Stats Crunch: Tennessee Week

Georgia has defeated Tennessee in 16 of their last 22 meetings, but this might be the best Volunteers team since the days of Peyton Manning or Tee Martin. No matter what ranking you like, both Georgia and Tennessee are in the top five. This will be the third top-five matchup ever in Sanford Stadium. In 1942, No. 5 Georgia defeated No. 2 Georgia Tech and 41 seasons later, No. 3 Auburn defeated No. 4 Georgia.

Georgia currently has a 26-23-2 lead all-time lead in the series. The first-ever meeting happened back in 1899 with Tennessee winning 5-0 in Knoxville. Georgia returned the favor winning 5-0 in Knoxville four seasons later. The series did go back and forth for over 90 years. After that, Tennessee dominated before Georgia took control. Here is a breakdown by each decade.

This season’s Georgia team is 8-0. This is the tenth time in school history that Georgia has started 8-0, but this is the first time that the team has done it in back-to-back seasons.

Last week, the Bulldogs downed the Gators 42-20. It was the second straight season in which the Bulldogs defeated the Gators by 20 or more points. The last time that happened was when Georgia did it three seasons in a row from 1942 to 1945 (they did not meet in 1943).

Versus Florida, the Bulldogs were 6-for-12 in converting third downs. When they failed to capitalize on third down, they capitalized on fourth down. The Dawgs were 2-for-3 on fourth down. On the season, the Dawgs lead the SEC in both statistics.

Last week in the win against Florida, Stetson Bennett was both hot and cold as he went 19-for-38 for 316 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He now has 48 career touchdown passes and needs three more to reach Matthew Stafford for fifth most ever by a Bulldog. Bennett now has 17 career interceptions with five of them coming against Florida. The Gators are tied with the Crimson Tide for picking off five of Bennett’s passes.

Bennett now has six career 300-yard passing games. The Bulldogs are 5-1 in games where he throws for 300 yards. Four of those six games have occurred this season. One more 300-yard game and he would climb up the chart again.

Two of Georgia’s tight ends totaled 198 of the 316 yards. Brock Bowers had five receptions for a career-high 154 yards and a touchdown. The 154 yards were the most by a Bulldog tight end since Randy McMichael’s 156 in the 2000 Georgia Tech game. Darnell Washington also added big numbers with three receptions for 47 yards. The touchdown by Bowers was the sophomore’s 16th career touchdown reception. Despite playing just a season and a half (23 games), Bowers is tied for eighth on the Bulldogs’ all-time list for career touchdown receptions.

Ladd McConkey had four receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown. His four receptions give him 33 on the season. The 33 eclipses the 31 he had last season.

The Bulldogs still lead the nation with 21 different players with a reception.

Running the ball, the duo of Daijun Edwards and Kenny McIntosh both set career-highs against the Gators. The two combined for 196 yards on 28 attempts. Edwards had a career-high 106 yards. It was his second career 100-yard game. It was also the first time this season that the Dawgs had a 100-yard rusher. McIntosh also set a career-high with 16 attempts and 90 yards on the ground. McIntosh also went over 1,000 yards rushing in his career.

Both backs also struck paydirt with two touchdown rushes apiece. It was just the fifth time under Kirby Smart that two players had at least two rushing touchdowns in a game.

Branson Robinson took over the fourth quarter once again. He finished the game with 35 yards and now has 234 for the season. Georgia is tied for second (behind Army) with four players with 200 yards rushing this season. Here is a breakdown by Georgia’s four backs by quarter this season.

On defense, Georgia looked good EXCEPT for the third quarter. The Dawgs allowed 17 points in the third quarter after only allowing nine points in the third quarter in their first seven games combined.

This week, the Dawgs face a Tennessee that leads the nation averaging 49.4 points per game. Georgia has allowed 49 points just once in 51 meetings all-time against the Volunteers (51 points in 2006). During Georgia’s five-game win streak over Tennessee, Georgia’s rush defense has been strong while the pass defense has been both good and bad.

While Georgia is still pressuring the quarterback, its sack numbers are still low. The Bulldogs have had mixed success in the sack department since Smart took over.

On Special Teams, Jack Podlesny is also moving up the lists and has a good chance to reach a milestone. During the win against Florida, he added six extra points. He has 150 made in his career and just passed Billy Bennett for fourth most by a Dawg. He also has 297 career points and can become the six Bulldog kicker with 300 in his career.

The great Vince Dooley was 4-2-1 against the Volunteers including the huge 16-15 win in 1980 when Herschel Walker ran over Bill Bates with his big thighs.

Robert Edwards put up some big numbers and dominated the Volunteers in 1995. Unfortunately for him and Dawg fans everywhere it was just barely for more than one half. He gained 156 yards before injuring his foot and did not return. The Bulldogs lost that game and Edwards was lost for the season. Another big play in that same game that gets lost in that game was an interception by a freshman named Kirby Smart off a pass thrown by Peyton Manning. It was the future head coach’s first ever pick.