Field Street Forum

Georgia is the only team in the nation with two wins versus opponents ranked in the current AP top 10 (Texas & Tennessee). The Bulldogs and Oregon are the only two teams in the nation with three wins versus opponents ranked in the current AP Top 25.

Georgia has faced UMass just once, posting a 66-27 win here in 2018. That was the next to last game of the regular season too and part of a three-game home stretch.

The Minutemen (2-8) are 0-2 against the SEC this year, falling 45-3 to then No. 21 Missouri in Amherst on Oct. 12 and 45-20 to Mississppi State in Starkville on Nov. 2.

Fifth-ranked Georgia posted a season-high 701 yards (second most in school history) of offense in a 66-27 victory over the Minutemen in front of a crowd of 92,746 at Sanford Stadium. The Bulldogs (10-1) tallied 426 rushing yards (the sixth highest total in school history).

Jake Fromm went 5-for-5 with 106 yards and a touchdown before giving way to Justin Fields as he gained 102 yards on the ground on only seven carries plus was 5-for-8 for 121 yards and two TDs. Tyler Simmons scored a TD rushing (49-yarder to make it 7-0) and receiving (71-yard from Fromm for a 28-7 lead).

The Minutemen got a huge day from receiver Andy Isabella who registered 15 receptions for 219 yards and two TDs including a 75-yard scoring strike from Ross Comis. The 15 catches was the second most by a Bulldog opponent and the 219 yards ranked third highest against Georgia.

The Bulldogs have won a school record 29 consecutive home games dating to 2019, and that is the longest active streak in the FBS. Georgia (8-2, 6-2 SEC) is in the middle of a three-game home stretch to close out the regular season. After going over a month without a home game, the Bulldogs returned to Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium last Saturday and registered a solid 31-17 win over No. 7 Tennessee. Georgia senior quarterback Carson Beck was 25-for-40 for 347 yards and accounted for three touchdowns, two passing and one rushing. The Bulldogs blanked the Volunteers in the second half for the second straight year and extended their winning streak in the series to a program-record eight straight. Up next, the Bulldogs play host to UMass (2-8) Saturday at 12:45 pm on the SEC Network. Liberty edged the Minutemen 35-34 in overtime last Saturday in Amherst. UMass led 20-7 at halftime, and the Flames rallied to tie the game at 28 with 3:49 left in the contest. UMass had a chance for the win in regulation but missed a 43-yard field goal. In overtime, UMass scored a touchdown first and then missed the PAT. Liberty answered with a score and made the PAT for the win. They now are 0-2 in overtime this year, falling at Miami (Ohio) 23-20 on Sept. 28.

The Bulldogs are averaging 30.6 points per game (ppg) while allowing 18.3 ppg. UMass averages 20.7 ppg and has surrendered 32.0 ppg. The Minutemen lost their starting quarterback Taisun Phommachanh to a season-ending injury earlier this month against Mississippi State. He began his career at Clemson and then played at Ga. Tech before transferring to UMass. Freshmen QBs AJ Hairston and Ahmad Haston are now getting a chance to direct the offense.

The current trio of home games concludes with Georgia Tech here on Friday, Nov. 29. This season, Georgia is 4-0 at home, 2-2 in true road games and 2-0 at neutral sites.

With their win over No. 7 Tennessee, the Bulldogs improved to 15-3 after a loss in the Kirby Smart era, and they haven’t lost back-to-back games in the regular season since 2016, his first year at the helm. In fact, the last nine times Georgia has lost a game, it has won its next contest. This year, then No. 2 Georgia lost at No. 4 Alabama and then beat Auburn the next week in Athens. The No. 12 Bulldogs lost at No. 16 Ole Miss on Nov. 9 and then bounced back against No. 7 Tennessee with a 31-17 victory last Saturday. UT came in averaging 37.6 ppg while allowing just 12.6 ppg. Georgia erased an early 10-0 deficit, and it was 17-all at halftime. Georgia put together a pair of 12-play scoring drives that covered 87 and 92 yards for the victory to move to 8-2 overall and finish 6-2 in the SEC.

Georgia is 48-4 at home in the Kirby Smart era including 7-0 against top 10 ranked opponents. In fact, the Bulldogs have a streak of 10 straight home wins over AP top-10 teams.

Georgia is 36-2 against non-conference teams in the Smart era. The only two losses have been to Texas 28-21 in the 2019 Sugar Bowl and 28-27 to Georgia Tech here in his first season in 2016. The Bulldogs have won 24 consecutive non-conference matchups.

Georgia’s 2024 Senior Class is an FBS-leading 50-4 (44-2 in the regular season) since 2021. The next best record in this span belongs to Michigan (45-8) and Alabama (44-8). 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.

With a 8-2 mark at this point, the Bulldogs have guaranteed that postseason streak will be extended.

The Bulldogs are aiming to reach the College Football Playoff (CFP) for the fourth time under Smart. The Bulldogs made the four-team field in his second season coming in 2017 and advanced to the National Championship Game after a thrilling overtime win over Oklahoma in a CFP semifinal at the Rose Bowl. Then, Georgia became the first team in the CFP era to win back-to-back national championships in 2021-22, beating Michigan and Alabama in 2021 and Ohio State and TCU in 2022. The CFP top 25 rankings now are released every Tuesday night until Selection Day on Sun., Dec. 8.

Averaging 30.6 points/game (46th nationally)

39-for-42 (93 percent) in the Red Zone with 29 TDs, 10 FGs, 3 TOs

Averaging 6.2 yards per play and 414.8 yards per game

Fifth-year senior Carson Beck, a 6-4, 220-pound native of Jacksonville, Fla., owns a 21-3 record as a starter. Led Georgia to 13-1 mark in ’23.

Among the 10 candidates for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award

8-3 versus top-20 opponents with a 66.8 Completion Percentage (243-364) for 3,118 yards, 20 TDs, 9 INTs in those contests.

Tied school record with 36 comp. in win over MSU, career-high 459 yards ranks 3rd in school history, most since Eric Zeier had 485 vs. USC in ’94

Set then Career Highs in 41-34 road loss at #4 Alabama, 50 att., 439 yards, 3 INTs; Was 8-of-17 for 100 yards, 2 INTs in 1st Half and trailed 30-7; then went 19-33 for 339 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT in the 2nd Half and led briefly 34-33

439 passing yards @ #4 UA ranked 4th most in school history

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

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