Georgia will enter game three of its schedule 2-0 for the seventh straight season, including all six under Kirby Smart. Last Saturday, Georgia routed UAB 56-7 in front of a full house at Sanford Stadium. The 56 points was the third highest point total in the Smart era; the 49-point margin was the second largest (Arkansas State in 2019: 55-0).
This week it is South Carolina who is coming into town. Georgia is 52-19-2 all-time against its neighboring foe. The 52 wins is the sixth most against an opponent for Georgia; one more win will tie Florida for fifth most. The last time the Gamecocks played at Sanford Stadium (2019), they won 20-17 in two overtimes. Last season, the Bulldogs won 45-16 in Columbia. The 45 points was the fourth highest point total for Georgia against South Carolina in a series that dates back to 1894.
The big story last week was that JT Daniels didn't start and Stetson Bennett did. For the fourth time in six seasons under Smart, a different quarterback started in game one than in game two for the Bulldogs. Bennett hurled five touchdown passes, tying a Georgia record.
Notice how few completions and pass attempts it took Bennett to reach five touchdown passes. Since 2000, the ten completions is the second-fewest needed to reach five touchdowns. Check out some of the impressive names on the list, including another Bulldog. Georgia is the only school listed twice.
Two of the touchdown passes went to Brock Bowers. Bowers is just one of three tight ends in the nation who has gained 100 yards receiving and two touchdown receptions in the same game this season. He was the first Bulldog tight end since Orson Charles in the 2011 Boise State game to have over 100 yards receiving in a game, and he was the first Bulldog tight end since Jeb Blazevich in the 2014 Kentucky game to have two touchdown receptions in a game. One of the touchdowns happened late in the first quarter and went for 89 yards. That was one of the longest touchdown passes in Georgia history.
Three touchdowns in the game went for long distance. The Bowers touchdown mention above was one of them. The Bulldogs' second offensive play from scrimmage was a 73-yard pass from Bennett to Jermaine Burton.
In the second quarter, the Dawgs threw a quick strike. This time it was Bennett to Arian Smith for 61 yards. The last time Georgia had three different receivers catching a pass for at least 50 yards was in 2018. Here is a list of the times that Georgia has had at least two receivers catch passes for 50 yards since 2000.
Most of the Dawgs with production on the receiving end are doing it for the first time for the red and black. In fact, only four players had at least ten prior receptions for the Bulldogs. Check out this list of Georgia players catching at least one pass this season, and how many career receptions they had entering 2021.
While the running game didn't put up crazy numbers, it was efficient. Eleven of the team's 23 first downs came from the run. Seven different Dawgs had one run for at least ten yards.
James Cook had rushing touchdown in the third quarter. Cook has at least one rushing touchdown in all four seasons as a Bulldog. Running back Kenny McIntosh had a touchdown, but his came through the air. Here is the weekly breakdown on how the main running backs have fared this season by each quarter.
Switching to defense, the Bulldogs' defense was a UAB pick-six away from their sixth shutout in the Smart era. Georgia has only allowed ten points through its first two games (including zero offensive touchdowns allowed). Since 1950, that ranks sixth on the Bulldogs list of fewest points allowed after their first two games (many of them had Clemson involved).
The five points per game allowed is tied for first in the FBS with Auburn. The Dawgs led the nation in scoring defense in 1968 and in 2019. Here are some of the other big stats by the Georiga defense this season and the national ranks.
Speaking of third down conversions percentage by the defense, South Carolina leads the nation in this category. The Gamecocks have allowed two first downs on 25 third down attempts this season (they have allowed two on fourth down as well).
Georgia had 31 different players with at least a tackle in the UAB game.
The Bulldogs are ranked fifth in the nation in sacks with ten through two games. Last season, they had five through two games. The Georgia record for most sacks in a season is 52 by the 1981 team.
Also for the second straight week, Georgia's defense recorded a pick-six. This time it was Jamon Dumas-Johnson who returned an interception 20 yards for a touchdown. The week before, it was Christopher Smith with the big play. Last season, Georgia had two pick-sixes, and both were by Eric Stokes. Also in the UAB game, Lewis Cine added his second career interception, and Kelee Ringo had his first of his career. It was the fourth time in the Smart era that the Bulldogs have picked off three passes in a game, with the last being against Arkansas in 2020.
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On special teams, Jake Camarda is dominating once again. Last week, he boomed his 14th career punt for 60 or more yards. Also, six of his eight punts this season landed inside the 20 yard-line. On the returning end, Kearis Jackson had the second longest punt return of his career going for 33 yards against the Blazers.
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The National Football Foundation will be honoring three-time All-American David Pollack on Saturday with his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. He was inducted last year, but will be officially enshrined this December in a ceremony in Las Vegas. Pollack had many big plays throughout his time as a Dawg, but he became a national name when he intercepted a Corey Jenkins pass in the end zone for a touchdown as well as forcing a fumble in the game's final minute, with South Carolina threatening to score in a 13-7 win.
Also, this week Georgia is launching a celebration of The First Five, leading up to and at the South Carolina football game on Saturday. Included in the celebration will be a pregame recognition of the five trailblazers on Dooley Field, including the unveiling of a monument in Reed Plaza next to Sanford Stadium to mark the milestone event of the integration of the football program. Richard Appleby, Chuck Kinnebrew, Horace King, Clarence Pope, and Larry West are those First Five.
