WHERE: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
WHEN: 4 p.m.
RECORDS: Georgia 12-0, LSU 9-3
TV/RADIO: CBS (Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jenny Dell); National Radio (Westwood One; Mike Watts, Derek Rackley, Oliva Dekker); SEC Radio: (Dave Neal, Davie Archer, Stephen Hartzell); Georgia Bulldog Radio Network (Scott Howard, Eric Zeier, D.J. Shockley).
The Game
Like last year, Georgia heads into the SEC Championship knowing a spot in the College Football Playoffs is already secure.
However, that certainly does not mean the Bulldogs’ encounter with LSU inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium is not a big deal. Quite the opposite, actually.
With three straight losses in the game (Alabama twice, and LSU), winning the program’s first SEC title since 2017 is a major deal for the Bulldogs who, with a win, assure themselves of being back in Atlanta for the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Eve.
LSU comes into the game off a disappointing loss at Texas A&M, a defeat that eliminated the Tigers from any CFP discussion.
However, coach Brian Kelly’s team is still one the Bulldogs cannot afford to overlook, especially with quarterback Jayden Daniels in control.
Daniels is one of the more explosive quarterbacks in the SEC with over 1,000 yards rushing.
There are questions, however. Daniels tweaked an ankle in the loss to the Aggies, and Kelly acknowledged the quarterback was in a boot Monday before returning to practice on Tuesday.
How effective will he be? That remains to be seen.
Offensively, the Bulldogs will have to account for Tiger linebacker Harold Perkins Jr., who will look to put all the pressure he can on quarterback Stetson Bennett.
Injury Update
OLB Nolan Smith (pec): Out
WR AD Mitchell (ankle): Probable
DB Dan Jackson (stress fracture): Out
OL Earnest Greene (back) Out
RB Andrew Paul (ACL): Out
Georgia Players to Watch
QB Stetson Bennett—Bennett currently ranks third among active players in total offensive yards per play at 8.26, which is on pace for a school record (7.69 by Aaron Murray). For the year, he's completed 246 of 366 passes for 3,151 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also has rushed 35 times for 190 yards and seven scores.
RB Kenny McIntosh—McIntosh rushed for a career-high 143 yards and a touchdown at Kentucky. He has rushed 123 times for a team-best 654 yards and eight touchdowns while catching 35 passes for 437 yards and a score.
RB Daijun Edwards—Edwards has 115 carries for 604 yards and seven touchdowns.
TE Brock Bowers—Bowers is the only player in the country this season with a rushing touchdown of 75 yards and a receiving touchdown of at least 75 yards. He has 46 catches for 645 yards and five touchdowns, with six rushes for 93 yards and three scores.
TE Darnell Washington—A devastating blocker, Washington has 25 catches for 403 yards and one touchdown.
WR Ladd McConkey—Tied with Bowers for the lead in receptions with 46 catches for 606 yards and four touchdowns. He also has run the ball six times for 120 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown at Mississippi State.
Defense
LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson—Named this week as a semifinalist for the Butkus Award. Anchors the defense at middle linebacker with 59 tackles, including eight for 23 yards of lost yardage and three sacks. He also has 17 quarterback pressures.
LB Smael Mondon—Third on the team in tackles with 58, including 6.5 for losses of 23 yards.
CB Kelee Ringo—Sophomore cornerback has two interceptions to go with six pass breakups.
S Christopher Smith—Veteran is the eyes and ears of the secondary and tied for the team lead in interceptions with two. Made a career-high 13 tackles against Florida.
S Malaki Starks - The true freshman is tied for first on the team with 59 tackles and tied with Christopher Smith for the team lead in interceptions with two.
DE Mykel Williams—Freshman leads the Bulldogs with 26 quarterback hurries.
DL Jalen Carter—Finally 100 percent, after being slowed most of the season with various injuries. Carter is making a huge impact on the defensive line. His 19 quarterback hurries are second on the team, and he's forced two fumbles (against Tennessee) which leads the team.
Three Keys For Georgia
Fix the redzone issues: Throw back a shot if you’ve seen me mention this before. But it bears repeating, and nobody knows it more than Kirby Smart. You can get away with falling back on field goals in the regular season, but this is playoff time. You cannot be expected to beat teams the Bulldogs will be playing from here on out by settling for field goals. The Bulldogs need touchdowns. It’s time for the offense to figure out how they're earned.
Keep Jayden Daniels in the pocket; make him throw: Georgia has had success slowing “running quarterbacks” over the year, but Daniels may be the best of them all. Bulldog defensive lineman Zion Logue compares his speed to Auburn quarterback Robby Ashford, who ran nine times for 57 yards against Georgia earlier this year. Daniels is a solid quarterback, but has struggled to throw the football when forced to stay inside the pocket; he’s been known to rush some throws. Look for the Bulldogs to employ a strategy against Daniels as they did with Hendon Hooker. If Georgia can enjoy similar success, it’s going to be a good afternoon for the Bulldogs.
Get back to being aggressive offensively: I’m personally not as “worried” about Georgia’s offense in the Bulldogs’ wins at Kentucky and against Georgia Tech. In Lexington, the wind was gusting, and last week at Sanford Stadium, Georgia Tech’s defense was more susceptible to successful runs by the Bulldogs than any of us getting hold of a bad burrito.
Getting To Know LSU
… LSU’s Jayden Daniels is one of only two FBS QBs to have 800+ rushing yards and 2,000+ passing yards this year. Daniels has 824 rushing yards and 2,566 passing yards. He’s joined by John Rhys Plumlee of UCF (848 rush, 2,195 pass).
… Daniels ranks No. 2 nationally in rushing yards (824) by a QB and he’s tied for No. 4 in rushing touchdowns with 11.
… Daniels has rushed for a touchdown and passed for a score in 6 games this year, the most for any player in LSU history in a single season, breaking the previous mark of 5 by Joe Burrow (2019) and Herb Tyler (1999).
… LSU has used 6 different starting combinations on its offensive line this year. Miles Frazier is the only player to start every game on the offensive line this year, and he’s done so at three positions (9 at LG, 2 at RG, and 1 at RT).
… LSU starts true freshmen Will Campbell (11 starts LT) and Emery Jones Jr. (10 starts at RT) on the offensive line. The Tigers are 8-1 with Campbell and Jones in the starting lineup.
… LSU’s offense features 3 receivers with 1,000 career receiving yards—Kayshon Boutte (1,675), Jaray Jenkins (1,298), and Malik Nabers (1,143).
… Tight end Mason Taylor, one of 3 true freshmen to start on offense, has 27 receptions, which ranks 9th among all tight ends in LSU history for a single season.
… WR Malik Nabers has matched his career-high of seven receptions in consecutive games going into the Georgia contest. In LSU’s last two games, Nabers has 14 catches for 198 yards.
… LSU has had a player rush for three touchdowns in consecutive games: RB Noah Cain 3 vs. UAB; RB John Emery 3 vs. Texas A&M.
… As a team, LSU has rushed for 34 touchdowns, the sixth-highest total in school history and 3 from tying the LSU record of 37 set in 2013.
… LSU has won 13 straight games, including 7 in 2022 when reaching the 30-point mark.
… Offensively, LSU is averaging 32.5 points and 433.8 total yards per game (192.3 rushing, 241.6 passing).
… Josh Williams, who has missed LSU’s last 2 games, is LSU’s top rusher from the running back position with 477 yards and 6 TDs. He has 2, 100-yard rushing games this year (106 vs. Florida, 118 s. Arkansas).
… Malik Nabers leads all receivers with 58 receptions for 726 yards and a TD, followed by Kayshon Boutte (42-431-1 TD).
… Defensively, the Tigers are allowing 21.5 points and 347.7 total yards per game (144.0 rushing, 203.7 passing).
… LB Micah Baskerville leads the Tigers in tackles (75) followed by LB Greg Penn (67) and LB Harold Perkins (59).
… Perkins leads the Tigers in tackles for loss (10.0) and sacks (6.5) followed by BJ Ojulari (7.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks).
… In its last 10 games, Tennessee is the only team to score an offensive touchdown on LSU in the third quarter. The Vols scored two touchdowns in the third quarter in week six. Outside of Tennessee touchdowns, LSU’s defense has allowed only field goals to Mississippi State and Alabama in the third quarter of the past 10 games.
Prediction
As they did a season ago, the top-ranked Bulldogs enter the SEC Championship knowing they’ll be going to the College Football Playoffs regardless of what happens Saturday afternoon in Mercedes Benz Stadium. But do not think for a second this game is an afterthought. Quite the contrary. The Bulldogs are on a three-game losing streak as far as SEC Championships are concerned and dearly want to check the box of winning one for this year’s senior class. Regardless of last week’s loss at Texas A&M, the Tigers are a dangerous team. No matter. This time, Georgia rolls. Prediction: Georgia 38, LSU 10.