Postgame News and Notes: Smart on injured players, and more

ATLANTA – Top-ranked Georgia played without four of its key players against Georgia Tech.

That list included tight end Brock Bowers, who dressed and warmed up before the game but was ruled out just before kickoff.

“He was more sore this week than he’s been,” head coach Kirby Smart said of Bowers. “He was not able to do much during the week. He tried to go, he wanted to go, but in the big picture, he was still sore. He’s got to be honest and tell us, and that’s what he did.”

Bowers wasn’t alone.

As expected, neither wide receiver Ladd McConkey (ankle) nor wide receiver RaRa Thomas (foot) played in Saturday’s game due to injury.

Right guard Tate Ratledge, who rolled his knee last week at Tennessee, traveled and dressed out but did not play.

With Ratledge out, senior Xavier Truss started at right guard.

In the post-game press conference after holding off Georgia Tech 31-23, Smart was asked how close the group was to giving it a go.

“Define close,” Smart said. “They wanted to play. Look, we were beat up. We had freshman linebackers there playing 50 percent of the snaps. Smael (Mondon) is out there fighting his tail off; he’s beat up.

“Nobody can whine and cry about it. We’ve got to get the next man up. We’ve just got to continue to make plays with the other guys.

Last week it was Dillon Bell who stepped up when McConkey and Thomas were on the sideline for last week’s game at Tennessee.

Saturday against Georgia Tech, it was Dominic Lovett’s turn.

With his two teammates out, Lovett enjoyed one of his better games, catching five passes for 68 yards, including a touchdown of 29 yards.

“We didn’t look at it as a negative; we looked at it as the next man up,” Lovett said. “We were able to keep each other composed, and we’re moving forward.”

It’s been a solid year for the transfer from Missouri. His 44 catches for 484 yards and two scores was second on the team to Bowers.

“Again, it’s all about resiliency,” Lovett said. “Coach Smart and the coaches put us basically through every scenario every day, good or bad. That way, if something doesn’t go our way, we can move past it.”

Zion Logue had arguably the game’s biggest defensive play.

With the game very much in doubt at 24-13, Georgia Tech was driving before facing a fourth-and-7 on the Georgia 45. Quarterback Haynes King was able to get off the pass, but Logue was able to get his hand on the ball to change its direction, ultimately falling incomplete.

"That was a huge play in the game. Huge play in the game. Momentum is going to swing the other way with the pass interference call," Smart said. "That tipped ball is big and coach )Tray Scott) stresses and works on it all the time. We always kid Z-Lo, he's finally starting to get some of those tips in his latter years. It's a big play for him."

It was a good thing Logue tipped the ball. Tykee Smith was called for a pass interference on the play intended for former Bulldog tight end Brett Seither. The tipped ball negated the call.

…Left tackle Earnest Greene III wore No. 77 in honor of Devin Willock.

…A holding call wiped out a 36-yard touchdown run by Kendall Milton in the second quarter. No matter. The Bulldogs still managed to score, driving 36 yards with Daijun Edwards scoring from 3 yards out.

…Defensive tackle Warren Brinson returned to action after not traveling to Tennessee with a strained calf. Brinson had a career-high five stops in the first half alone.

…Christen Miller’s second-quarter sack was the first of his career.

…Marvin Jones’ big fourth-quarter sack to force a field goal was the first of his career.

… With Saturday’s win, Georgia (12-0, 8-0 SEC) extended its school record for consecutive victories to 29, which is the longest in SEC history and the longest nationally since 2018-19, when Clemson won 29 straight. Georgia’s winning streak began during the 2021 season (Dec. 31) when the Bulldogs beat No. 2 Michigan 34-11 in a CFP semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl.

… The Bulldogs have won 15 straight road games, which leads the FBS.

… Georgia extended its school record for consecutive regular season wins to 39, which leads all of FBS. This streak began during the 2020 season, with a 31-24 win over Miss. State. on Nov. 21.

… The Bulldogs are now 45-1 in their last 46 games, including 15 straight wins in an opponent’s stadium.

… Georgia improved to 12-0 for the 3rd straight year (a school mark in the regular season). The Bulldogs under Smart are 93-15 overall.

… Georgia finished with 437 yards on 59 plays. In the first half, Georgia had 236 yards of total offense on 28 plays in building a 21-13 edge and did not punt.

… The Bulldogs were 4-for-6 in the red zone with three touchdowns, a field goal, one turnover (interception), and one running out the clock for the win.

… Quarterback Carson Beck finished 13-for-20 for 175 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

… After trailing 7-0, Georgia responded by going 83 yards on nine plays in 4:09, capped by a 29-yard touchdown pass from Beck to Lovett, his third touchdown catch of the year. On the drive, Beck was 4-for-5 for 53 yards.

… Milton was the leading rusher with a career-high 156 yards on 18 attempts and tied his career-high with two touchdowns (also vs. Ole Miss this year). His second touchdown capped a 55-yard drive on five plays to put Georgia in front 31-13.

… Sophomore receiver Dillon Bell had three catches for 37 yards, plus a career-long 29-yard rush and a career-long 39-yard kickoff return.

.. Edwards tallied two catches for 31 yards plus 55 yards rushing on 13 carries with one touchdown.

… Georgia Tech finished with 363 yards of total offense on 65 plays. They were 2-for-12 on 3rd Downs and 2-for-3 on 4th Downs.

… Georgia blanked Tech in the 3rd quarter while extending its lead to 31-13. Tech ran 15 plays for just 43 yards.

… The Yellow Jackets turned a fumble into a 37-yard touchdown drive to take a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. Georgia Tech became only the second team this season to score 10 points on the Bulldogs in the first quarter, joining Auburn.

… While Tech was 3-for-3 in the first half in the red zone, it had only one touchdown and a pair of field goals.

… The leading tacklers tonight were freshman CJ Allen and junior Smael Mondon, with eight each.

… Freshman kicker Peyton Woodring made a 39-yarder field goal, and was 4-for-4 on points-after attempts for seven points. His 39-yarder made it 24-13 with 5:15 left in the 3rd quarter. For the season, he has 119 points, which ranks eighth in school history.

… Sophomore Mekhi Mews had three kickoff returns for 76 yards, including a 33- and 37-yarder, plus one punt return for two yards. He also muffed a punt that fortunately rolled out of bounds.

… Punter Brett Thorson’s first punt came in the third quarter. He finished with one for a 41.0 average. Junior Jared Zirkel handled the kickoffs.