They ran the damn ball.

Totaling 273 rushing yards, second-ranked Georgia put in a throwback performance in Saturday’s 37-0 win over No. 8 Arkansas. Through the first four games, the Bulldogs typically went to the air, whether it was JT Daniels or Stetson Bennett at quarterback. Against Arkansas’ 3-3-5 defense, Georgia played it smart and took what the defense was allowing.

Three-man fronts are great for good offensive lines and running backs. Previously, opposing defenses were stacking the box and not allowing the run game to churn out first downs with regularity.

Arkansas’ defense is predicated on preventing explosive plays downfield, however. Georgia’s backs made Arkansas pay by allowing a decent amount of space in its front seven, especially early in the game.

And then, late, Georgia's line and running backs mauled a defeated Arkansas front seven.

If you can’t run the ball against a three-man front, you’re going to have problems as a team. Georgia proved it has the ability to run the ball, especially when teams dare it to do so.

With Daniels dealing with a lat injury, Bennett earned the start but wasn’t asked to do a whole lot with the run game working so well. Bennett’s day finished 7-of-11 passing for 72 yards. It remains to be seen whether Daniels will be back for next week’s game against Auburn.

As for the running backs, Zamir White totaled 16 carries for 68 yards and two touchdowns. James Cook carried the ball 12 times for 87 yards. Kenny McIntosh ran the ball 10 times for 57 yards, and Kendall Milton tallied 13 carries for 48 yards and a score.

Entering the day, Arkansas allowed only four sacks for the season. Georgia brought down KJ Jefferson four times. Georgia’s defense held the Razorbacks to only 162 total yards in what was yet another dominating performance.

Talk about a statement win.

Following the first four weeks of the season, it appeared eighth-ranked Arkansas would be Georgia’s toughest test remaining on the schedule. Either this game is a sign of things to come for the rest of the slate, or it proved to be a bad matchup for the Razorbacks. From the onset, Georgia asserted its will on both sides of the ball, with the Bulldogs cruising to yet another blowout victory.

Quite honestly, Georgia has a legitimate case to be considered the top-ranked team in the nation based on the eye test alone. Although Clemson hasn't lived up to the hype following Georgia's opening-week win, defeating Arkansas in this fashion—especially a week after the Razorbacks defeated Texas A&M—is quite impressive.

Next up is Auburn, a team that needed a late pick-six to clinch a victory over Georgia State last week. You can bet the Bulldogs—a veteran-laden group on defense—won’t overlook the Tigers. But as the target on Georgia’s back grows larger, head coach Kirby Smart will need to ensure his team remains focused on what’s at stake on a week-by-week basis.

Deep ball to the running back: Up 7-0 in the first quarter, Bennett took the snap and found McIntosh running unguarded down the right sideline. Bennett dropped a perfect throw that went for a 27-yard gain. This helped set up Georgia’s second touchdown of the game, which came on a 1-yard Milton rush three plays later.

Blocked punt: Safety Dan Jackson lined up off the line of scrimmage, likely to disguise whether he was going to rush or not. This allowed for Jackson to blitz inside into a hole created by the front line. Jackson wasn’t accounted for and blocked the Arkansas punt in the end zone. White recovered the block for a touchdown, giving the Bulldogs a 21-0 lead.

Easy sack: On second-and-23 with less than five minutes to play in the third quarter, linebacker Nakobe Dean beat his man around the edge and brought down Jefferson. This forced a third-and-32, which the Razorbacks had no chance of picking up. The game was in hand by then, sure. But it was still an impressive sack that further cemented Arkansas’ fate as another helpless team inside Sanford Stadium.

Offense: A-

There weren’t any flashy plays, with Georgia opting for a ground-oriented attack against Arkansas’ 3-3-5 defense. If there's one criticism, it’s that the explosive rushing plays have yet to materialize. Again, nitpicking. At the end of the day, explosives don't matter too much if you can continuously move the chains, which the Bulldogs did easily Saturday afternoon.

Defense: A

Georgia’s defense is really, really, really good. And Jordan Davis should be a top-10 pick in the NFL draft.

Special teams: A-

Jackson’s blocked punt put the game away in the first quarter. Jack Podlesny made all three of his field goal attempts, which came from 46, 30, and 37 yards, respectively. The lone issue was the bizarre fact that the punt team couldn’t figure out how not to have only four men in the backfield. That will surely be addressed and fixed during the upcoming week of practice.

Coaching: A

After a pass-happy attack for four weeks, the Bulldogs accurately scouted Arkansas and adjusted accordingly. Dominating on the ground against a three-man front was as simple as it gets with the players executing the plan successfully and expertly.

Offense: B+

Defense: A

Special teams: A-

Coaching: A-