.; Safety/Blocked Punt);
2022: 8 points in 2 games (Safety/Blocked Punt; Blocked FG Ret.).

“Kirby Smart All Access” – This half-hour program will air Monday nights at 7 p.m. throughout the football season and offer viewers a behind-the-scenes look through the practice and preparation ahead of each game, from exclusive interviews with coaches and players, to features showcasing what it takes to build and maintain a championship program.

“Bulldogs Final” – This short wrap-up program will air on Saturday nights of UGA football games, with a repeat Sunday mornings, and will include highlights, analysis, and exclusive content from that week’s game.

“Bulldogs Now” – This weekly, half-hour program on Saturdays at 8 a.m. debuts this summer and will deliver exclusive access and the latest updates on the Georgia Bulldogs all year round. Outside of football season, the show will feature the latest news, in-depth features and updates on all 21 UGA sports programs.