Stats Crunch: Samford Game

Georgia scored a touchdown on its first seven possessions and defeated No. 11 Oregon 49-3 and started the 2022 season with a bang last Saturday. The 46-point win was the largest margin of victory by the Dawgs in AP poll history.

The Bulldogs face Samford this week. Georgia has faced them twice all-time (in 2017 and also in 1943 when Samford was known as Howard). Georgia is 31-4 all-time at Sanford Stadium under Kirby Smart, but 28-1 since 2017.

Georgia won by at least 40 points for the 11th time under Kirby Smart, but winning by 40 or more should not be a surprise since the Bulldogs did it the last time following a National Championship.

But what about just power five teams?

One of the reasons that Georgia did so well scoring was being efficient on third downs. The Bulldogs were successful on nine of ten third downs. Only once since 1996 has Georgia had a better percentage of ninety percent on third downs. Check out these big days for the Dawgs –

Stetson Bennett looked sharp by connecting on 25-of-31 passes for a career-high 368 yards and two touchdowns. He also added a rushing touchdown early in the second quarter (the fifth of his career). Bennett has thrown for 300 or more yards in three of his last four games and all against ranked foes (No. 4 Alabama, No. 2 Michigan, No. 11 Oregon). Although some of his averages and percentages are better against non-ranked opponents, his touchdowns and interceptions are better against the tougher competition.

The 300 yards Bennett passed for and the one touchdown rush puts him in elite company at Georgia history. Only “seven” Georgia players have ever thrown for 300 yards and have a touchdown run in the same game. Check out this impressive list –

Carson Beck tied a career-high with five completions in his first career game against a ranked team.

Wide Receiver Ladd McConkey scored from nine yards out (with help from some great blocks) for the Bulldogs’ first touchdown. It was McConkey’s second rushing touchdown of his career. He added his sixth career receiving touchdown late in the first half. Strangely enough only one of his eight career touchdowns has been at home. Twice in his short career, he has had a touchdown rush and a touchdown reception in the same game. He is one of four Bulldogs to have done this more than once since 2016.

For the 21st time since 2018, Georgia had at least three different players with a touchdown reception in the same game. Besides McConkey, both AD Mitchell and Kendall Milton got in the act.

Last season’s touchdown leader Brock Bowers did not have a touchdown. However, he and fellow tight end Darnell Washington combined for four receptions for 71 yards as well as some big blocks and a nice leaps over defenders. UGASports’ Trent Smallwood had his weekly snap count article and listed six tight ends with playing time against Oregon (Bowers – 37 plays, Washington – 35 plays, Arik Gilbert – 13 plays, Oscar Delp – 12 plays, Ryland Goede – 3 plays, Brett Seither – 2 plays).

Kenny McIntosh also had a big day. The senior from Ft. Lauderdale had five attempts for 18 yards and a touchdown on the ground, but a career-high nine receptions for 117 yards and zero touchdowns receiving the ball. Those receiving totals are among the very best by a running back in recent Georgia history.

This is the 14th time under Smart that at least 10 different players caught at least one pass in the game. Last season, the Bulldogs did it five times.

Georgia allowed 24 points to North Carolina in the season-opener in 2016 (Smart’s first game), but since then the Bulldogs have allowed 32 points in the next six openers or 5.3 points per game. Defensively, the Dawgs didn’t let the Ducks do much. The Ducks’ three points was its lowest since Oregon scored three points was 2017 at Washington.

Since the beginning of the 2017 season, Georgia has allowed three or fewer points in a game to a power five team 10 times. The 10 times leads the nation. That was not surprising. What was surprising was how many SEC teams did not have any.

Tennessee, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Arkansas and Vanderbilt have zero games allowing three or fewer points to a power five team since 2017.

Bo Nix is winless in his four games against the Bulldogs and had just one touchdown pass and four interceptions on the field. He and the Ducks were not the only quarterbacks to struggle against Georgia in a season opener under Smart. Check out the last seven season openers and how opposing quarterbacks have fared passing the ball–

Christopher Smith recorded his fourth career interception in the game and had one for the second straight season opener. Malaki Starks had a pick as well in his first career game. He also led the team in tackles with eight.