Georgia is 6-0 for the fifth time in eight seasons under Kirby Smart after taking care of business 51-13 over Kentucky. The 51 points and the 608 total yards were both season-highs for the Bulldogs. The 51 points against Kentucky was the same amount against its first two conference games combined (24 vs. South Carolina and 27 at Auburn). Mark Stoops has only allowed 50 or more points six times as the Kentucky head coach and three of the times it has come against Georgia. This also marked the 13th time that the Dawgs scored 50 or more points in a game under Smart.
Georgia has put up at least a half a hundred points in each of its last two meetings against the Bulldogs next opponent, the Vanderbilt Commodores. The Dawgs won 55-0 last season and had 62 in the season before. The two teams did not meet in 2020 due to a Covid situation. The last time the Commodores scored against the Bulldogs was with four seconds left in half (field goal) in the season-opener in 2019. The last time the Commodores scored a touchdown against the Bulldogs was in 2018 with two seconds left. Georgia has posted three straight shutouts in the series one previous time (1962-1964).
Georgia has won five straight against Vanderbilt and have a demanding 60-20-2 advantage in the all-time series. It wasn’t all good in the series for Georgia. Vanderbilt once led the series 13-7-1 through the 1958 game. Since then, it has been mostly good for the Bulldogs as you can see below.
Carson Beck has been on fire as late. He threw for career-highs in attempts (28), yards (389) and touchdowns (4). He has at least 300 yards passing in each of his last three games. He became the first Bulldog to have three consecutive 300-yard passing games since Aaron Murray did it in 2013. His 1,040 yards passing in the last three weeks is the second most in the nation in that time. Notably, 307 of the 389 yards came in the first half of play. He became the first quarterback in the SEC and one of six in the FBS to have at least 300 pass yards in the first half of play this season. The 22 first downs from passes are tied for the most under Smart (2022 vs Vanderbilt). The 435 yards passing combined (389 by Beck and 46 by Brock Vandagriff) was the second most under Smart (439 vs Oregon in 2022). The 389 by Beck himself was the fourth most in the Smart era.
Beck started the game with 12 straight completions. That is tied for the third highest to start a game for the Bulldogs. Quincy Carter in 1998 vs LSU and Eric Zeier in 1993 vs Georgia Tech each completed 15 straight passes to begin those games. Beck's 12 tied Murray's streak vs. Vandy.
Brock Bowers led the Bulldogs with seven receptions and 132 yards receiving. He also caught a 21-yard touchdown late in the third quarter. The touchdown was his 24th career receiving touchdown. He moves into second place by himself (surpassing 23 by A.J. Green) and is now six behind Terrence Edwards’ school record.
Bowers’ 156 career receptions moved him into seventh place all-time in school history and his 2,369 receiving yards makes him sixth. He has ten career 100-yard receiving games. That is tied for most all-time by a Bulldog with Edwards and Fred Gibson. Bowers also has three consecutive 100-yard receiving games. The last two Bulldogs to accomplish that feat were Edwards (3) and Gibson (4). Check out these consecutive game numbers.
Bowers is currently tied for third in the SEC in receptions and sixth in yards receiving. How has Bowers’ stats compared to his great stats during his first two seasons? Check out these numbers through his first six games of the season.
Bowers has only eight career receptions in two career games against Vanderbilt. However, two of his eight receptions were touchdowns (both in 2021). Also, one of his five career touchdown rushes came against the Commodores as well (also in 2021).
Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint had a career-high 99 yards receiving. Rara Thomas made an outstanding catch and hauled in his first touchdown reception with Georgia (he had 12 with Mississippi State). Andrew Paul had his first career touchdown of any kind when he caught Vandagriff’s pass for a 7-yard score in the fourth quarter. Running back Daijun Edwards had a career-high six receptions in the game. His previous high was just two.
Speaking of Edwards, he led the Bulldogs’ running attack against Kentucky with 54 yards. Kendall Milton was second with 47, but he also added his second touchdown rush of the season. Georgia has had eight different players with at least one rushing touchdown this season which is tied with Washington for the most different players in the nation.
The 2021 season was the only season in which the Bulldogs had more different players with at least one rushing touchdown under Smart (that season defensive lineman Jordan Davis had one). Here is a season look at how many different Dawgs since 2016 have scored via the ground.
This season, Georgia has excelled at both converting third downs and stopping its opponent on third downs.The Bulldogs currentlly rank in the top five nationally in both categories. Here is a deeper look on how the Dawgs have fared in these categories under the current head coach.
Prior to 2022, Georgia previously led the SEC on third down conversion percentage in 1997. Marshall was the only team to do better than Georgia on third down conversion percentage defense last season. This season Utah and Michigan State are better.
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Many Bulldogs have had some amazing games against the Commodores individually. Here are just a few...
Herschel Walker's career-high in rush yards in a game came against Vandy. His 283 yards rushing as a freshman is the most ever by a Bulldog.
Garrison Hearst also had a big game on the ground against the 'Dores going for 246 against them in 1992.
Nick Chubb also got in the act with 189 yards rushing of his own in 2015 while Todd Gurley had 163 in 2014.
Knowshon Moreno had two good games as he rushed for 157 in 2007 and upped it to 172 in 2008.
Eric Zeier threw for 441 yards against Vanderbilt in 1994. That is his third highest total as well as the Bulldogs' third highest total of all-time.
Aaron Murray completed his first 12 passes in the 2012 game against Vanderbilt.
Allan Leavitt connected on a 58-yard field goal against the Commodores in 1977.
Jimmy Campagna returned a punt 100 yards for a touchdown way back in 1952.
Terry Hoage had three interceptions in a game against Vanderbilt in 1982. He is one of four Bulldogs to have three in a game.
Dominick Sanders had a pick six that went for 88 yards against Vandy in 2015.
Champ Bailey had two touchdown receptions on offense in 1998, but the great two-way player did not have an interception on defense that game... However, Kirby Smart did.
