UGA Football: Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry Continues Between The Hedges

After two SEC road games sandwiched around an open date, Georgia returns to Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium Saturday for the first time since Sept. 7 when it plays host to Auburn (2-3, 0-2 SEC). This will be only Georgia’s second home game of the year.

The Deep South’s oldest rivalry continues when the Bulldogs tangle with the Tigers. This will be the 129th meeting, which ranks second in NCAA history for “Most Played Rivalries,” trailing only Wisconsin-Minnesota (133 times). Georgia leads the AU series 64-56-8. The all-time series results with the Tigers can be found on page four of these notes.

Last year, Georgia edged Auburn 27-20 on the Plains. The Bulldogs are 8-1 against the Tigers under Kirby Smart and have won the past seven meetings. During the regular season in 2017, then No. 10 Auburn upset No. 2 Georgia 40-17 on the Plains. The Bulldogs responded a few weeks later in the SEC Championship Game with a 28-7 victory over the Tigers.

Both teams enter this game looking to respond after a tough loss. Last Saturday in Tuscaloosa, No. 2 Georgia fell behind 28-0, rallied to take a brief 34-33 lead only to see the No. 4 Crimson Tide answer to post a 41-34 win. Georgia gained 519 yards on 76 plays but had four turnovers plus surrendered 547 yards on 65 plays.

On the Plains, the Tigers saw an 11-point fourth-quarter lead evaporate capped by a 61-yard pick-six by Kip Lewis to give No. 21 Oklahoma a 27-21 SEC road win.

In the Kirby Smart era, the Bulldogs are 13-3 after a loss and haven’t lost back-to-back games in the regular season since 2016, his first year at the helm. The last seven times Georgia has lost a game, it has won its next contest. Back in 2016, Georgia fell to Vanderbilt in Athens on Oct. 15 and then to Florida in Jacksonville on Oct. 29. Georgia dropped its final two games of the 2018 postseason, falling to No. 1 Alabama in the SEC Championship Game and then were upset by No. 15 Texas in the Sugar Bowl.

The more things change the more they stay the same. Through the first three games of the season, the Bulldogs were the only FBS team that did not allow a TD as opponents combined for six field goals. Georgia limited then 14th-ranked Clemson to three points, Tenn. Tech kicked a field goal on the final play of the game and UK made four field goals. However last Saturday in Tuscaloosa, Ala., fourth-ranked Alabama built a 28-0 lead on the Bulldogs and hung on for a 41-34 win.

Going into the game with the Crimson Tide, the Bulldogs were one of just three teams in FBS that did not have a turnover on the season. Then, the Bulldogs had four in the loss. They now are even in Turnover Margin this season. Meanwhile, Auburn is minus 11 in Turnover Margin after five games.

Georgia enters this week’s game against Auburn ranked 18th nationally in Scoring Defense (14.8 ppg) and 52nd in Scoring Offense (32.3 ppg). The Tigers are 38th nationally in Scoring Defense (18.8 ppg) and 42nd in Scoring Offense (33.4 ppg).

Did You Know? The Bulldogs were the only FBS team to finish the 2023 season nationally ranked in the top five in both Scoring Offense (40.1 ppg/5th) and Scoring Defense (15.6 ppg/5th).

The Bulldogs opened the 2024 season ranked No. 1 in the AP and US LBM Coaches poll for the third time in school history (2008, 2023). Georgia dropped to No. 2 in the AP poll after its 13-12 road win over Kentucky on Sept. 14 and remained there for another week before falling to No. 4 Alabama on Sept 28. In this week’s AP poll, the Bulldogs check in at No. 5. Georgia was No. 1 in the US LBM Coaches poll until its first loss, and this week, they are No. 5.

The Bulldogs have the longest active streak of being ranked in the AP top 10 (55 straight polls). Georgia’s schedule features five teams that were preseason ranked in the top 15 including three of those matchups on the road in Alabama, Texas and Ole Miss plus a fourth at a neutral site (Clemson in Atlanta) while Tennessee visits Athens too.

Georgia is riding a school record 26-game home winning streak, which leads in FBS.

The 2024 Senior Class is an FBS-leading 45-3 (39-1 in the regular season) since 2021. The next best marks in this span belong to Michigan (44-4) and Alabama (40-6). Georgia’s only three losses since 2021 have come to Alabama. Georgia’s 2023 Senior Class set the school record at 50-4 with two national titles, an SEC crown plus went 6-0 in bowl/CFP games.

Georgia owns the nation’s longest active bowl streak at 27 seasons and has won its last seven matchups.

Georgia is 49-3 in last 52 games. However, it saw its school record streak of 42 consecutive regular season victories end last Saturday with a 41-34 defeat at No. 4 Alabama.

Georgia had an SEC and school record streak of 28 consecutive SEC regular season wins end at No. 4 Alabama. Also, Georgia had a 16-game winning streak in an opponent’s home stadium snap.

Head coach Kirby Smart is unbeaten against all active head coaches over the past five years except Kalen DeBoer (Alabama). Georgia is 65-7 in that span. The coaches no longer active who have wins over Georgia during this stretch: Nick Saban (3) along with Will Muschamp, Ed Orgeron and Dan Mullen.

In the Smart era, the Georgia defense has ended the year ranked in the top five nationally in Scoring Defense five times including leading the nation twice (2019 at 12.6 ppg & 2021 at 10.2 ppg). Also, Georgia has been ranked in the final top 10 in Scoring Offense from 2021-23.

Georgia is the only team to have finished in the top seven of the final AP poll in each of the past seven seasons.

Fifth-year senior Carson Beck, a 6-4, 220-pound native of Jacksonville, Fla., owns a 16-2 record as a starter. Led Georgia to 13-1 mark in ’23.

On the 2024 watch list for numerous national awards. He was a 2023 Manning Award finalist and a Maxwell Award / Davey O’Brien Award semifinalist

6-2 versus top-20 opponents with a 69.4 Completion Percentage (175-252) for 2,410 yards, 18 TDs, 5 INTs in those contests.

SEC Offensive Player of the Week after 34-3 win over #14 Clemson this year

Set Career Highs in road loss at #4 Alabama, 50 att., 439 yards, 3 INTs

439 passing yard @ #4 UA ranked 4th most in school history, most since ’94 (Eric Zeier, 441 vs. VU, going 23-for-54)

School record 72.4 Completion% in 2023 (5th nationally).

302 completions in 2023 ranked 2nd in UGA single season history, trailing only Stetson Bennett (310 in ’22 when the Bulldogs went 15-0); 3,941 passing yards ranked 2nd in school history (Bennett, 4,127 in ’22)

Georgia’s quarterback room also includes redshirt sophomore Gunner Stockton, freshman Ryan Puglisi and redshirt freshman transfer Jaden Rashada (Arizona State). Stockton saw action in four games last year and completed 63% of his passes (12-for-19) for 148 yards and two TDs. This year, Stockton is 10-for-12 for 90 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INT.

Passing Yards	389 vs. #20 UK, 2023
Completions	29 @ VU, 2023
Attempts	50 @ #4 UA, ’24
TD Passes	5 vs. TT, 2024
Passing Yards	439 @ #4 UA, ’24
Longest Pass & TD Pass	67 yds @ #4 UA, ’24
Long Rush	20 vs. USC, 2022
Interceptions	3 @ #4 UA, ’24

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	14/14	302	417	72.4	3,941	6	24	167.9	55 UF
2024	2/2	41	58	70.7	520	0	7	185.8	50TT
2024	4/4	83	132	62.9	1,119	3	10	154.5	67TD UA
Total	30/18	421	607	69.4	5,546	11	40	164.2	67TD UA

Game	Cmp.	Att.	Pct.	Yds.	INT	TD	SK	EFF	LG
2020
MZ	0	0	—	0	0	0	0	—	—
2021
UAB	4	10	40.0	88	1	1	0	126.9	32
@VU	1	3	33.3	11	0	0	0	64.1	11
CS	5	10	50.0	77	1	1	0	127.7	30
@GT	0	0	—	0	0	0	0	—	—
2022
#11 ORE	5	6	83.3	71	0	1	0	237.7	23
SAM	5	7	71.4	52	0	0	0	133.8	16
@SC	5	6	83.3	55	0	1	0	215.3	28
AU	0	0	—	0	0	0	0	—	—
VU	8	11	72.7	98	0	2	0	207.6	24
GT	1	2	50.0	3	0	0	0	62.6	3
#3 TCU	2	3	66.7	31	0	0	0	153.5	20
2023
UTM(W)	21	31	67.7	294	0	1	0	158.1	54
BSU (W)	23	30	76.7	283	1	2	0	171.2	41
USC (W)	27	35	77.1	269	0	0	2	141.7	36
UAB (W)	22	32	68.8	338	0	3	1	188.4	50
@ AU (W)	23	33	69.7	313	1	1	0	153.3	40
#20 UK (W)	28	35	80.0	389	1	4	0	205.4	49
@ VU (W)	29	39	73.4	261	1	1	2	133.9	31
vs. UF (W)	19	28	67.9	315	0	2	0	185.9	55
#12 MIZ (W)	21	32	65.6	254	0	2	3	152.93	34
#9 OM (W)	18	25	72.0	306	1	2	0	193.2	44
@ #18 UT (W)	24	30	80.0	298	0	2	0	196.4	34
@ GT (W)	13	20	65.0	175	1	1	0	145.0	29
SECCG: #8 UA (L)	21	29	72.4	243	0	0	2	142.8	51
%#5 FSU (W)	13	18	72.2	203	0	2	1	203.6	35
2024
#14CU (W)	22	33	66.7	278	0	2	1	160.5	40
TT (W)	18	25	72.0	242	0	5	0	219.3	50
@UK (W)	15	24	62.5	160	0	0	0	118.5	33
@ #4 UA (L)	27	50	54.0	439	3	3	3	135.6	67TD
Career Total	421	607	69.4	5,546	11	40	15	164.2	67TD

• Averaging 32.3 points/game (52nd nationally)
• Outscored opponents 129-59 (40-36 in the 1st Half & 89-23 in the 2nd Half)
• 16-for-17 (94 percent) in the Red Zone with 11 TDs, 5 FGs, 1 TO

Game	Georgia	Opp.	Final
vs. #14 CU	10 (4R, 6P)	3 (0R, 3P)	#1 Georgia, 34-3
vs. TT	7 (3R, 4P)	2 (2R)	#1 Georgia 48-3
@ UK	5 (2R, 3P)	4 (3R, 1P)	#1 Georgia 13-12
@ #4 UA	9 (1R, 8P)	11 (4R, 7P)	#4 UA 41-34

Longest Rush by Georgia: 45-yd by Trevor Etienne vs. TT)
Longest Rush by Opp.: 36-yd TD by Jalen Milroe (#4 UA)
Longest Completion by Georgia: 67-yd TD (Beck to Bell @ #4 UA)
Longest Completion by Opp.: 75-yd TD (Milroe to Williams, @ #4 UA)

Georgia’s starting unit has featured Earnest Greene III, Dylan Fairchild, Jared Wilson, Tate Ratledge and Xavier Truss while Micah Morris and Monroe Freeling have been the next men up. Truss has 32 career starts while Ratledge, who had 31, is now out after an ankle injury against UK. Morris made his first career start in place of Ratledge at #4 UA last week.

Georgia is averaging 6.88 yards per play and 431.5 yards per game in 2024.

The 2023 Georgia offense set a school record averaging 7.26 yards per play while the 496.5 yards per game average ranked second all-time.

Georgia’s top running backs to date include Trevor Etienne, Branson Robinson, who was sidelined in 2023 due to a knee injury, Cash Jones and freshmen Nate Frazier. Etienne has a team-high 212 yards (5.9 avg.).

Robinson made his first career start in the season-opening win over #14 Clemson. He was one of seven Bulldogs who combined for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Frazier led the attack with 83 yards on 11 carries including a 40-yard scamper and his first TD. Jones’ lone carry was a 15-yard TD that featured an impressive stiff arm plus he was a key contributor on punt returns.

Etienne, who did not play in the season opener, had a team-best 78 yards on five carries in the win over Tennessee Tech. The Bulldogs fell behind 28-0 at #4 UA and leaned on their passing game. Etienne had a team-best 55 rushing yards and one TD on 12 carries plus two catches for 11 yards at #4 UA.

Senior QB Carson Beck’s top targets have been Dominic Lovett (18- for-214 yards, 1 TD) Arian Smith (17-for-274 yards, 2 TDs) and Dillon Bell (14-for-198 yards, 2 TDs plus a rushing TD).

In the thriller at #4 UA, Georgia had a pair of receivers with 100 yards for the first time since 2013 when Chris Conley and Tavarres King did it against Nebraska in the Gator Bowl. Smith had a career-high 132 yards on six catches and a score while Bell had five for 100 yards including a 67-yard TD. Bell’s bomb put the Bulldogs ahead 34-33 with 2:31 left before the Tide answered. Earlier against the Crimson Tide, he had his third career rushing TD to become the first Bulldog to score rushing and receiving in the same game since 2022 (Ladd McConkey at Miss. State).

Against Tennessee Tech, a school record 15 different Bulldogs caught a pass.

Nine Bulldogs registered a reception in the win over #14 Clemson including a career-high five by Smith for 56 yards. Smith and Bell are options to run the ball too. Bell tallied four catches for 32 yards against the Tigers. Last year, Bell had 25 carries for 157 yards and two touchdowns and threw an 18-yard touchdown in the 38-10 road win over No. 18 Tennessee.

London Humphreys (Vanderbilt), Michael Jackson III (USC) and Colbie Young (Miami) transferred to UGA in January. Young and Humphreys’ scored touchdowns in their Bulldog debut, both coming on their second catch against #14 Clemson. Young’s 7-yarder was Georgia’s first TD of the season while Humphreys’ covered 40 yards.

Sophomore Lawson Luckie and junior Oscar Delp headline the tight ends. Luckie leads the room with 102 yards receiving on six catches and two TDs. Luckie is a second generation Bulldog as his father Mike (LB) was part of Bulldog triplets from 1996-98 with uncles Dustin (LB) and Miles (OL).

Faced with a 30-7 halftime deficit at No. 4 Alabama, Georgia attacked every drive in the second half with a four-down mentality. After going 1-for-1 on 4th down in the first half, Georgia went 4-for-4 in the second half to finish 5-for-5, the best ever in the Kirby Smart era. The Bulldogs came into the game 1-for-2 on 4th Downs. Under Smart, the Bulldogs have a 63% success rate in 4th Down Conversions (69-for-109) with 10 TDs. This year, the Bulldogs rank 5th nationally in 4th Down Conversions at 86% (6-for-7).

Georgia has had 42 players drafted over the past four seasons, including 23 on defense and eight of those defenders have gone in the first round.

The 2024 unit ranks 18th in Scoring Defense (14.8 ppg) and has allowed just 23 points in the second half this season.

Did not allow a TD until the fourth game of the year.

The 2023 unit ranked fifth nationally in Scoring Defense (15.6 ppg).

Allowed only 93 points in the second half in 2023 for a 6.6 average and allowed a touchdown or less in the second half in eight of 14 contests.

The defensive backfield returns All-America safety Malaki Starks and Daylen Everette, who each started all 14 games last year. Starks’ first career interception (vs. #11 Oregon – Bo Nix in 2022) and most recent pick (vs. #14 Clemson – Cade Klubnik in 2024), both in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, are worth checking out. Everette had a career-high eight stops versus UK while Starks tallied eight at #4 UA. The leading tackler versus #4 UA was senior Dan Jackson with a career-high 10 plus an INT.

Jackson and Starks rank tied for second on the squad with 19 tackles.

Starks has six career interceptions. When asked about Starks’ latest pick against the Tigers, head coach Kirby Smart said, “I do think the play I saw him make today may be one of the best defensive football plays I’ve ever seen live in person.” Starks is on the watch list for several national awards and following the win over Clemson, he was named the Jim Thorpe Award National DB of the Week. In 2023, he was a Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Jim Thorpe Award finalist and a Chuck Bednarik Award semifinalist.

Mykel Williams, Nazir Stackhouse, Warren Brinson, Christen Miller, and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins anchor the front while several freshmen have seen action too. Williams and Brinson missed two games due to ankle injuries and returned against #4 UA. Ingram-Dawkins made his first career start against TT and responded with a career-high four tackles including 3 TFL. Against UK, Ingram-Dawkins had three tackles, a sack and seven QB pressures to earn SEC DL of the Week.

The veteran linebackers are Smael Mondon Jr.,, Jalon Walker, CJ Allen, Raylen Wilson, Damon Wilson II and Chaz Chambliss. Raylen Wilson had a career-high five tackles, a forced fumble and sack for a loss of 28 yards that led to a change of possession and Georgia’s first score in the road win over UK. He was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week.

Walker, a 6-2, 245-pounder is a self-described “hybrid linebacker” for his ability to play on the edge and in the box. He led the team with five sacks last year including a pair in the SEC Championship Game. Walker enjoyed a solid showing in the 2024 season opener, leading the Bulldogs with six tackles and 1.5 sacks in a 34-3 win over #14 Clemson to earn Reese’s Senior Bowl Defensive Player of the Week honors. He was credited with 10 QB pressures at UK.

A few freshmen contributing include KJ Bolden and Ellis Robinson IV in the secondary, Justin Williams and Chris Cole at linebacker, Joseph Jonah-Ajonye and Jordan Thomas on the line. Bolden finished second on the team with four tackles in the win over #14 Clemson. Bolden and Thomas notched their first career sacks versus TT.

Georgia welcomes back a two-year starter in P Brett Thorson and sophomore PK Peyton Woodring after both shined in 2023.

Thorson, a native of Melbourne, Australia is averaging 48.9 yards on 14 punts, placing 8 inside the 20 with four fair catches and one return for minus 4 yards.

Thorson is known for his comedic slant about his lack of playing time because the Bulldogs punted a record low 32 times in 2023 after just 36 punts in 2022 (15 games), the two lowest totals dating back to at least 1948.

In 2024, Thorson punted four times against #14 Clemson for a 48.0 average with three placed inside the 20, two for 50+ yards and none were returned. He came up big at Kentucky with a career-high six punts for a 49.5 average.

Thanks in part to Thorson’s punts and the entire punt coverage team including gunners Arian Smith and Dominic Lovett, Georgia was the only team in the FBS that did not allow a punt return in 2023, the first school to do that since 2020 when COVID limited the amount of games teams played. Georgia has not allowed a yard on a punt return in 23 games. The last one came in a 45-19 road win over Miss. State on Nov. 12, 2022 when Zavion Thomas took one 63 yards for a score.

Peyton Woodring, who hails from Lafayette, La., was a Lou Groza Award semifinalist as a freshman. This year, he has a team-high 31 points and is handling most of the kickoffs too (25 of 27 overall with 14 touchbacks and one out of bounds).

He earned 2024 SEC Special Teams Player of the Week in the opening win over #14 Clemson. He accounted for 10 points including the first six points of the season on field goals of 30 yards and a career-long 55-yarder — the longest by a Bulldog since the 2018 Rose Bowl (Rodrigo Blankenship vs. Oklahoma).

In 2023, Woodring scored a team-high 134 points, going 21-for-25 on field goals and 71-for-71 on PATs. He ranked sixth nationally in Scoring and third among kickers, and his 134 points ranked third best in school history for a kicker and most for a Bulldog freshman kicker.

The snapping duties are handled primarily by Beau Gardner, a graduate transfer from UCLA who is from San Francisco.

Graduate transfer Charlie Ham, a native of Atlanta, Ga., is back in the Peach State to provide depth. This year, he has two kickoffs with one touchback. He had a successful undergraduate career at Duke (2019-23). He appeared in 46 games, going 36-for-50 on field goals (LG-50), 91-for-93 on PATs and tallied 193 kickoffs with a 61.2 average and 98 touchbacks.

Sophomore Anthony Evans III has 10 punt returns for 86 yards (8.6 avg.). He had a career-long 46-yarder versus TT. Against #14 Clemson, he had three returns for 23 yards. Evans has three KOR for 69 yards (23.0 avg.) with all three coming at #4 UA.

Currently, four Bulldogs have blocked a kick or punt in their career.

DB Joenel Aguero blocked a Florida punt in 2023 that resulted in a safety. 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. OLB Jalon Walker blocked a punt that resulted in a safety versus Kent State in 2022. S Dan Jackson blocked a punt against No. 8 Arkansas in 2021.

Career Placekicking For Peyton Woodring
Year	PAT	Pct.	FG	Pct.	LG	Pts
2023	71-71	1.000	21-25	.840	48	134
2024	13-13	1.000	6-6	1.000	55	31
Total	84-84	1.000	27-31	.871	55	165
Field Goal History For Peyton Woodring
Year	I20	20-29	30-39	40-49	50-99	LG
2023	0-0	3-5	14-14	4-5	0-1	48
2024	0-0	1-1	4-4	0-0	1-1	55
Total	0-0	4-6	18-18	4-5	1-2	55

Career Highs For Woodring
Points: 15 (UK23)
PATs: 9 (FSU23)
FGA: 3 (USC23, UK23, @VU23, MIZ23)
FGM: 3 (UK23, @VU23), MIZ23)
LG: LG: 55 (vs. CU24)

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	32	1,403	43.8	14	6	1	21	0	60UA
2024	14	684	48.9	8	7	0	4	0	58UK
Total	82	3,707	45.2	41	22	2	43	0	75 UT

Career Highs For Thorson
Punts: 6 (UK24)
*Avg.: 50.2 on four punts (UT22), UA23)
Long: 75 (UT22)
*at least two punts

Home: 1-2; Away: 4-2; Neutral: 3-3 {Bowl Game/CFP: 3-2}
(*SEC games: 3-4; *Includes CFP National Championship)

The Bulldogs are 1-2 in overtime games under Kirby Smart.
Jan. 1, 2018: #3 Georgia beat #2 Oklahoma 54-48 (2OT) in Pasadena, Calif. (CFP Semifinal: Rose Bowl Game)
Jan. 8. 2018: #4 Alabama beat #3 Georgia 26-23 in Atlanta, Ga. (CFP National Championship, Mercedes-Benz Stadium)
Oct. 12, 2019: South Carolina beat #3 Georgia 20-17 (2OT) in Athens, Ga.

Georgia saw its school record streak of 28 consecutive regular season wins in league play end this year at #4 UA. In the all-SEC 2020 schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bulldogs won their final three SEC regular season games and then went on a run that ended Sept. 28, 2024 in Tuscaloosa.

In 2021, Georgia posted its first perfect 8-0 mark in league play in school history. The SEC went to eight games when it split into divisions in 1992.

The 2022 Bulldogs followed it up with another 8-0 SEC mark, and the average margin of victory in those games was 25.5.

The 2023 Bulldogs made it three straight 8-0 league seasons (the only SEC school ever to accomplish that feat).

The 2024 Bulldogs won their first SEC game, edging Kentucky in Lexington before falling at #4 UA. This year’s slate also features trips to Texas and Ole Miss plus the neutral site game with Florida in Jacksonville. Along with Auburn this Saturday, the SEC home games will be with Miss. State and Tennessee.

In school history, Georgia has gone undefeated in league play 10 times.

Carson Beck: SEC Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 2), Manning Award Star of the Week (Sept. 2)

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins: SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week (Sept. 16)

Malaki Starks: Jim Thorpe Award National DB of the Week (Sept. 4); Allstate AFCA Good Works Team/Wuerffel Trophy semifinalist (Sept. 17)

Jalon Walker: Senior Bowl Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 2)

Raylen Wilson: SEC Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 16)

Peyton Woodring: SEC Special Teams Player of the Week (Sept. 2)

Shaun Alexander Freshman Player of the Year:KJ Bolden, DB, Ellis Robinson IV, DB
Chuck Bednarik Award: Smael Mondon, LB; Malaki Starks, DB, Mykel Williams, DE
Dick Butkus Award: Smael Mondon, LB
Walter Camp Award:Carson Beck, RB; Malaki Starks, DB
Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award:Dillon Bell, WR
Comeback Player of the Year:Branson Robinson, RB
Lou Groza Award: Peyton Woodring, PK
Ray Guy Award:Brett Thorson, P
Paul Hornung Award:Trevor Etienne, RB
Lott IMPACT Trophy: Malki Starks, DB, Jalon Walker, LB
John Mackey Award:Oscar Delp, TE; Ben Yurosek, TE
Patrick Mannelly Award:Beau Gardner, SN
Manning Award:Carson Beck, QB
Maxwell Award:Carson Beck, QB; Trevor Etienne, RB
Bronko Nagurski Trophy: Smael Mondon, LB; Malaki Starks, DB; Mykel Williams, DL
Davey O’Brien Award:Carson Beck, QB
Outland Trophy:Dylan Fairchild, OL; Tate Ratledge, OL; Nazir Stackhouse, DL; Xavier Truss, OL
Rimington Trophy:Jared Wilson, OL
Jim Thorpe Award:Malaki Starks, DB; Daylen Everette, DB
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award:Carson Beck, QB
Doak Walker Award:Trevor Etienne, RB
Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award:Jalon Walker, LB
Allstate Wuerffel Trophy/Good Works Team Nominee:Malaki Starks, DB

The Bulldogs welcome back James Coley (wide receivers), who is in his second stint at UGA (first was 2016-19) during the Kirby Smart era. Also, Josh Crawford (run game coordinator/running backs), Travaris Johnson (co-defensive coordinator, safeties) and Donte Williams (defensive backs) are fresh additions.

Also, Kirk Benedict has been promoted from special teams quality control to special teams coordinator. Meanwhile, former co-defensive coordinator Will Muschamp has transitioned into an off-field analyst to spend more time with family. Muschamp’s youngest son, Whit, is a freshman quarterback at Vanderbilt while his oldest son, Jackson, was a quarterback at Georgia, finishing in 2023.

Following the retirement of Uga X, 10-month old puppy Boom assumed the vaunted role of Georgia’s on-field mascot in 2023. Currently, he is 16-2

During a pregame ceremony at the annual “G Day” game, University of Georgia president Jere W. Morehead joined J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Josh Brooks and his son, Davis, in the ceremonial collaring of Boom.

Boom is the 11th solid white English Bulldog to serve as Georgia’s mascot since the line began in 1956 courtesy of the Seiler family of Savannah. In his first season, Boom saw the Bulldogs post their third-consecutive undefeated regular season, followed by a record-breaking 63-3 victory over FSU in the Orange Bowl. In the offseason, Boom resides with his family in Savannah.

Georgia is Even in turnover margin (T66th nationally).
Georgia has 17 points off four turnovers.
Opponents have 7 points off four turnovers.

#14 CU: UGA 6 pts. off 1 TO; UGA had no TOs
TT: UGA 7 pts. off 1 TO; UGA had no TOs
@UK: UGA got 3 pts off 1 TO; UGA had no TOs
@#4 UA: UGA got 0 pts. off 1 TO: UA got 7 off 4 TO

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

Team – Games
Florida 452 (1988-present)
TCU 396 (1991-present)
Georgia 377 (1995-present)

Georgia has 17 plays of 25 yards or more this season while its opponents have nine.

GAME 1 (Longest):
#1 UGA: 5 (40-yd TD pass, Beck to Humphreys; 40-yd rush Frazier)
#14 CU: 1 (36-yd pass, Klubnik to Williams)
GAME 2 (Longest):
#1 UGA: 4 (50-yd TD pass, Beck to Smith)
TT: 1 (26-yd rush A. Littles)
GAME 3 (Longest):
#1 UGA: 2 (33-yd pass, Beck to Lovett-2)
GAME 4 (Longest):
#2 UGA: 7 (67-yd TD pass, Beck to Bell)
#4 UA: 7 (75-yd TD pass Milroe to Williams)

Bulldog Career INTs & Pick-Six Georgia has 2 INTs this year while opponents have 3.

Career Punting For Brett Thorson
Bulldog	INT	TD	Last INT
Malaki Starks, S	6	0	vs. CU24
Dan Jackson, S	3	0	@UA24
Chaz Chambliss, LB	1	0	BS23
Daylen Everette, CB	1	0	vs. FSU23
Kyron Jones, Star	1	1	UTM23
Smael Mondon, Jr., LB	1	0	vs. LSU22
Nazir Stackhouse, DL	1	0	MIZ23

Bulldog Career Fumble Recoveries Georgia has 2 FR this while opponents have one.

Career Punting For Brett Thorson
Bulldog	FR	Last FR
Dan Jackson, S	1	TT24
Damon Wilson II, LB	1	UK24
Cole Speer, WR	*1	vs. FSU23
Mykel Williams, DE	1	vs. FSU23
Warren Brinson, DL	1	vs. LSU22
T. Ingram-Dawkins, DE	1	TN22

on Special Teams”

The Bulldogs had have 15 first-time starters this year.

#14 CU (6):Lawson Luckie (TE), Brandon Robinson (RB), Jared Wilson (C), Julian Humphrey (DB), Christen Miller (DL) and JaCorey Thomas (Star).
TT (6): J. Aguero (Star), T. Etienne (RB), G. Harris (LB), T. Ingram-Dawkins (DE), J. Walker (LB), C. Young (WR)
UK (2): L. Humphreys (WR), D. Wilson (LB)
@ #4 UA (1): M. Morris (RG)

The Bulldogs had 13 true freshmen make their debut in the 2024 season-opening win over #14 Clemson in Atlanta: KJ Bolden (S), Nate Frazier (RB), Ellis Robinson IV (CB), Joseph Jonah-Ajonye (DE), Jordan Thomas (DL), Justin Williams (LB), Chris Cole (LB), Daniel Calhoun (OL), Jahzare Jackson (OT), Jaden Redell (TE), Colton Heinrich (TE) and Chauncey Bowens (RB) and Quintavius Johnson (LB).

vs. #14 CU: C. Beck, T. Ratledge, J. Walker & M. Williams
TT: C. Jones, X. Truss, C. Chambliss, N. Stackhouse
@UK: T. Etienne, T. Ratledge, S. Mondon, M. Starks
@UA: Beck, Etienne, Starks, Walker
AU:
MSU:
@Texas:
vs. UF:
@OM:
UT:
UMASS:
GT:

• Ninth season as Georgia coach • 97-17 Career Record • 2021 & 2022 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
• 2017 CFP national runner-up
• Unbeaten against all active coaches over the past five years and one of just two active coaches with multiple national titles (Dabo Swinney-Clemson, ’16 & ’18)
• Best record & winning percentage (85-15, .850) after his first 100 games of any coach in SEC history
• 2017, 2022 SEC Champions • SEC Eastern Division Champs 2017-19 & 21-23
• Georgia defense has been ranked in the top five nationally in Scoring Defense five ties including leading the nation in 2019 & 2021; Been ranked in the top 10 in Scoring Offense the past three seasons (2021-23)
• 2017 George Munger award (National Coach of the Year by Maxwell Club)
• Three-Time SEC Coach of the Year, 2017, 2021-22
• Bulldogs have won two Butkus Awards and two Mackey Awards, One Outland Trophy, Bednarik Award, Thorpe Award, Groza Award, Manning Award & Burlsworth Trophy; Two NFF Scholar-Athlete Awards, One Heisman Trophy finalist
• 20 1st-team All-Americans
• 17 First Round NFL Draft picks
• 63 NFL Draft Picks
• 242 players on SEC Academic Honor Rolls, including a high of 43 on the 2023 team

Year	W	L	Pct.	SEC	Bowl	AP Rank
2016	8	5	.615	4-4	Liberty	NR
2017	13	2	.867	8-2#	CFP Rose/NCG	2nd
2018	11	3	.786	7-2#	Sugar	T7th
2019	12	2	.857	7-2#	Sugar	4th
2020	8	2	.800	7-2	Chick-fil-A	7th
2021	14	1	.933	9-1#	CFP Orange/NCG	1st
2022	15	0	1.000	9-0#	CFP Peach/NCG	1st
2023	13	1	.929	8-0	Orange	4th
2024	3	0	1.000	1-0
Total	97	17	.851	*60-15

#3-5 (includes 2017-19, ’21, ’22, ’23 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
2023	@ Auburn	Tied 17-17, tied 20-20 with 6:21 left	27-20
2024	@ Kentucky	Trailed 9-6	13-12

%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: 439, Carson Beck @ #4 UA (9/28/24)
Passing TDs: 5, C. Beck (TT-9/7/24); Stetson Bennett UAB (9/11/21);
Receiving Yards: 197 (8 rec.), Jermaine Burton MSU (11/21/20)
Receiving TDs: 2, by 9 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)

• The Bulldogs are 27-1 (loss came versus #8 UF in 2020) when they register a non-offensive score under Smart.
• In 2023, freshman DB Kyron Jones returned an INT versus UT Martin 26 yards for a score; redshirt sophomore Mekhi Mews took a punt return 69 yards for a touchdown against Ball State; and Joenel Aguero blocked a punt for a safety versus Florida.
• 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 5

{108 Points on 16 TDs, 6 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: 8 points in two games (Pick-Six, Safety)

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.).
2023: 8 points in 2 games (PR, Safety)

“Kirby Smart All Access Presented by Piedmont Healthcare” – This half-hour program will air Monday at 7 p.m. during football season and offer viewers a behind-the-scenes look through the 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 Presented by Hoffman Financial” – This weekly, half-hour program on Saturdays at 8 a.m. 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.