University of Georgia Athletics
Saturday, October 17
Athens, Ga.
3:30 p.m.
University of Georgia
vs
Auburn
Georgia and Auburn Renew Deep South's Oldest Rivalry
October 12, 2026 | Football
Game & Broadcast Info
- Kickoff: Saturday, October 17 - 3:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium (93,333) | Athens, Ga.
- 2026 Records: Georgia (5-0, 3-0), Alabama (5-0, 3-0)
- 2026 Rankings: Georgia #2/#2, Alabama #6/7
- TV: ESPN: Dave Pasch-PxP; Dusty Dvoracek-Analyst; Taylor McGregor-Sideline
- Video Stream: ESPN+
- Radio: 95.5 FM WSB - Bulldog Network | Affiliates | Georgia Bulldog Sports Network (Learfield): Jeff Dantzler (PxP), Jon Stinchcomb (Analyst), D.J. Shockley (Sideline)
- Audio Stream: georgiadogs.com
- Satellite: SiriusXM- 996; 177 or 228/952 and the app
- Web Stats: georgiadogs.com
- Twitter: #AUBvsUGA
- SECN ReBroadcast: 10/18 5-8pm ET; 10/21 2-5am ET
- GameCenter: View Live GameCenter
- History: Georgia vs. Auburn All-Time Series Results: UGA 66-56-8
- Last Meeting: Georgia won 20-10 in Auburn, Ala., 10/11/2025
- Tickets: SeatGeek
Georgia-Auburn Quick Comparison
| Georgia (SEC) | Auburn (SEC) | |
|---|---|---|
| Scoring Offense | 46.4 (1st) | 26.8 (13th) |
| Rushing Offense | 211.8 (4th) | 180.0 (9th) |
| Passing Offense | 263.0 (6th) | 219.8 (13th) |
| Total Offense | 474.8 (3rd) | 399.8 (11th) |
| Scoring Defense | 14.0 (1st) | 21.4 (9th) |
| Rushing Defense | 74.7 (2nd) | 149.0 (14th) |
| Passing Defense | 186.8 (6th) | 208.2 (8th) |
| Turnover Margin | +6 (3rd) | -1 (T8th) |
Georgia Bulldogs At A Glance
Georgia (6-0, 4-0 SEC) checks in at No. 1 in the AP and Coaches poll for the first time since September of 2024. The Bulldogs began that year in the top spot and remained there for the first three weeks of the season. After a 13-12 road win over Kentucky on Sept. 14, the Bulldogs dropped to No. 2 as Texas claimed the top spot. The Bulldogs finished 11-3 that year with a final ranking of No. 6. Georgia began the 2026 season No. 3 and spent the next five weeks at No. 2.
The Bulldogs rank second nationally in Scoring Offense at 46.2 points per game (ppg).
Georgia is outscoring its opponents 73-7 in the first quarter, 164-40 in the first half and 219-49 through three quarters. Overall, the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 277-84.
Georgia's 277 points is the most after six games to start a Bulldog season.
The offensive line starters have been the same every game this year in Earnest Greene III, Dontrell Glover, Drew Bobo, Zykie Helton and Juan Gaston Jr. Fifth-year All-SEC quarterback Gunner Stockton ranks 3rd in the NCAA with a 198.6 passing efficiency rating. The running backs, wideouts and tight ends have shared the load this season.
Georgia ranks 11th nationally in Scoring Defense at 14.0 ppg. No team has scored more than 20 points this season on the Bulldogs, and that's the best start since the 2021 national championship team. They did not allow more than 17 points in a game during the regular season.
The same 11 Bulldogs started on defense through the first four games this year. The front and middle featured Elijah Griffin, Jordan Hall, Quintavius Johnson, Gabe Harris Jr., Chris Cole and Raylen Wilson while the back end included All-Americans KJ Bolden and Ellis Robinson IV plus Demello Jones, Kyron Jones and Khalil Barnes. Against VU, Joseph Jonah-Ajonye (DL) and Rasean Dinkins (SS) made their first starts this year. Against #6 Alabama, Dinkins made his second straight start while Barnes returned to the starting lineup.
Senior All-SEC placekicker Peyton Woodring is a weapon with a career FG% of 88% (65-of- 74) and an SEC record 208 consecutive PATs made. Junior Drew Miller handles the punting.
Most Games Coaching AP No. 1 Team
| Rk | Coach (School, Seasons at No. 1) | Games | Rec. | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nick Saban (UA, 2008-2022) | 98 | 88-10 | 89.8 |
| T2. | Woody Hayes (Ohio St., 1954-75) | 45 | 40-4-1 | 90.0 |
| T2. | Bobby Bowden (FSU, 1988-2000) | 45 | 40-5 | 88.9 |
| 4. | Kirby Smart (Georgia, 2021-24, '26) | *35 | 33-2 | 94.3 |
In school history, Georgia has played 45 games as the No. 1 ranked team and has a record of 41-4 in those contests (91.1%). Prior to Smart, these games were in 1942 (2-1), 1980 (3-0), 1982 (2-1) and 2008 (1-0).
The SEC Gauntlet Continues:
The two-time defending SEC champion Bulldogs play host to Auburn (3-2, 1-2 SEC) Saturday as the Tigers are coming off an open date.
Last week, the Bulldogs went to Tuscaloosa and beat #6 Alabama 20-17. The Crimson Tide was the only FBS team to have at least 45 points in every game this season until managing just 17 against Georgia. It was the fewest points by the Crimson Tide at home since 2011.
During Smart's tenure, Georgia is 78-18 against SEC teams (regular season, SEC title games and CFP matchups). During this decade, Georgia's only loss to a non-SEC team came to No. 5 Notre Dame in a CFP quarterfinal at the 2025 Sugar Bowl. The Bulldogs are 79-9 in this stretch. At home under Smart, the Bulldogs are 60-5 including 33-4 in SEC games.
Fast Facts On The Georgia-Auburn Series:
Saturday will mark the 131st meeting between Georgia and Auburn since 1892, and the Bulldogs lead the Deep South's oldest rivalry 66-56-8. The only rivalry game played more in NCAA FBS history is Minnesota-Wisconin at 135 dating to 1890.
Georgia's longest winning streak has been nine straight from 1923-1931 and the current stretch that began at the 2017 SEC Championship Game. In 2017, #10 Auburn upset #2 Georgia in the regular season meeting 40-17 in Auburn, and then the #6 Bulldogs won a rematch over #4 AU 28-7 in the 2017 SEC Championship Game.
Under Smart, the Bulldogs are 10-1 against the Tigers including 5-0 in Athens.
Georgia's Iron Bowl:
For only the fourth time in school history, Georgia will face Alabama and Auburn in back-to-back games (1924, 1929, 2024). The 1929 squad was the only one to go 2-0, blanking the Tigers 24-0 in Athens and then the Crimson Tide 12-0 in Birmingham. For only the fourth time in school history, Georgia will face Alabama and Auburn in back-to-back games (1924, 1929, 2024). The 1929 squad was the only one to go 2-0, blanking the Tigers 24-0 in Athens and then the Crimson Tide 12-0 in Birmingham.
All-Time Winningest SEC Coaches By Percentage
(All Games at SEC Schools & Min. 10 Years)
(All Games at SEC Schools & Min. 10 Years)
| Rk | Coach | School | Pct. | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | KIRBY SMART | GEORGIA | .854 | 123-21 |
| 2. | Nick Saban | UA/LSU | .847 | 249-45 |
| 3. | Robert Neyland | Tennessee | .829 | 173-31-12 |
Most Wins This Decade (2020-Curr.)
| Rk | School | Record | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | GEORGIA | 79-9 | .897 |
| 2. | Alabama | 74-15 | .831 |
| 3 | Ohio State | 71-12 | .855 |
Most Wins Since 2021
| Rk | School | Record | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | GEORGIA 71-7 | .910 | |
| 2. | Ohio State 64-11 | .853 | |
| T3. | Oregon 61-14 | .813 | |
| T3. | Alabama 61-15 | .803 |
Stockton Adds To Winning Legacy
Fifth-year Gunner Stockton is a 6-1, 215-pound native of Tiger, Ga.
Owns an 18-3 Career Record as a starter including 7-2 against ranked teams
Ranks 3rd in NCAA in Passing Efficiency with a 198.6 Rating and 2nd in Completion Percentage at 76.6 in 2026
18-for-22 for 249 yards, 2 TDs (1-pass, 1-rush) in 20-17 road win over #6 Alabama, directed 10-play, 84-yard scoring drive in final 5 minutes of game
25-for-32 for 295 yards, 3 TDs in 38-14 win over VU and then earned Davey O'Brien Great 8 and Manning Award Stars of the Week honors
Led team in rushing (7-for-97 yards including a career-long 62-yard scamper) plus 10-for-13 for 147 yards and 1 TD in 45-17 road win over Arkansas
Tied school record with 5 TD passes in a 70-20 rout of WKU in '26. Went 13-for-16 for 234 yards playing only the first five possessions in the 1st half.
Started 2026 opener versus TSU and built 35-0 lead, going 15-for-16 for 202 yards and 3 TDs in first five possessions before giving way to backups.
Stockton's Career Highs
| Passing Yards | 304 @ #15 UT, '25 |
| Completions | 26 (2x, last #5 OM'25 |
| Attempts | 37 @ AU, '25 |
| TD Passes | 5 vs. WKU '26 |
| Longest Pass Play | 70 vs. WKU '26 |
| Longest TD Pass | 70 vs. WKU '26 |
| Long Rush | 97 @ ARK '26 |
| Interceptions | 1 (9x, last @ #6 Bama '26) |
Stockton's Career Passing Statistics
| Year | G/GS | Cmp. | Att. | Pct. | Yds. | INT | TD | Eff. | LG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 4/0 | 12 | 19 | 63.2 | 148 | 1 | 2 | 152.8 | 31 FSU |
| 2024 | 5/1 | 45 | 64 | 70.3 | 440 | 1 | 1 | 130.1 | 67 ND |
| 2025 | 14/14 | 269 | 386 | 69.7 | 2,894 | 5 | 24 | 150.6 | 64 MSU (TD) |
| 2026 | 6/6 | 95 | 124 | 76.6 | 1,298 | 2 | 14 | 198.6 | 70WKU(TD) |
| Total | 29/21 | 421 | 593 | 70.9 | 4,780 | 9 | 41 | 158.5 | 70WKU(TD) |
Stockton's Career Game-By-Game
| Game | Cmp. | Att. | Pct. | Yds. | INT | TD | SK | EFF | LG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | |||||||||
| UT Martin | 3 | 5 | 60.0 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 108.7 | 20 |
| Ball State | 1 | 1 | 100.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 133.6 | 4 |
| UAB | 2 | 3 | 66.7 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 53.2 | 15 |
| #4 FSU (Orange) | 6 | 10 | 60.0 | 96 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 206.6 | 31 |
| 2024 | |||||||||
| #14 Clemson | 0 | 0 | 00.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - |
| Tenn. Tech | 10 | 12 | 83.3 | 90 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 146.3 | 21 |
| UMass | 3 | 4 | 75.0 | 45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 169.5 | 23 |
| #2 Texas (SEC) | 12 | 16 | 75.0 | 71 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 99.8 | 18 |
| #5 ND(CFP Qtr.) (L) | 20 | 32 | 62.5 | 234 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 134.2 | 67 |
| 2025 | |||||||||
| Marshall (W) | 14 | 24 | 58.3 | 190 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 152.3 | 47TD |
| Austin Peay (W) | 26 | 34 | 76.5 | 227 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 132.6 | 19 |
| @ #15 UT (W) | 23 | 31 | 74.2 | 304 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 177.9 | 45 |
| #17 Alabama (L) | 13 | 20 | 65.0 | 130 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 136.1 | 38TD |
| Kentucky (W) | 15 | 23 | 65.2 | 196 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 142.5 | 36 |
| @ AU (W) | 24 | 37 | 64.9 | 217 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 141.4 | 30 |
| #5 OM (W) | 26 | 31 | 83.9 | 289 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 204.8 | 36 |
| vs. UF (W) | 20 | 29 | 69.0 | 223 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 149.4 | 42 |
| @ MSU (W) | 18 | 29 | 62.1 | 264 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 172.7 | 64TD |
| #10 Texas (W) | 24 | 29 | 82.8 | 229 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 187.7 | 30TD |
| Charlotte (W) | 17 | 21 | 81.0 | 196 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 149.8 | 38 |
| @ #23 GT (W) | 11 | 21 | 52.4 | 70 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 86.6 | 24 |
| #9 UA{SECCG} (W) | 20 | 26 | 76.9 | 156 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 165.4 | 19 |
| #6 OM {CFP/Sug} (L) | 18 | 31 | 58.1 | 203 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 123.7 | 31 |
| 2026 | |||||||||
| TSU (W) | 15 | 16 | 93.8 | 202 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 261.7 | 25 |
| WKU (W) | 13 | 16 | 81.3 | 234 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 307.2 | 70TD |
| @ ARK (W) | 10 | 13 | 76.9 | 147 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 197.3 | 61TD |
| #24 OU (W) | 14 | 25 | 56.0 | 171 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 118.7 | 41 |
| VU (W) | 25 | 32 | 78.1 | 295 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 186.5 | 55 |
| #6 Bama (W) | 18 | 22 | 81.8 | 249 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 182.8 | 53 |
Behind Stockton, the QB room with game experience includes a trio of Bulldogs. Junior Ryan Puglisi (12 career games) has the been the first one off the bench in 2026 followed by sophomores Ryan Montgomery (three games), and Hezekiah Millender (two games).
Puglisi showed off some speed in the win over WKU, racing 70 yards for a TD. It was the longest TD-run by a Bulldog since 2022 when wideout Ladd McConkey went 70 yards for a score against Miss. State. Montgomery made his debut against Charlotte in 2025 and went 1-for-1 for 12 yards, and then in the 2026 opener against TSU, he connected with Jeremy Bell for a team-long 54-yard TD. He finished 2-for-2 for 60 yards. Millender made his debut in 2026 against TSU, going 1-for-1 for 17 yards plus two rushes for 22 yards.
Puglisi's Career Passing Statistics
| Year | G/GS | Cmp. | Att. | Pct. | Yds. | INT | TD | Eff. | LG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7/0 | 16 | 27 | 59.3 | 161 | 2 | 1 | 106.8 | 27 UK |
| 2026 | 5/0 | 17 | 28 | 60.7 | 197 | 0 | 2 | 143.4 | 27 TSU |
| Total | 12/0 | 33 | 55 | 60.0 | 358 | 2 | 3 | 125.4 | 27 (2x) |
Puglisi tied a career-high for completions, going 7-for-8 for 63 yards and one TD playing the final eight minutes of the 45-17 road win over Arkansas.
Puglisi posted a career-high 7-of-13 for 109 yards and 1 TD (16-yarder to freshman TE Kaiden Prothro) in the 63-3 win over TSU in 2026.
Puglisi's Career Highs
| Completions: 7, 3x last @ ARK '26 | Attempts: 13 vs. TSU '26 |
| TD Passes: 1, 3x last @ ARK '26 | Passing Yards: 109 vs. TSU '26 |
| Longest Pass 27, 2x last TSU '26 | Longest TD Pass: 23 vs. MAR '25 |
| Rush Yards: 79 vs. WKU '26 | INTs: 1 (2x, last vs. UK '25) |
Georgia's Explosive Plays In 2026 (12-yd Rush, 16-yd Comp.)
| Game | Georgia | Opp. | Final (AP rank then CFP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| TSU | 19 (8R, 11P) | 1 (0R, 1P) | #3 Georgia, 63-3 |
| WKU | 8 (3R, 5P) | 3 (3R, 0P) | #2 Georgia 70-20 |
| ARK | 11 (7R, 4P) | 6 (6P) | #2 Georgia 45-17 |
| OU | 6 (2R, 4P) | 4 (4P) | #2 Georgia 41-13 |
| VU | #6 UA 11 (6R, 5P) | 9 (4R, 5P) | #2 Georgia 20-17 |
| TOTAL | 63 (28R, 35P) | 29 (9R, 20P) |
Longest Rush by Georgia: 70-yd TD by Ryan Puglisi (WKU)
Longest Rush by Opp.: 58-yd by Trae'shawn Brown (#6UA)
Longest Completion by Georgia: 70-yd TD (Stockton to White-Helton (WKU)
Longest Completion by Opp.: 60-yd TD (Berlowitz to Sherrill, VU
RB Room Showed Depth With Frazier & Bowens Out
Georgia is averaging 211.8 rushing yards including 6.3 yards a rush.
In the road win over #6 Alabama, leading rushers Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens were out due to injury, and the Bulldogs still tallied 206 yards on 39 attempts for a 5.3 average. Junior Dwight Phillips Jr., made his first career start and went for 120 yards on 17 carries against the Crimson Tide. Sophomore Bo Walker (10-for-69 yards) and freshman Nick Peal (2-for-6 yards) helped carry the load against Alabama too. Against VU, Phillips showed his versatility as he posted a career-high five catches for 75 yards and one TD.
The longest rushes of the year belong to QBs Ryan Puglisi (scored on a 70-yarder against WKU) and Gunner Stockton (62 yards against Arkansas).
The longest rush by an RB is Walker's 59-yarder versus VU while the longest by an RB for a TD is a 54-yarder by Phillips Jr. against #24 OU.
The Bulldogs have 17 rushing TDs on the year. Frazier ranks second on the team with five rushing TDs that came in the first three games in his first 12 attempts. Then, he missed the OU game due to an injury, saw only a few snaps in the second half against VU and did not play at #6 Alabama.
Frazier started against TSU and tied his career high with three TDs in only four carries! His first touch resulted in a 48-yard TD, his second was a 14- yard TD, and his final carry was a three-yarder for a score. His finished with 72 yards on four carries (18.0 avg) and three TDs. Against Arkansas, he had 14 carries for 80 yards and a score but left in the 3rd quarter due to an injury.
Bowens has a team-high six TDs in 35 attempts. He got injured against VU and missed the game #6 Alabama.
Finding The Open Man
Georgia is averaging 263.0 passing yards a game in its 6-0 start.
The 17 TD catches on the year belong to 13 different Bulldogs.
Georgia has had a different leading receiver in four of six games this year.
Sophomore WR Talyn Taylor leads the team with 15 catches for 219 yards and 3 TDs followed by freshman WR Craig Dandridge Jr. (13-for-222 yards, 1 TD) and junior WR Sacovie White-Helton (11-for-137 yards, 1 TD).
The longest TD catches belong to White-Helton (70-yarder vs. WKU) and Dandridge (61-yarder @ Arkansas).
Georgia saw six of its top seven pass catchers depart to the NFL/graduation.
Senior London Humphreys is the top returning receivier. This year, he has 10 catches for 85 yards and two TDs plus blocked a punt at Arkansas.
Bulldog junior transfer Isiah Canion has three catches for 28 yards on the year. He left the Arkansas game during the first series due to an injury and has missed the past three games. Sophomore Thomas Blackshear, who was getting more playing time with Canion out, was on his way to having a career day against VU with three catches for 33 yards in the first half but then missed the rest of the game due an upper body injury. He is now out too.
Taylor had his first career 100-yard game in the win over #24 OU, tallying four for 110 yards including a 35-yard TD and a 41-yard one-handed grab.
Taylor, White-Helton, Dandridge Jr., Landon Roldan and Jeremy Bell have been utilized in the running game too. Roldan had a career-long 55-yard reception in the win over VU.
Bell and Tyler J. Wiliams provided highlight catches against TSU. Bell caught a 54-yard TD strike from Ryan Montgomery while Williams made a nifty 27-yard catch in traffic.
Familiarity On The Line
Georgia's offensive line has featured the same starting five this season, and that's a welcome sight after last year. The Bulldog front had an eventful season in 2025 due to injuries. Georgia used a different starting OL unit in its first six games.
In 2026, Georgia ranks second in the NCAA averaging 46.2 ppg. The Bulldogs have been sacked just six times for 38 yards.
In 2026, fifth-year Drew Bobo (C), a 2nd Team Coaches All-SEC pick, and fifth year Earnest Greene III (LT) are the veteran leaders of the unit. They are joined by sophomores Dontrell Glover (LG) and Juan Gaston Jr. (RT) plus freshman Zykie {Zuh-kye} Helton (RG) to round out the starters.
Greene III now has a team-best 38 career starts. Last year, Gaston Jr. started at RG and RT while Glover, who earned FWAA Freshman All-America honors, started the last 10 games at RG.
Helton became just the third true freshman offensive lineman to start an opener in the Kirby Smart era. The others were Andrew Thomas (2017-RT) and Gaston (2025-RG). Overall, 14 true freshmen have started an opener under Smart. Also, don't be surprised if you see Helton lined up as a fullback near the goal line as the Bulldogs some times occupy a jumbo look.
Georgia returns Jahzare Jackson, Malachi Toliver and Michael Uini who made spot starts last year. Along with Helton, another freshman to watch is Ekene Ogboko {Ek-uh-nay Oge-boko}, who is the younger brother of Bulldog DL Nnamdi {Namh-dee} Ogboko.
Well-Stocked Tight End Room
Tight ends have been a staple of the Bulldog offense and the player development is notable. Six former Bulldogs are in the NFL in 2026, most notably two-time John Mackey Award winner Brock Bowers (Las Vegas). The Bulldogs aim to continue that trend in 2026 as only Oscar Delp graduated from the group. He is now with the New Orleans Saints.
Georgia's tight ends have combined for 27 catches for 397 yards and 6 TDs in 2026. They are solid blockers and an option in the run game too.
Four tight ends combined for five catches and 112 yards in the road win over #6 Alabama. The game's longest catch by either team belonged to Bulldog TE Jaden Reddell who collected a 53-yarder. One of the biggest grabs came from TE Elyiss Williams. With 2:56 left in the contest and Georgia leading 20-17, the Bulldogs faced a 3rd-and-7 from its own 10. Williams snagged a 17-yarder for a critical first down as the Bulldogs eventually ran out the clock.
In the win over VU, Redell, Williams, and Lawson Luckie combined for five catches for 80 yards and one TD. Reddell scored his first career rushing TD while Luckie snagged a career-long 43-yard catch off a deflection.
In the win over TSU, Georgia's tight ends combined for 100 receiving yards on six catches including three TDs: Reddell (2-38, 1 TD plus a 29-yard rush), Williams (2-26, 1 TD), Kaiden Prothro (1-16, 1 TD) and Ethan Barbour (1-10). It was the first career TDs for Reddell and Prothro.
In the rout of WKU, the tight ends had three catches for 25 yards and one TD. Williams made his first career start while Barbour notched his first TD.
In the road victory over Arkansas, they had five catches for 81 yards and one TD, a 2-yarder by Luckie from Puglisi for the team's final score.
Reloading The Defense With Elite Talent
Georgia has had 55 players drafted over the past five seasons, including 30 on defense and 11 of those defenders have gone in the first round.
This year, Georgia leads the SEC in Scoring Defense, allowing 14.0 points a game including just seven in the first quarter and 40 points in the first half.
In 2026, Georgia opened with a 63-3 rout of FCS-member Tennessee State. The Tigers field goal came in the second quarter. WKU managed 20 points including 14 in the 4th quarter with Georgia up 63-6. Two of the Hilltopper scoring drives covered just 15 and 23 yards following Bulldog turnovers.
In the 45-17 road win over Arkansas, Georgia built a 38-3 advantage before the Razorbacks managed a pair of 75-yard scoring drives in the 4th quarter including one in the final minute.
In the 41-13 win over #24 OU, the Sooners final TD came with 3:23 left while their first one covered 35 yards following a Bulldog turnover in the 3rd quarter.
VU became the first team to score a first quarter TD against Georgia this year and tallied 14 points in the first half before being blanked in the second half.
#6 Alabama managed just 17 points after averaging 49.6 ppg. They had a pair of quick scoring drives in the 2nd quarter and just a field goal in the 3rd quarter.
Stopping The Run One Of the Defensive Keys
In 2026, Georgia's opponents are averaging only 74.7 rushing yards/game, which ranks sixth nationally. Also, the Bulldogs have 17 sacks for 131 yards.
Senior Jordan Hall and senior Gabe Harris Jr., and sophomore Elijah Grifin have been the starters up front. Harris Jr., had a sack in the win over VU.
In the SEC opener, the Razorbacks had 17 yards on 20 attempts and were sacked thrice. Their longest rush was eight yards. The #24 Sooners were sacked three times and finished with 65 yards on 35 attempts (1.9 avg.).
VU had 85 rushing yards on 26 attempts (3.3 avg.). VU was sacked twice.
Junior Joseph Jonah-Ajonye had a career-high six stops against Arkansas. He made his first start of the season against VU.
Harris Jr. and Anthony Lonon Jr. each had a sack against WKU.
PJ Dean and Valdin Sone are a couple more freshmen like Lonon Jr., to watch as they gain experience. In the season opener against TSU, Dean posted a team-high 1.5 sacks for a loss of 20 yards plus two tackles. He is the younger brother of former Georgia center Jared Wilson. Sone had three stops against #24 OU and collected half a sack against #6 Alabama.
Junior transfer Amaris Williams (Auburn) is out with a knee injury.
Torrent Of Tackles For Wilson And Cole
In SEC action, junior Chris Cole and senior Raylen Wilson have made their share of game-changing plays for the Bulldogs. They have starred as a result of the pressure, the calls and the effort of the entire defense. They rank 1-2 on the team in tackles with Wilson at 33 and Cole at 30.
In the 20-17 win at #6 Alabama, they led the team in stops as Wilson posted a team-high nine while Cole was next with eight plus one sack and 2.5 TFL.
Against #24 OU, Cole became the first Bulldog to have two fumble recoveries in a game since Butkus Award winner Roquan Smith in the 2017 SEC Championship Game victory over Auburn. Cole returned one 85 yards for a TD, the fourth longest in school history and second longest ever in Sanford Stadium. Cole finished with a career-high eight tackles and a sack to earn SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors and Lott IMPACT Trophy Player of the Week.
In the 2026 SEC opener at Arkansas, Wilson picked up two sacks for a loss of 21 yards, forced a fumble and had three stops. Then, Wilson followed up that performance with a career-high 11 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble against #24 OU. He was the co-leader in tackles against VU with seven. and leads the team with 24 this season.
With the lopsided scores in the first four games this season, the Bulldogs were able to get a look at their depth on both sides of the football.
Sophomore Quintavius Johnson has been in the starting lineup for every game with Wilson and Cole this year while junior Justin Williams and sophomore AJ Kruah are in the early rotation. Williams picked up another sack against VU.
In the win at Arkansas, Williams made four tackles and got his first career sack that knocked the Razorbacks out of field goal range.
Against Arkansas, Johnson sniffed out a trick play, and he collected a TFL for five yards. UA had moved the ball to the UGA 31 after a 37-yard completion.
Freshman Elijah Littlejohn made three solo stops and his first career sack against TSU while freshman Khamari Brooks had three stops too.
Against WKU, Kruah led the team with five tackles and had a forced fumble while Brooks picked up his first sack.
Sophomore Chase Linton, who was expected to make an impact this yearbefore an injury sidelined him, saw his first action of the season against VU.
Opponents Forced To Air It Out
With Georgia's propensity to stop the run, Bulldog opponents are forced to lean on their passing game. This season, Georgia's opponents are averaging 186.8 passing yards/game and only 74.7 rushing yards. The Bulldog secondary has four interceptions.
In the 20-17 win at No.6 Alabama, the Crimson Tide was limited to 185 passing yards and one TD catch after averaging 287.4 ypg.
Facing a 38-3 deficit, Arkansas padded their passing stats in the 4th quarter, completing 11-of-15 for 126 yards and one score. For the game, UA was 29- of-42 for 283 yards and one TD. The Bulldogs tallied three sacks.
The #24 Sooners had 65 rushing yards and tallied 231 passing yards while VU finished with 208 passing yards and 85 on the ground.
Georgia's starting unit has featured preseason All-Americans KJ Bolden and Ellis Robinson IV plus Demello Jones, Kyron Jones and a local Athens product in Clemson transfer Khalil Barnes. Against VU and at #6 Alabma, Rasean Dinkins got the start in place of K. Jones.
Bolden tied for the team-high in tackles against VU with seven while Dinkins matched his career-high with five. Robinson IV made a spectacular INT on a deep ball versus VU that will be on his higlight reel.
Barnes helped set the tone in the road win against Arkansas. On its opening drive, UA had made three first downs and then attempted a 4th-and-4 from the UGA38. Barnes came up with a pass break up, and the Bulldogs went on to score a TD on their first possession.
Demello Jones posted a career-high six stops in the victory over Arkansas.
Kyron Jones started the first six games of 2025 before missing the rest of the season due to a foot injury while Demello Jones (no relation) appeared in 12 games last year before making his first start against TSU in the 2026 opener. Demello Jones had a 41-yard INT return against WKU.
Georgia made four portal additions in the secondary: Along with Barnes, Georgia's depth here includes fifth-year Gentry Williams (Oklahoma), junior Ja'Marley Riddle (ECU) and junior Braylon Conley (USC).
Dinkins made four stops, forced and recovered a fumble in the win over OU while Bolden had a 28-yard INT return that led to a TD.
Freshmen Tyriq Green and Blake Stewart have contributed to some big plays this year. Green has missed the past four games due to injury.
Before an injury against WKU, Green was getting a look as a a kickoff returner. He raced 91 yards for a TD against WKU. Also, he scored a TD after Stewart fumbled into the endzone following an INT versus WKU. This marked the first time since a 2018 win at Missouri that the Bulldogs registered a pair of non-offensive TDs in a game.
Against WKU, Green became the first Bulldog defender to score a pair of TDs in a game since defensive back Brandon Boykin in the 2012 Outback Bowl against Michigan State. Boykin had a 92-yard punt return for a TD, and then on offense, he had a 13-yard TD reception agains the Spartans.
Early in the 4th quarter of a tie game at No. 6 Alabama, Stewart recovered a muffed punt return by Sacovie White-Helton at the UGA 11.
We're Going For It!
In the Kirby Smart era, the Bulldogs have a 64% success rate on 4th Down Conversion attempts (98-for-152) with 17 TDs.
In 2026, Georgia is 2-for-3 on 4th Down. The first one failed this year, however, it came on a botched hold during a field goal attempt in the season opener. The result of the play was an incomplete pass.
Did You Know? In 2025, Georgia ranked second nationally in 4th Down Conversions at 75% (15-for-20) with 3 TDs. One of the more memorable ones from last year included a 4th-and-3 at the Auburn 40 with 5:14 left in the contest. It was part of the clinching go-ahead TD drive that lasted a school record-tying eight minutes and 45 seconds.
That's An SEC Record, Geaux Dawgs!
Senior All-SEC specialist Peyton Woodring, a native of Lafayette, La., is a three-time Lou Groza Award semifinalist. In the win over #24 OU, he made a couple of field goals from 40+ yards and set the SEC and Georgia record for Consecutive PATs Made in a career with 206. Currently, he is 208-for-208. The old marks belonged to Rodrigo Blankenship (200).
The NCAA mark for Consecutive PATs made is 233 (Alex Trilca, Texas Tech).
For the year, Woodring has a team-best 53 points (6x7FG, 35x35 PATs).
Woodring's Career FG% of 87.84% (65-of-74) is on track for a school record. Blankenship holds it at 82.47% from 2016-19, making 80-of-97 attempts.
His 23-yard FG to make it 20-17 with 5:25 left in the game at No. 6 Alabama proved to be the game-winner. Earlier in that quarter, he had his first career miss from the 30-39-yard range, on a 39-yarder. He was 27-for-27 from there.
Woodring tied a school record with 10 PATs in the 70-20 rout of WKU this year. He became the third Bulldog to make 10 PATs in a game, joining Kanon Parkman (1994 vs. Northeast La.) and George Jernigan (1946 vs. Furman).
Freshman PK Harran Zureikat took care of the final two PATs and last two kickoffs in the win over TSU and the final two kickoffs against WKU.
Kickoff returns under Woodring have been rare but look for Kyron Jones, Raylen Wilson, Justin Williams, Chris Cole and Will Taylor to be among those with special teams tackles.
In 2026, Woodring has 45 kickoffs with 34 touchbacks. Zureikat has four kickoffs with three touchbacks.
Single Game Career Highs For Woodring
Points: 15 (UK23);
PATs: 10 (vs. WKU '26-ties school record.)
FGA: 3 (11x, last vs. #6 Ole Miss in CFP Qtrfinal at Sugar Bowl '26)
FGM: 3 (8x, last @ #23 Ga. Tech in MBS '25)
LG: 55 (vs. Clemson '24 in MBS, Atlanta)
Did You Know? Georgia's last game-winning field goal with two minutes or less to play came in the 2021 Peach Bowl against undefeated and No. 8 Cincinnati.
Jack Podlesny hit a 53 yarder with three seconds left for a 22-21 lead.
The Bulldogs would register a safety on the last play for a 24-21 final.
It's Miller Time
Junior Drew Miller serves as the punter with 2025 Ray Guy Award winner Brett Thorson now in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings.
A native of Mediapolis, Iowa, Miller is averaging 47.9 yards on 16 punts with eight covering 50+ yards and six touchbacks. In the win over #24 OU, he punted a season-high five times and had a career-high 50.0 average.
Senior Will Snellings serves as the snapper. He is the 2026 receipient of UGA's Joel Eaves Award, given to the male student-athlete with the highest GPA entering his senior year. He is the seventh member of the football program to receive this honor and the first since 2021 (Owen Condon). Head coach Kirby Smart earned this award in 1997. He was a teammate and roommate of Will's father, defensive lineman and 1998 team captain Paul Snellings.
The returning gunners include KJ Bolden, London Humphreys, Jeremy Bell and Talyn Taylor. Tackles on punts have been by Dwight Phillips Jr., and Rasean Dinkins.
Single Game Career Highs For Miller
Punts: 6 (MU25)
Long: 65 (TSU '26))
Avg. (Min 2 punts): 50.0 on five (OU26) with 0 PR yards
Single Game Career Highs For Miller Punts: 6 (MU25); Long: 65 (TSU 26) Avg. (Min 2 punts): 50.0 on five (OU26) with 0 PR yards
Back Deep For The Bulldogs In The Return Game
Junior Sacovie White-Helton is averaging 10.4 yards per punt return, tallying 10 for 104 yards plus one KOR for 18 yards.
Freshman Tyriq Green, currently sidelined due to injury, has a team-best 35.8 average on four KOR. Green ignited the crowd against WKU with a 91- yard KOR for a TD. It marked the first KOR for a TD by a Bulldog since 2016 (Terry Godwin, 43-yarder at South Carolina).
Sophomore Landon Roldan is another option as a PR plus he is on the kickoff coverage team and has served as a holder on PATs. He muffed a punt return against WKU but also recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff. Both plays led to eventual TDs. Bo Walker had one KOR for 14 yards against WKU.
Did You Know? Georgia's last PR-TD was in 2023 by Mekhi {MUH-kye} Mews vs. Ball State (69).
It's Blocked
Under Kirby Smart, the Bulldogs have blocked 10 punts and nine field goals. There's three players on the current squad with a block for Georgia.
This year, Jordan Hall blocked a 58-yard FG attempt by VU while London Humphreys blocked a punt at Arkansas in the 2026 SEC opener. KJ Bolden blocked a punt versus Marshall in 2025.
Selflessness
This past offseason, the Bulldogs studied the 2025 NBA Champion OKC Thunder and noted how they led the league in eight major defensive and team statistical categories and most importantly, "seflessness," according to Smart. He aims for the 2026 Bulldogs to showcase that trait.
Richt Named 2026 SEC Legend
Former Bulldog coach and 2023 College Football Hall of Fame member Mark Richt will serve as Georgia's Legend at this year's SEC Championship Game. He coached at Georgia from 2001-15 and then his alma mater Miami, Fla. from 2016-18, compiling a record of 171-64 (72.8%). A two-time SEC Coach of the Year, Georgia went to 15 straight bowls and won two SEC titles during his tenure.
Playing To Our Standard
Georgia's 2026 Senior Class owns a record of 42-6 with back-to-back SEC titles. The 2025 Senior Class went 51-6 with a national title (2022) and three SEC crowns. They were the third straight class to register 50 wins, joining the '23 group (50- 4) and the record-setting '24 class (53-5).
Georgia has a current winning streak over every SEC team except Ole Miss that equals 80 games. The streaks range from one game up to 16 straight.
| Most SEC Championship Game Titles (SECCG Began In 1992) | ||
| Rk | School | Titles |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Alabama | 11 |
| 2. | Florida | 7 |
| 3. | GEORGIA | 6 |
| Most SEC CG Titles By Coach (By Coaches Since Game Began In 1992) | ||
| Rk | Coach | Titles (Schools) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nick Saban | 11 (LSU-2, Alabama-9) |
| 2. | Steve Spurrier | 5 (Florida) |
| 3. | KIRBY SMART | 4 (GEORGIA) |
| Longest Active Bowl Streak | |||||
| Rk | School | Start | 2025-26 | Bowl Streak | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | GEORGIA | 1997 | CFPQtr./Sug. | 29 | |
| 2. | Oklahoma | 1999 | CFP 1st Rd. | 27 | |
| 3. | Alabama | 2004 | CFP 1st/Qtr. | 22 | |
Note: The longest streak is 36 by FSU from 1982-2017 followed by Nebraska at 35 (1969-2003), Michigan 33 (1975-2007) and then Georgia's current streak at 29.
| Most Bowl Game/CFP Appearances (Entering 2026 Season) | |||
| Rk | Schools | Bowls | Record (incl BCS/CFP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Alabama | 80 | 47-30-3 |
| 2. | GEORGIA | 64 | 38-23-3 |
| 3. | Texas | 63 | 34-27-2 |
| Most SEC Titles | |||
| Rk | School | Titles | Last One |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Alabama | 30 | 2023 |
| 2. | GEORGIA | 16 | 2025 |
| 3. | Tennessee | 13 | 1998 |
Georgia's All-Time Overtime Record (11-7)
Home: 2-2; Away: 5-2; Neutral: 4-3
Bowl Game/CFP: 3-2 !SEC Games: 4-4
!Includes SECCG & CFP National Championship
The Bulldogs are 3-2 in overtime games under Kirby Smart. Georgia's complete overtime history can be found on page 110 of the media guide.
Overtime In The Kirby Smart Era (4-2)
Home: 1-1; Away: 1-0; Neutral: 2-1
(Bowl Game/CFP: 1-1; *SEC Games: 2-2)
Includes SECCG & CFP National Championship)
Jan. 1, 2018: #3 Georgia beat #2 Oklahoma 54-48 (2-OT) in Pasadena, Calif. (CFP Semifinal: Rose Bowl Game)
Jan. 8. 2018: #4 Alabama beat #3 Georgia 26-23 in Atlanta, Ga. (CFP National Championship, Mercedes-Benz Stadium)
Oct. 12, 2019: S.C. beat #3 Georgia 20-17 (2-OT) in Athens, Ga.
Nov. 29, 2024: #7 Georgia beat Ga. Tech 44-42 (8-OT, SEC Record) in Athens, Ga.
Dec. 7, 2024: #2 Georgia beat #5 Texas 22-19 in Atlanta, Ga. (SEC Championship, Mercedez-Benz Stadium)
Sept. 13, 2025: #6 Georgia beat #15 Tennessee 44-41 in Knoxville, Tenn.
Big Plays (25+ yards) In 2026
Georgia has 33 big plays. Opponents have 10.
G1: 6 (54-yd. TD pass Montgomery-Bell);
G2: 7 (91-yd KOR by T. Green); WKU: 0
G3: 4 (62-yd. rush Stockton); ARK: 4
G4: 6 (85-yd. Fum. Ret TD by Cole); OU: 2
G5: 4 (59-yd. rush B. Walker); VU: 2
G6: 6 (53-yd. pass Stockton-Reddell); #6 UA: 2
Points Off Turnovers In 2026
Georgia is 3rd in the SEC with a +6 Turnover Margin.
Georgia has 62 points off 11 turnovers.
Opponents have 19 points off five turnovers.
TSU: No TO forced by either team.
WKU: Georgia got 28 pts off 4 TO; WKU got 13 off 2
ARK: Georgia got 7 pts off 1 TO; ARK got None
#24 OU: Georgia got 17 pts off 4 TO; OU got 6 off 2
VU: Georgia got 7 pts off 1 TO; VU got None
#6 UA: Georgia got 3 pts off 1 TO; UA got None off 1
Bulldog Career INTs & Pick-Six
Georgia has 4 INTs in 2026: Blake Stewart (WKU), Demello Jones (WKU), KJ Bolden (OU), Ellis Robinson IV (VU);
Opp. have 2 INTs.
| Bulldog | INT | TD | Last INT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellis Robinson IV, DB | 5 | 0 | VU26 |
| KJ Bolden, S | 4 | 0 | OU26 |
| Demello Jones, DB | 1 | 0 | WKU26 |
| Blake Stewart, S | 1 | 0 | WKU26 |
| Kyron Jones, Star | 1 | 1 | UTM23 |
| Daniel Okonkwo | 1 | 0 | CHAR25 |
| !Khalil Barnes (CLEM) | 7 | 0 | vs. SMU24 |
| !Ja'Marley Riddle (ECU) | 6 | ^1 | FAU25 |
| !Gentry Williams (OU) | 4 | 0 | @Texas23 |
Bulldog Career Fumble Recoveries
Georgia has 7 FR in 2026;
Opp. have 3 FR.
| Bulldog | FR | Last FR |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Cole, LB | 4 | 2 vs. OU26 |
| Rasean Dinkins, SS | 1 | OU26 |
| Jordan Hall | 1 | ARK26 |
| Quintavius Johnson | 1 | @ #6Bama |
| Khamari Brooks, OLB | 1 | WKU26 |
| Landon Roldan, WR | 1 | WKU26 |
| KJ Bolden, S | 1 | @ MSU25 |
| Kyron Jones, S | 1 | @ AU25 |
| Raylen Wilson, LB | 1 | UMass24 |
| !Khalil Barnes (CLEM) | ^1 | @ SC23 |
| !Ja'Marley Riddle (ECU) | 1 | FAU25 |
| !Gentry Williams (OU) | 1 | @Texas23 |
Note: ! FR at previous school; ^ 42-yd TD
Bulldog Career Sacks
Georgia has 17 sacks in 2026; Opponents have 6.
| Bulldog | '26 | '25 | '24 | '23 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raylen Wilson, LB | 3 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 7.5 |
| Chris Cole, LB | 2.5 | 4.5 | 0 | n/a | 7.0 |
| Gabe Harris Jr., LB | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| Quintavius Johnson, LB | 1 | 2 | 0 | n/a | 3 |
| Zayden Walker, LB | - | 2 | n/a | n/a | 2 |
| Justin Williams, LB | 2 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 2 |
| KJ Bolden, S | 0.5 | 0 | 1 | n/a | 1.5 |
| PJ Dean, DL | 1.5 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.5 |
| Josh Horton, DL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| J. Jonah-Ajonye, DL | 1 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 1 |
| Anthony Lonon Jr., DL | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1 |
| Elijah Littlejohn, LB | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1 |
| Elijah Griffin, DL | - | 1 | n/a | n/a | 1 |
| Nnamdi Ogboko, DL | - | 1 | 0 | n/a | 1 |
| Jordan Thomas, DL | - | 0 | 1 | n/a | 1 |
| !Khalil Barnes, S (CLEM) | - | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| !Zion Branch, CB(USC) | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| !Amaris Williams, LB(AU) inj. | inj. | 2 | 0.5 | n/a | 2.5 |
Note: ! Sacks at previous school
First-Time Starters In 2026
TSU (4): E. Griffin (DL), Z. Helton (RG), D. Jones (DB), T. Taylor (WR)
WKU (1): E. Williams (TE); A
ARK (1): S. White-Helton (WR)
OU (1): C. Dandridge, Jr. (WR)
VU (1): Thomas Blackshear (WR), Jaden Reddell (TE);
#6 UA: Dwight Phillips, Jr. (TB)
True Freshmen Getting A Taste
The Bulldogs had 26 true freshmen make their debut in the 2026 season-opening win over TSU. Last year, 22 Bulldogs saw action in the opener against Marshall.
The Bulldog Captains In 2026
TSU: Drew Bobo, Chris Cole, Jordan Hall, Peyton WoodringWKU: KJ Bolden, Terrell Foster, Nate Frazier, London Humphreys
ARK: Earnest Greene III, Lawson Luckie, Gabe Harris Jr., Raylen Wilson
OU: Drew Bobo, Gunner Stockton, Chris Cole, Quintavius Johnson
VU: Chauncey Bowens, Dontrell Glover, Khalil Barnes, Jordan Hall
#6 UA: Earnest Greene III, Gunner Stockton, Chris Cole, Raylen Wilson
HEAD COACH KIRBY SMART QUICK FACTS
- Career Record: 123-21 (.854), 11th year at Georgia
- 2021 & 2022 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
- 2017 CFP national runner-up
- One of just two active coaches with multiple national titles (Dabo Swinney-Clemson, '16 & '18)
- Most wins (117) in NCAA FBS history in the modern era (last 100 years) for a coach in his first 10 seasons.
- T5th fastest coach in NCAA FBS history to win 100 games, doing it in 117; Fastest to do it in SEC history
- Best record & winning percentage (85-15, .850) after his first 100 games of any coach in SEC history
- 2017, 2022, 2024 & 2025 SEC Champions
- Georgia has been ranked in the top five nationally in Scoring Defense five times including leading the nation in 2019 & 2021; Been ranked in the top 10 in Scoring Offense three times (2021-23)
- 2017 George Munger award (National Coach of the Year by Maxwell Club); 2025 Eddie Robinson Finalist
- Three-Time SEC Coach of the Year, 2017, 2021-22
- Bulldogs have won three Butkus Awards and two Mackey Awards, one Outland Trophy, Bednarik Award, Thorpe Award, Groza Award, Mannelly Award, Manning Award, Ray Guy Award & Burlsworth Trophy, two NFF Scholar-Athlete Awards & one Heisman Trophy finalist
- 28 1st-team All-Americans
- 21 First Round NFL Draft picks, 84 total draft picks
- 354 players on SEC Academic Honor Rolls
THE KIRBY SMART RECORD
| Year | W | L | Pct. | SEC | Bowl | AP Rank |
| 2016 | 8 | 5 | .615 | 4-4 | Liberty | NR |
| 2017 | 13 | 2 | .867 | 8-2# | CFP Rose/NCG | 2nd |
| 2018 | 11 | 3 | .786 | 7-2# | Sugar | T7th |
| 2019 | 12 | 2 | .857 | 7-2# | Sugar | 4th |
| 2020 | 8 | 2 | .800 | 7-2 | Chick-fil-A | 7th |
| 2021 | 14 | 1 | .933 | 9-1# | CFP Orange/NCG | 1st |
| 2022 | 15 | 0 | 1.000 | 9-0# | CFP Peach/NCG | 1st |
| 2023 | 13 | 1 | .929 | 8-0 | Orange | 4th |
| 2024 | 11 | 3 | .786 | 7-2 * | CFP Sugar (Qtr.) | 6th |
| 2025 | 12 | 2 | .857 | 8-2 | CFP Sugar (Qtr.) | 6th |
| 2026 | 5 | 0 | 1.000 | 3-0 | -- | -- |
| Total | 123 | 21 | .854 | *78-18 |
#5-6 (includes 2017-19, '21-'25 SECCGs, 2018 & 2022 CFPNC, 2026 CFP Quarterfinal at Sugar Bowl)
19 VICTORIES WHEN TIED OR TRAILING LATE
| SEASON | OPPONENT | START OF 4TH QUARTER OR DEFICIT | FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | % #22 UNC | Trailed 24-23 | 33-24 |
| 2016 | @ Missouri | Trailed 27-21 | 28-27 |
| 2016 | @ Kentucky | Trailed 21-16 | 27-24 |
| 2016 | #8 Auburn | Tied 7-7 | 13-7 |
| 2016 | ^TCU | Trailed Trailed 23-21 | 31-23 |
| 2017 | @ #24 Notre Dame | Trailed 17-16, trailed 19-17 with 10:21 left | 20-19 |
| 2017 | $ #2 Oklahoma | Tied 31-31, trailed 45-38 with 0:55 left | 54-48 2ot |
| 2020 | ~ #8 Cincinnati | Trailed 21-10, trailed 21-19 with :03 left | 24-21 |
| 2022 | ! #1 Alabama | Trailed 18-13 with 10:14 left | 33-18 |
| 2022 | @ Missouri | Trailed 19-12, trailed 22-12 with 14:09 left | 26-22 |
| 2022 | ~ #4 Ohio State (CFP Semi) | Trailed 38-24, trailed 41-35 with 2:43 left | 42-41 |
| 2023 | @ Auburn | Tied 17-17, tied 20-20 with 6:21 left | 27-20 |
| 2024 | @ Kentucky | Trailed 9-6 | 13-12 |
| 2024 | @ Kentucky | Trailed 9-6 | 13-12 |
| 2024 | vs. Florida in Jax. | Tied 20-20 with 7:29 left | 34-20 |
| 2024 | Ga. Tech | Trailed 17-6; then 27-13 with 5:37 left; 40-34 in 2nd OT | 44-42 (8-OT) |
| 2024 | #2 Texas (SECCG) | Trailed 19-16 in OT | 22-19 |
| 2025 | @ #15 Tennessee | Trailed 28-27; then 38-30 with 6:40 left; 41-38 in OT | 44-41 (OT) |
| 2025 | #5 Ole Miss | Trailed 35-26 and outscored Rebels 17-0 to end the game | 43-35 |
| 2025 | vs. Florida | Tied 17-17; Trailed 20-17 with 14:52 left | 24-20 |
%Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic; ^Liberty Bowl; $Rose Bowl Game; ~Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl; !CFP National Championship
TOP IND. SINGLE GAME PERFORMANCES UNDER SMART
Rushing Yards: 222, Nick Chubb vs. #22 UNC in Atlanta (9/3/16);
Rushing TDs: 3, Sony Michel vs. UK
(11/18/17); vs. #2 Oklahoma in CFP Semifinal Rose Bowl (1/1/18); Daijun Edwards vs. AU (10/8/22); Trevor Etienne @ #1 Texas (10/19/24); Nate Frazier vs. UMass (11/23/24) & TSU (9/5/26); Bo Walker vs. CHAR (11/22/25);
Longest Rush: 83-TD, D'Andre Swift @ #9 UK (11/3/18)
Passing Yards: 459, Carson Beck vs. MSU (10/13/24);
Passing TDs: 5, G. Stockton (WKU-9/12/26), C. Beck (TT-9/7/24, GT-11/29/24), S. Bennett (UAB-9/11/21);
Receiving Yards: 197 (8 rec.), Jermaine Burton vs. MSU (11/21/20);
Receiving TDs: 3, Lawson Luckie vs. #5 OM (10/18/25);
Longest Pass/TD Pass: 89-TD, S. Bennett to Brock Bowers vs. UAB (9/11/21);
Tackles: 15, Nakobe Dean vs. #8 UF in Jacksonville (11/7/20);
Sacks: 3, Trenton Thompson vs. TCU (12/30/16);
Azeez Ojulari vs. #8 UC in Peach Bowl (1/1/21); Channing Tindall @ UT (11/13/21); Jalon Walker @ #1 Texas (10/19/24);
TFL: 3, Azeez Ojulari vs. #7 AU (10/3/20), vs. #8 UC in Peach Bowl (1/1/21); Trenton Thompson vs. Nicholls (9/10/16); Channing Tindall @ UT (11/13/21); Jalon Walker @ #1 Texas (10/19/24) & #2 Texas in SECCG (12/7/24);
35 DEFENSE AND SPECIAL TEAMS SCORES UNDER SMART
The Bulldogs are 30-2 (losses versus #8 UF in 2020 & #6 OM In 2026 Sugar Bowl) when they register a non-offensive score under Smart. This season against WKU, Tyriq Green recovered a fumble in the end zone for a score and had a 91-yard kickoff return for a TD. Against OU, Chris Cole returned a fumble 85 yards for a TD. In the 2026 Sugar Bowl, Daylen Everette returned a fumble 47 yards for a TD. In 2024, Cole returned a fumble 28 yards for a TD versus UMass; In 2023, Kyron Jones returned an INT versus UT Martin 26 yards for a score; Mekhi Mews took a punt return 69 yards for a TD against Ball State; and Joenel Aguero blocked a punt for a safety versus Florida.
DEFENSIVE SCORING IN THE SMART ERA
132 Points: 20 TDs, 6 Safeties
2016: 14 points in 3 different games (Pick-Six, Fumble Ret., Safety);
2017: 6 points in one game (Fumble Ret.);
2018: 12 points in 2 different games (Pick-Six, Fumble Ret.);
2019: 18 points in 3 different games (2 Fumble Ret., 1 Fumble Rec.);
2020: 22 points in 4 different games (2 Pick-Sixes 1 Fumble Ret., 2 Safeties);
2021: 28 points in 6 different games (4 Pick-Sixes, 2 Safeties);
2022: none
2023: 8 points in two games (Pick-Six, Safety)
2024: 6 points in one game (Fumble Ret.)
2025: 6 points in one game (Fumble Ret.)
2026: 12 points in two games (Fumble Rec., Fumble Ret.)
54 POINTS ON BIG SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYS SINCE 2016
2016: 12 points in 2 games (KOR, PR);
2017: none;
2018: 12 points in 2 games (PR, Blocked Punt Ret.);
2019: none;
2020: none;
2021: 8 points in 2 games (Blocked Punt Ret.; Safety/Blocked Punt);
2022: 8 points in 2 games (Safety/Blocked Punt; Blocked FG Ret.).
2023: 8 points in 2 games (PR, Safety)
2024: none;
2025: none;
2026: 6 points in 1 game (KOR)
MOST GAMES COACHING AP NO. 1 TEAM
| Rank | Coach (School, Seasons at No. 1) | Games | Rec. | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nick Saban (UA, 2008-2022) | 98 | 88-10 | 89.8 |
| T2. | Woody Hayes (Ohio St.. 1954-75) | 45 | 40-4-1 | 90.0 |
| T2. | Bobby Bowden (FSU, 1988-2000) | 45 | 40-5 | 88.9 |
| 4. | Kirby Smart (Georgia, 2021-24) | *35 | 33-2 | 94.3 |
In school history, Georgia has played 45 games as the No. 1 ranked team and has a record of 41-4 in those contests (91.1%). Prior to Smart, these games were in 1942 (2-1), 1980 (3-0), 1982 (2-1) and 2008 (1-0).
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ILB
/ Football
ILB
/ Football
PK
/ Football
PK
/ FootballMonday, October 12
Monday, October 12
Monday, October 12
Sunday, October 11