November 15, 2026 | Football, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
The options are plentiful, and getting more so by the game.
In No. 1 Georgia's 48-21 win over No. 22 Missouri on Saturday night at Sanford Stadium, a game that was a rout before halftime, quarterback Gunner Stockton completed 18 of 24 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown. With the game well in hand late, backup Ryan Puglisi was 2-for-2 for 34 yards, including a stunner of a 29-yard completion to wide receiver Talyn Taylor, who may have made the catch of the year for the Bulldogs.
Georgia's 20 completions were spread over 10 different targets: four receivers caught passes, as did four tight ends, and two running backs also had receptions.
"We just have playmakers everywhere," said one of those receivers, Isiah Canion, who caught four passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. "It's always good when you can get anybody the ball, and they can make plays. It is a testament to our staff and how they put this team together, and our players and the work we put in."
Taylor, the offensive star of Georgia's 42-7 rout of Ole Miss last week with three touchdown catches, had three receptions for 63 yards against Missouri. With Puglisi in the game early in the fourth quarter, Taylor, with a defender all over him, made a twisting, turning catch on the right sideline for a 29-yard gain. It was a "How did he do that?" kind of grab.
"Yeah, he does that every day," Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said after his Bulldogs improved to 9-1 overall and 7-1 in SEC play. "I mean, we see those kinds of catches out of him. I thought the adjustment to the ball was really good."
Craig Dandridge Jr. led the Bulldogs with six catches for 85 yards, with a long of 26 yards. It was a career-high in catches for the freshman, who ranks second on the team with 26 receptions this season.
"Craig being so young, you wouldn't think he's as young as he is. Just the maturity, the way he attacks practice, meetings, everything, and on top of that, he's a great player," Stockton said.
On Georgia's third drive of the game, Stockton hit Dandridge for 11 yards on third-and-6 from the UGA 17-yard line. A few plays later, Stockton hit Dandridge again for 14 yards. Two plays later, Stockton found tight end Lawson Luckie for a 26-yard gain down to the Missouri 17. Soon after, Nate Frazier ran the ball in from the 3 for one of his three touchdowns.
Canion, who missed five games with an injury before returning in last week's 42-7 drubbing of Ole Miss, scored Georgia's only receiving touchdown. The Georgia Tech transfer, a junior, had three catches all season before Saturday, and he caught four for 63 yards against Missouri, including a 12-yarder for a TD that made it 31-0 with 6:52 to go in the second quarter.
"It's awesome; it's a blessing," Canion said of coming back strong after the injury. "Sometimes we take for granted being able to play this game, especially on a stage like this. It's just a blessing to be here, a blessing to be able to suit up and play. I feel great."
Smart described the 6-foot-4 and 205-pound Canion as a "physical presence" on the field. "He's heavy, he's strong, he's fast. He's a good 50-50 (ball) guy; he's hard to cover. I don't think we've seen his best yet — I think his best is still ahead. ... Craig and Talyn are certainly very talented, and when they're all on the field, it makes us a better team."
Heading into this week's game at No. 17 South Carolina, which lost 34-6 at Arkansas on Saturday, Taylor leads the team with 28 receptions for 489 yards and six touchdowns. Dandridge is second with 26 for 434 and a TD. Six other Bulldogs have between 10-15 catches, as well. Canion only has seven catches so far, but after coming back from his injury, he's giving the Bulldogs one more dangerous option in the passing game.
While the passing game was thriving against the Tigers, the run game was doing just fine, too. Missouri had allowed five rushing touchdowns all season coming into the game, and the Bulldogs scored five on the ground Saturday. Frazier had three rushing scores and a game-high 72 yards, Dwight Phillips, Jr. ran seven times for 66 yards, Stockton scored on an 8-yard run and Chauncey Bowens, on his first carry in more than a month due to injury, scored on a 5-yarder.
Since Georgia's 27-24 home loss to Auburn on Oct. 17, the Bulldogs have won three straight against then-ranked opponents (Florida, Ole Miss, Missouri) and outscored them by a combined 117-36, with most of those points against Georgia coming long after the game was decided.
"We've done a lot of good things in November," Smart said, "but this team will be measured by November and months afterwards. So we have to stay level-headed and get better, and that is harder than ever because the noise gets louder."
Staff Writer
The options are plentiful, and getting more so by the game.
In No. 1 Georgia's 48-21 win over No. 22 Missouri on Saturday night at Sanford Stadium, a game that was a rout before halftime, quarterback Gunner Stockton completed 18 of 24 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown. With the game well in hand late, backup Ryan Puglisi was 2-for-2 for 34 yards, including a stunner of a 29-yard completion to wide receiver Talyn Taylor, who may have made the catch of the year for the Bulldogs.
Georgia's 20 completions were spread over 10 different targets: four receivers caught passes, as did four tight ends, and two running backs also had receptions.
"We just have playmakers everywhere," said one of those receivers, Isiah Canion, who caught four passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. "It's always good when you can get anybody the ball, and they can make plays. It is a testament to our staff and how they put this team together, and our players and the work we put in."
Taylor, the offensive star of Georgia's 42-7 rout of Ole Miss last week with three touchdown catches, had three receptions for 63 yards against Missouri. With Puglisi in the game early in the fourth quarter, Taylor, with a defender all over him, made a twisting, turning catch on the right sideline for a 29-yard gain. It was a "How did he do that?" kind of grab.
"Yeah, he does that every day," Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said after his Bulldogs improved to 9-1 overall and 7-1 in SEC play. "I mean, we see those kinds of catches out of him. I thought the adjustment to the ball was really good."
Craig Dandridge Jr. led the Bulldogs with six catches for 85 yards, with a long of 26 yards. It was a career-high in catches for the freshman, who ranks second on the team with 26 receptions this season.
"Craig being so young, you wouldn't think he's as young as he is. Just the maturity, the way he attacks practice, meetings, everything, and on top of that, he's a great player," Stockton said.
On Georgia's third drive of the game, Stockton hit Dandridge for 11 yards on third-and-6 from the UGA 17-yard line. A few plays later, Stockton hit Dandridge again for 14 yards. Two plays later, Stockton found tight end Lawson Luckie for a 26-yard gain down to the Missouri 17. Soon after, Nate Frazier ran the ball in from the 3 for one of his three touchdowns.
Canion, who missed five games with an injury before returning in last week's 42-7 drubbing of Ole Miss, scored Georgia's only receiving touchdown. The Georgia Tech transfer, a junior, had three catches all season before Saturday, and he caught four for 63 yards against Missouri, including a 12-yarder for a TD that made it 31-0 with 6:52 to go in the second quarter.
"It's awesome; it's a blessing," Canion said of coming back strong after the injury. "Sometimes we take for granted being able to play this game, especially on a stage like this. It's just a blessing to be here, a blessing to be able to suit up and play. I feel great."
Smart described the 6-foot-4 and 205-pound Canion as a "physical presence" on the field. "He's heavy, he's strong, he's fast. He's a good 50-50 (ball) guy; he's hard to cover. I don't think we've seen his best yet — I think his best is still ahead. ... Craig and Talyn are certainly very talented, and when they're all on the field, it makes us a better team."
Heading into this week's game at No. 17 South Carolina, which lost 34-6 at Arkansas on Saturday, Taylor leads the team with 28 receptions for 489 yards and six touchdowns. Dandridge is second with 26 for 434 and a TD. Six other Bulldogs have between 10-15 catches, as well. Canion only has seven catches so far, but after coming back from his injury, he's giving the Bulldogs one more dangerous option in the passing game.
While the passing game was thriving against the Tigers, the run game was doing just fine, too. Missouri had allowed five rushing touchdowns all season coming into the game, and the Bulldogs scored five on the ground Saturday. Frazier had three rushing scores and a game-high 72 yards, Dwight Phillips, Jr. ran seven times for 66 yards, Stockton scored on an 8-yard run and Chauncey Bowens, on his first carry in more than a month due to injury, scored on a 5-yarder.
Since Georgia's 27-24 home loss to Auburn on Oct. 17, the Bulldogs have won three straight against then-ranked opponents (Florida, Ole Miss, Missouri) and outscored them by a combined 117-36, with most of those points against Georgia coming long after the game was decided.
"We've done a lot of good things in November," Smart said, "but this team will be measured by November and months afterwards. So we have to stay level-headed and get better, and that is harder than ever because the noise gets louder."
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files.
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