Georgia Takes on Florida in Atlanta for the First Time

Saturday, October 31

Atlanta, Ga.

3:30 p.m.

University of Georgia

Florida

Buy tickets

October 26, 2026 | Football

Complete Game Notes Game Notes Index Gameday Central

Game & Broadcast Info

Kickoff: Saturday, October 31 - 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (75,000) | Atlanta, Ga.
2026 Records: Georgia (6-1, 4-1), Florida (5-2, 3-2)
2026 Rankings: Georgia #3/#3, Florida #17/20
TV: ABC: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit & Holly Rowe
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- 172/84 and the app
Web Stats: georgiadogs.com
Twitter: #UFvsUGA
SECN ReBroadcast: Wed. 11/4 - 11a-2pm ET & 12-3am ET
GameCenter: View Live GameCenter
History: Georgia vs. Florida All-Time Series Results: UGA 58-44-2
Last Meeting: Georgia won 24-20 in Jacksonville, Fla., 11/1/2025
Tickets: SeatGeek

Georgia-Florida Quick Comparison

	Georgia (SEC)	Florida (SEC)
Scoring Offense	43.0 (1st)	39.6 (3rd)
Rushing Offense	197.7 (3rd)	194.3 (4th)
Passing Offense	272.1 (3rd)	256.6 (7th)
Total Offense	469.9 (2nd)	450.9 (4th)
Scoring Defense	15.9 (1st)	28.3 (15th)
Rushing Defense	91.4 (2nd)	120.7 (9th)
Passing Defense	185.0 (6th)	255.0 (15th)
Turnover Margin	+3 (T4th)	+2 (T6th)

The 2026 Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia (6-1, 4-1 SEC) checks in at No. 3 in the AP poll this week, up from No. 5 last week.

Georgia began this season No. 3 and spent five weeks at No. 2 before moving to No. 1 on Oct. 11. After a 27-24 home loss to Auburn, Georgia dropped to No. 5 (Oct. 18) and then had an open date.

The Bulldogs lead the SEC and rank second nationally in Scoring Offense at 43 points per game (ppg) and lead the SEC and rank 16th nationally in Scoring Defense at 15.9 ppg.

Georgia has gone 1-1 in its past two games and has averaged 22.0 ppg while allowing 22.0 ppg.

Georgia's 301 points is the second most after seven games in school history, trailing only the 2014 squad that tallied 304.

Georgia is outscoring its opponents 87-14 in the first quarter. Overall, the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 301-111.

Fifth-year All-SEC quarterback Gunner Stockton ranks 2nd in the NCAA with a 185.9 Passing Efficiency Rating and 3rd Completion Percentage at 74.1. The running backs, wideouts and tight ends have shared the load this season. Thirteen different Bulldogs have a touchdown catch.

The offensive line starters have been the same every game in Earnest Greene III, Dontrell Glover, Drew Bobo, Zykie Helton and Juan Gaston Jr.

Only one team has scored more than 20 points this season on the Bulldogs, and that's the best since the 2021 national championship team as 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. This group 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 No. 6 Alabama, Dinkins made his second straight start while Barnes returned to the starting lineup. In the Auburn contest, the only first-time starter was Ja'Marley Riddle (S) for the injured Bolden.

Senior All-SEC placekicker Peyton Woodring is a weapon with a career FG% of 87% (66-of- 76) and an SEC record 211 consecutive PATs made. Junior Drew Miller handles the punting.

The SEC Gauntlet Continues

The two-time defending SEC champion Bulldogs play host to No. 17 Florida (5-2, 3-2 SEC) Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta with both teams coming off an open date. The neutral site contest this year is called the Invesco QQQ Atlanta Gridiron Classic, and Georgia is the home team.

During Kirby Smart's tenure, Georgia is 78-19 against SEC teams (regular season, SEC title games and CFP matchups).

Under Smart, the Bulldogs are 17-3 after a loss, and they haven't lost back-to-back games in the regular season since 2016 when it happened twice. Georgia did drop its final two games of the 2018 postseason. The Bulldogs are 12-3 after a bye week in the Smart era.

It's Georgia-Florida...In Atlanta For The First Time

Georgia leads the series 58-44-2. The teams first met in 1904 in Macon, a 52-0 Bulldog victory. Since 1933, the teams played in Jacksonville with the exception of the 1994-95 games which moved on campus while the Gator Bowl was being renovated for the NFL's newest franchise, the Jacksonville Jaguars. With renovations to EverBank Stadium underway in Jacksonville, the teams are playing in Atlanta this year and then Tampa in 2027. The 1919 Georgia-Florida game was held in Tampa, and Georgia won 16-0.

Lately, it's the Bulldogs with the upperhand in the UF series. Georgia has won five straight.

The Bulldogs are 8-2 against UF under Smart. After UF's win over Georgia in '20, the Bulldogs compiled a 42-game regular season winning streak that ended in 2024 at #4 UA

Georgia Versus Florida In The Smart Era
2016 #14 Florida d. Georgia 24-10
2017 #3 Georgia d. Florida 42-7
2018 #7 Georgia d. #9 Florida 36-17
2019 #8 Georgia d. #6 Florida 24-17
2020 #8 Florida d. #5 Georgia 44-28
2021 #1 Georgia d. Florida 34-7
2022 #1 Georgia d. Florida 42-20
2023 #1 Georgia d. Florida 43-20
2024 #2 Georgia d. Florida 34-20
2025 #5 Georgia d. Florida 24-20

Georgia-Florida Hall of Fame

Since 1996, the Friday before the annual game features the induction of a pair of Bulldogs and Gators in the Georgia- Florida Hall of Fame, which was created by the City of Jacksonville Office of Sports and Entertainment. This year's Class of 2026 inductees will be Georgia's Brandon Boykin (DB, 2008-11) and Andre Hastings (WR, 1990-92) alongside Maurkice Pouncey (OT, 2007-09) and Emmitt Smith (RB, 1987-89) from UF. The ceremony will be at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

All-Time Winningest SEC Coaches By Percentage
(All Games at SEC Schools & Min. 10 Years)

Rk	Coach	School	Pct.	Record
1.	KIRBY SMART	GEORGIA	.848	123-22
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	79-10	.888
2.	Alabama	75-16	.824
3	Ohio State	72-12	.857

Stockton Named NFF Campbell Trophy Finalist

Fifth-year Gunner Stockton is a 6-1, 215-pound native of Tiger, Ga.

Owns an 18-4 career record as a starter and part of two SEC Championships

Finalist for National Football Foundation Campbell Trophy (Academic Heisman), Graduated in May of '25 (Sport Management), Academic All-SEC

Ranks 2nd in NCAA in Passing Efficiency (185.9 rating) and 3rd in Completion% (74.1) in 2026. Twice named Davey O'Brien Great 8 weekly honor

Aims to become only 3rd QB in SEC history with Career Completion Percentage over 70%, Currently 70.7; SEC Record Holder is Mac Jones, UA 2017-20 (74.3%, 413x556), Jayden Daniels, LSU 2022-23 (70.2%, 502x715).

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 five 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	2 (AU '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	7/7	117	158	74.1	1,570	4	16	185.9	70 WKU(TD)
Total	30/22	443	627	70.7	5,052	11	43	157.5	70 WKU(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
AU (L)	22	34	64.7	272	2	2	2	139.6	31

Behind Stockton, the QB room with game experience includes a trio of Bulldogs. Junior Ryan Puglisi (13 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 came in for Stockton for three plays against AU and went 3-for-3 for 55 yards including a career-long 41-yard completion to Craig Dandridge Jr.

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 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	6/0	20	31	64.5	252	0	2	154.1	41 AU
Total	13/0	36	58	62.1	413	2	3	132.1	41 AU

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: 41 vs. AU '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
#6	UA 11 (6R, 5P)	9 (4R, 5P)	#2 Georgia 20-17
AU	11 (3R, 8P)	9 (5R, 4P)	AU 27-24
TOTAL	74 (31R, 43P)	38 (14R, 24P)

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

Depth Getting Tested In RB Room

Georgia is averaging 197.7 rushing yards including 6.0 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 Jr. showed his versatility as he posted a career-high five catches for 75 yards and one TD.

Phillips Jr., carried the load against AU, tallying 68 yards on 10 carries with one TD plus had two catches for 22 yards.

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 18 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. He did not play at #6 Alabama and was limited to nine carries for 18 yards in a start against AU.

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 has been out the past two games.

Finding The Open Man

Georgia is averaging 272.1 passing yards a game in its 6-1 start.

The 18 TD catches on the year belong to 13 different Bulldogs.

Sophomore WR Talyn Taylor leads the team with 19 catches for 283 yards and 3 TDs followed by freshman WR Craig Dandridge Jr. (17-for-310 yards, 1 TD) and junior WR Sacovie White-Helton (15-for-174 yards, 1 TD).

The longest TD catches belong to White-Helton (70-yarder vs. WKU) and Dandridge (61-yarder @ Arkansas).

Senior London Humphreys was the top returning receivier. This year, he has 12 catches for 120 yards and three 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 four 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 Offensive Line

Georgia has featured the same starting five linemen this season, and that's a welcome sight. The Bulldog front had an eventful season in 2025 due to injuries, employing a different starting OL unit in its first six games.

In 2026, Georgia leads the SEC and ranks third in the NCAA averaging 43 ppg. The Bulldogs have been sacked just eight times for 52 yards. The Georgia offensive line has been named to the Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll.

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 39 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.

Glover earned SEC OL of the Week honors after the win over #6 Alabama.

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.

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 31 catches for 443 yards and 7 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 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).

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.

Setting The Tone Early

This year, Georgia leads the SEC and is 16th nationally in Scoring Defense, allowing 15.9 points a game including just 14 in the first quarter.

In week five, Vanderbilt became the first team to score a first quarter TD against Georgia this year. VU tallied 14 points in the first half before being blanked in the second half. AU scored the other first quarter TD this season.

#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.

Georgia went up 14-0 in the 1st quarter against AU, and then the Tigers scored 24 unanswered points and eventually hit a 34-yard FG as time expired. 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.

Stopping The Run One Of the Defensive Keys

In 2026, Georgia's opponents are averaging only 91.4 rushing yards/game, which ranks 10th nationally. Also, the Bulldogs have 22 sacks for 148 yards.

Senior Jordan Hall and senior Gabe Harris Jr., and sophomore Elijah Grifin have been the starters up front.

In the first five games, Georgia allowed just 287 rushing yards on 150 attempts for a 0.5 average. Georgia's last two opponents have featured running QBs in Alabama's Keelon Russell and Auburn's Byrun Brown. In this span, the Bulldogs have surrendered 353 yards on 75 attempts (4.7 avg.), and that duo combined for 156 yards on 35 attempts (4.5 avg.).

Junior Joseph Jonah-Ajonye had a career-high six stops against Arkansas. He made his first start of the season against VU. Then, he had his first career sack and forced fumble in the road win over #6 Alabama to earn SEC DL of the Week honors. Harris Jr. and Anthony Lonon Jr. each had a sack against WKU.

A few more veterans up front are Josh Horton, JJ Hanne and Nnamdi Ogboko. Horton and Lonon Jr., have two sacks apiece.

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.

Torrent Of Tackles For Wilson And Cole

In SEC action, senior Raylen Wilson and junior Chris Cole 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 43 and Cole at 40.

In the loss to AU, Wilson and Cole were co-leaders with 10 stops.

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.

Cole was named the Bednarik Award Player of the Week after the win at #6 Alabama, accounting for eight tackles and a sack.

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.

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 ranks fourth on the team with 24 stops.

In the win at Arkansas, Williams made four tackles and got his first career sack that knocked the Razorbacks out of field goal range.

In the road win over #6 Alabama, Jackson made four stops, one sack and a fumble recovery. Against Arkansas, he sniffed out a trick play, and he collected a TFL for five yards.

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.

Secondary Standouts

With Georgia's propensity to stop the run, opponents are forced to lean on their passing game. Georgia's opponents are averaging 185 passing yards/ game and only 91.4 rushing yards. The secondary has four interceptions.

In the 27-24 loss to AU, QB Byrun Brown gained 115 rushing yards on 26 attempts plus was 15-for-26 for 150 passing yards. AU outgained Georgia 192-113 on the ground, and Georgia had five sacks while the Tigers had two.

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 features 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 missed the AU game.

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 five 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.

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 211-for-211. The old marks belonged to Georgia's Rodrigo Blankenship (200).

The NCAA mark for Consecutive PATs made is 233 (Alex Trilca, Texas Tech).

For the year, Woodring has a team-best 59 points (7x9 FG, 38x38 PATs).

Woodring's Career FG% is 86.8% (66-of-76), and he might set the Georgia and SEC record. Blankenship holds the school mark at 82.5% from 2016-19, making 80-of-97 while the SEC record is 87.8% (Bobby Raymond, 43x49, UF, 1982-84 when wider goal posts and kicking off a tee allowed: Tees outlawed since 1989 and goal posts width reduced to 18 feet 6 inches since 1991).

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 50 kickoffs with 36 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 46.1 yards on 19 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

A Look At The Return Game

Junior Sacovie White-Helton is averaging 8.5 yards per punt return, tallying 13 for 111 yards plus two KOR for 34 yards (17.0).

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). Green has been named to the Midseason Watch List for the Jet Award.

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.

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 42-7 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).

Rk	School	Titles
Most SEC Championship Game Titles (SECCG Began In 1992)
1.	Alabama	11
2.	Florida	7
3.	GEORGIA	6

Rk	Coach	Titles (Schools)
Most SEC CG Titles By Coach (By Coaches Since Game Began In 1992)
1.	Nick Saban	11 (LSU-2, Alabama-9)
2.	Steve Spurrier	5 (Florida)
3.	KIRBY SMART	4 (GEORGIA)

Rk	School	Start	2025-26	Bowl Streak
Longest Active 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.

Rk	Schools	Bowls	Record (incl BCS/CFP)
Most Bowl Game/CFP Appearances (Entering 2026 Season)
1.	Alabama	80	47-30-3
2.	GEORGIA	64	38-23-3
3.	Texas	63	34-27-2

Rk	School	Titles	Last One
Most SEC Titles
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 35 big plays. Opponents have 11.
Georgia's longest each game is listed below.

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
G7: 2 (41-yrd. pass Puglisi-Dandridge); AU: 1

Points Off Turnovers In 2026

Georgia has a +3 Turnover Margin.
Georgia has 62 points off 11 turnovers.
Opponents have 22 points off eight 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
AU: Georgia got none; AU got 3 off 3

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 4 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

Note: ! INTs at previous school; ^ 55-yd-Temple24

Bulldog Career Fumble Recoveries

Georgia has 7 FR in 2026;

Opp. have 4 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 22 sacks in 2026; Opponents have 8.

Bulldog	'26	'25	'24	'23	Total
Raylen Wilson, LB	4	2.5	1.5	0.5	8.5
Chris Cole, LB	2.5	4.5	0	n/a	7.0
Gabe Harris Jr., LB	2	1	2	0	5
Quintavius Johnson, LB	2	2	0	n/a	4
Josh Horton, DL	2	0	0	0	2
Anthony Lonon Jr., DL	2	n/a	n/a	n/a	2
Justin Williams, LB	2	0	0	n/a	2
Elijah Griffin, DL	1	1	n/a	n/a	2
Zayden Walker, LB	-	2	n/a	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
J. Jonah-Ajonye, DL	1	0	0	n/a	1
Elijah Littlejohn, LB	1	n/a	n/a	n/a	1
Nnamdi Ogboko, DL	-	1	0	n/a	1
Jordan Thomas, DL	-	0	1	n/a	1
Valdin Sone, DL	.5	n/a	n/a	n/a	0.5
!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)
AU: Ja'Marley Riddle (FS);

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 Woodring
WKU: 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
AU: Elijah Griffin, Jordan Hall, Drew Bobo, Dwight Phillips Jr.

HEAD COACH KIRBY SMART QUICK FACTS

Career Record: 123-22 (.848), 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	6	1	1.000	4-1	--	--
Total	123	22	.848	*78-19

#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)	*36	33-3	91.7

In school history, Georgia has played 46 games as the No. 1 ranked team and has a record of 41-5 in those contests (89.1%). Prior to Smart, these games were in 1942 (2-1), 1980 (3-0), 1982 (2-1) and 2008 (1-0).