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Third shutout hearkens back to historic Dawgs defense

As far as drama is concerned, there may not have been a lot about Saturday night’s 27-0 win over Missouri that qualified as exciting.

That is, unless you’re a fan of solid, defensive football.

If you are, the sixth-ranked Bulldogs provided quite the treat, posting the program’s third shutout this year. It's the first time that’s happened since 1981.

“We don’t really focus on being a superstar-led defense,” cornerback Tyson Campbell said. “But to be successful, all 11 of us have to be focused and doing our job.”

That was certainly the case on Saturday.

The Bulldogs held Missouri to 198 total yards, including just 50 rushing and 148 passing by quarterbacks Taylor Powell and Connor Bazelak, who played in place of the injured Kelly Bryant. Bryant was still nursing a hamstring injury.

“Yeah, you can’t say enough about the defensive staff and the game plan they put together, the buy-in from the kids,” head coach Kirby Smart said. “We preached all week how well these guys ran the ball on us last year—I thought they ran the ball on us as good as anybody last year.”

About the only defensive drama came late in the game, when the Tigers mounted their lone threat against primarily second- and third-string defenders.

Missouri got as close as the 5-yard line before four straight passes by Bazelak fell incomplete.

“The defensive players kind of hung their hats on that, and they were all chomping at the bit at the end to make it tough to score,” Smart said. “I thought they showed some competitive character there at the end with that stand.”

Georgia started the day as the SEC leader in total defense (268.1 yds/game), scoring defense (11.4 pts/game), and rushing defense (77.6 yds/game). It didn’t hurt its numbers against the Tigers.

The Bulldogs held Missouri scoreless in the first half and went into the locker room with a 16‐0 edge. That marked the 21st scoreless quarter Georgia has held an opponent to this year, and the eighth scoreless half (third scoreless first half) that the Bulldog defense has held its opponents to in 2019.

Although Georgia only forced one turnover, it was a big one when Richard LeCounte picked off Powell and returned the football 71 yards to set up one of Rodrigo Blankenship’s four field goals.

“Richard’s a ball hawk. He’s got really good ball skills. I didn’t think we were going to catch it—I thought it was going to be an overthrow, and he went up, grabbed it, snagged it, and had a heck of a play on the ball and a great return. Richard’s improved; he continues to get better,” Smart said. “I was prouder of his physical tackling tonight than of the turnover. He’s taken a lot better approach the last two weeks. He’s really been in the game plan and making his calls. I’m really proud of him.”

Tae Crowder led Georgia with seven tackles, followed by Monty Rice with six.

The Bulldogs collected two sacks, one courtesy of freshman Nolan Smith, the first of his career.

“I didn't even realize he got one. I just know a couple of times, we couldn't finish on the quarterback. He scrambled out and made some plays for us. But he's been closer a lot,” Smart said. “He was close on the last play of the Notre Dame deal, chasing him around. He's getting better. He's playing with more and more confidence. It's getting so that freshmen aren't freshmen anymore. This is where last year, we had a lot of these kids step up and play well. We've got several of them trying to now."

Devonte Wyatt and Georgia’s defense stood tall.
Devonte Wyatt and Georgia’s defense stood tall.
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