Photo by: Camille Menzies/UGAAA
November 02, 2026 | Football
ATHENS, Ga. --- Bulldog linebacker Chris Cole has been named the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Week while Gabe Harris Jr. has garnered Defensive Lineman of the Week honors, according to a league announcement Monday.
This marks Cole's second award of this kind in 2026 and Georgia's fourth and fifth overall SEC accolades of the season.
Cole, a native of Salem, Va., led the Bulldogs with nine tackles, including seven solos and a sack, and returned a fumble 66 yards for a touchdown during the 27-8 rout over No. 17 Florida. With under a minute in the second quarter, Cole scooped up a ball and sprinted 66 yards for a touchdown to put Georgia up 24-0. This marked his second fumble recovery returned for a TD this season and third of his career. Cole's sack for loss of two yards set up the Gators to go 4-and-out during their second to last possession of the game.
Harris, a native of Thomasville, Ga., had a sack and forced a fumble during the Bulldogs' seventh victory. He posted a fourth quarter sack for loss of 10 yards to put the Gators in a 3rd-and-20 situation. Harris was part of a defense that held Florida scoreless in the first three quarters, to only 54 yards rushing and just 4-for-12 on third downs.
The No. 2 Bulldogs travel to Oxford, Miss., to take on No. 12 Ole Miss on Saturday. ABC will televise the matchup at 7:30 p.m. ET.
This marks Cole's second award of this kind in 2026 and Georgia's fourth and fifth overall SEC accolades of the season.
Cole, a native of Salem, Va., led the Bulldogs with nine tackles, including seven solos and a sack, and returned a fumble 66 yards for a touchdown during the 27-8 rout over No. 17 Florida. With under a minute in the second quarter, Cole scooped up a ball and sprinted 66 yards for a touchdown to put Georgia up 24-0. This marked his second fumble recovery returned for a TD this season and third of his career. Cole's sack for loss of two yards set up the Gators to go 4-and-out during their second to last possession of the game.
Harris, a native of Thomasville, Ga., had a sack and forced a fumble during the Bulldogs' seventh victory. He posted a fourth quarter sack for loss of 10 yards to put the Gators in a 3rd-and-20 situation. Harris was part of a defense that held Florida scoreless in the first three quarters, to only 54 yards rushing and just 4-for-12 on third downs.
The No. 2 Bulldogs travel to Oxford, Miss., to take on No. 12 Ole Miss on Saturday. ABC will televise the matchup at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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