Georgia sits at 7-0 as the off week approaches. The Bulldogs are 7-0 for the third time in seven seasons under Kirby Smart. Last week, the Dawgs shutout the Commodores 55-0, Last season, Georgia shut out Vanderbilt 62-0. It was the first time Georgia shut out Vanderbilt in consecutive seasons since doing it three years in a row from 1962 to 1964. It was the Bulldogs tenth shutout since Smart took over in 2016. That is the most in the nation.
Georgia’s 55 points scored was the first time the Dawgs put up 50 this season and the tenth time in the Smart era. Despite some red zone issues, Georgia is tied for tenth in the nation averaging 41.7 points per game. The 292 total points is the second-highest total through seven games in team history. Three of the top six are during the Smart era.
Georgia has outscored Vanderbilt 117 to 0 in the last two seasons. The Commodores have scored 115 total points against the Bulldogs in the last ten meetings. Georgia’s win over Vanderbilt was the Bulldogs 60th head-to-head with the team from Nashville.
Stetson Bennett was a lot sharper this past week as he completed 80 percent of his passes (20-for-25). He has completed 70.7 percent of his passes this season and is at 64.9 for his career. The Bulldog record for a career is 65.0 percent by Hutson Mason. Bennett threw for 289 yards and now has 6,334 for his career. He is tied with Georgia’s current offensive analyst Mike Bobo for seventh place in that category. Bennett needs just 114 to pass the next Bulldog on that list.
Bennett also threw two touchdown passes in that game after having zero in his previous three games. One of those touchdowns went to Dominick Blaylock. It was Blaylock’s first touchdown reception since the 2019 Georgia Tech game. Blaylock finished second on the 2019 Bulldog team with five touchdown receptions that season.
Carson Beck came in relief of Bennett and threw touchdown passes of his own. Beck and Bennett became the first Bulldog duo to have at least two touchdown passes in the same game in 20 seasons.
Arik Gilbert caught his first two passes as a Bulldog in that game against Vanderbilt. He became the 21st different Dawg to catch at least one pass this season. The 21 different players is the most amount of players by any team in the nation.
The Bulldogs actually did one better than one reception in the Commodore games. Georgia became the first team in the nation to have 11 different players with at least two receptions in one game.
The Bulldog with the most receptions this season is Ladd McConkey with 29. Second is running back Kenny McIntosh. McIntosh had a rushing touchdown and a touchdown reception in the game. He became the fourth different Bulldog to have at least one of each in a game this season. While the Dawgs have four players this season, no other team in the SEC currently has more than two.
McIntosh, Daijun Edwards and Cash Jones all had touchdown rushes against Vanderbilt. It was Edwards’ fifth this season and McIntosh’s fourth. For Jones, it was his first of his career. The run went for 36 yards and is the longest by a Bulldog running back this season (Bennett and Brock Bowers each have longer runs, but are not running backs). Jones became the eighth Georgia player with a touchdown run this season. The eight is the most by any team in the SEC this season.
Switching to defense, Georgia is currently second in the nation holding its opponents to 9.1 points per game this season (Illinois 8.9).
While holding Vanderbilt to zero points was impressive, holding Vandy to 150 yards is something else. The Bulldogs are third in the nation, holding their opponents to 247.1 scrimmage yards per game this season. Only Illinois and Boise State have allowed fewer. The 150 yards is the second-lowest total that the Bulldogs have allowed this season and the sixth-lowest ever in the Smart era.
On special teams, Jack Podlesny booted two more field goals and now has 49 for his career. He is in ninth place all-time in Georgia history and needs four more to tie Rex Robinson for eighth place. Podlesny is also in sixth place all-time with 291 total points. Kevin Butler is fifth on the list with 353.
Finally, I want to give want take this time to remember the great Charley Trippi. The College Football and Pro Football Hall of Famer passed away on Wednesday at the age of 100. He was an amazing two-sport athlete for the Bulldogs and an amazing person. If you get a chance, here are two outstanding articles that describe him very well including one by UGASports’ Patrick Garbin.