Saturday, November 7
Oxford, Miss.
7:30 p.m.

University of Georgia

at

Ole Miss

26FB Game Notes - Ole Miss

November 02, 2026 | Football

 
Game & Broadcast Info
 
  • Kickoff: Saturday, November 7 - 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Location: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (64,038), Oxford, Miss.
  • 2026 Records: Georgia (7-1, 5-1), Ole Miss (6-2, 4-2)
  • 2026 Rankings: Georgia #2, Ole Miss #12
  • TV: ABC: Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy & Katie George
  • 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- 80/81 and the app
  • Web Stats: georgiadogs.com
  • Twitter: #UGAvsMISS
  • SECN ReBroadcast:  11/8 10p-1am ET; 11/12 4-7am ET
  • GameCenter: View Live GameCenter
  • History: Georgia vs. Ole Miss All-Time Series Results: UGA 34-15-1
  • Last Meeting: Ole Miss won 34-39 in New Orleans, La., 1/1/2026
  • Tickets: SeatGeek
Georgia-Ole Miss Quick Comparison
Georgia (SEC) Ole Miss (SEC)
Scoring Offense 41.0 (1st) 37.1 (4th)
Rushing Offense 200.1 (3rd) 157.5 (9th)
Passing Offense 250.8 (5th) 282.1 (2nd)
Total Offense 450.9 (3rd) 439.6 (4th)
Scoring Defense 14.9 (1st) 24.0 (9th)
Rushing Defense 86.0 (2nd) 148.9 (13th)
Passing Defense 186.6 (6th) 235.0 (12th)
Turnover Margin +6 (4th) Even (7th)
The 2026 Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC) checks in at No. 2 in the AP poll this week, up from No. 3 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 climbed to No. 3 after the open date and then to No. 2 after the win over #17 Florida.

The Bulldogs lead the SEC and rank fourth nationally in Scoring Offense at 41 points per game (ppg) and lead the SEC and rank 11th nationally in Scoring Defense at 14.9 ppg.

Georgia is outscoring its opponents 94-14 in the first quarter, 202-57 in the first half and 257-73 through three quarters. Overall, the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 328-119.

Fifth-year All-SEC quarterback Gunner Stockton ranks 6th in the NCAA with a 174.1 Passing Efficiency Rating and 6th in Completion Percentage at 71.8. 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.

Georgia has scored three defensive TDs and that is tied for fourth nationally among FBS teams. Texas Tech and Alabama are the co-leaders with five scores, all off of interceptions.

Georgia has two fumble returns for scores, both by junior Chris Cole who is a semifinalist for the Butkus Award. He is one of nine players nationally with two defensive scores this year and one of just two from the SEC (Dijon Lee-UA). Also, the Bulldogs have a pick-six by Tyriq Green.

The Bulldogs rank tied for fourth nationally with eight fumble recoveries. That trails only UCLA (10) and Coastal Carolina and Louisiana who have nine each.

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 who was back against UF.

Senior All-SEC placekicker Peyton Woodring owns a career FG% of 86% (68-of-79) and an SEC record 214 consecutive PATs made. Junior Drew Miller handles the punting.
The SEC Gauntlet Continues

The two-time defending SEC champion Bulldogs travel to Oxford to battle No. 12 Ole Miss (6-2, 4-2 SEC) Saturday night on ABC.

During Kirby Smart's tenure, Georgia is 79-19 against SEC teams (regular season, SEC title games and CFP matchups).

Georgia is coming off a 27-8 win over No. 17 Florida in Atlanta as the Gators avoided a shutout with a touchdown with 6:59 left in the game. The Rebels dispatched Auburn 45-15. After the Tiger cut it to 17-15 midway through the 3rd quarter, Ole Miss finished on a 28-0 run for the final.

Georgia leads the Ole Miss series 34-15-1 but is just 10-7 in Oxford. The teams first met in 1940 in Athens, a 28-14 Rebel victory.

The Bulldogs have made just three visits to Oxford since 2011 and are 1-2 in that span. The last victory there came in 2011 during a 10-game winning streak in the series.

Ole Miss holds a 3-2 edge over Georgia in the Smart era including 2-0 in Oxford while the Bulldogs are 2-0 against the Rebels in Athens. The last meeting came at the 2026 CFP Quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, La. Sixth-seed Ole Miss erased a 21-12 halftime deficit including scoring 20 points in the fourth quarter to upset the SEC Champions who finished 12-2.
Georgia Versus Ole Miss In The Smart Era

Sept. 24, 2016 #23 Ole Miss d. #12 Georgia 45-14 in Oxford Nov. 11, 2023 #2 Georgia d. #9 Ole Miss 52-17 in Athens Nov. 9, 2024 #16 Ole Miss d. #3 Georgia 28-10 in Oxford Oct. 18, 2025 #9 Georgia d. #5 Ole Miss 43-35 in Athens Jan. 2, 2026 #6 Ole Miss d. #3 Georgia 39-34 in New Orleans (CFP Qtr. at the Sugar Bowl)
32-6 In SEC Opponent Stadiums Since '16

In the Kirby Smart era, which began in 2016, Georgia is 32-6 in SEC opponent stadiums. There are two places where the Bulldogs have been and yet to win during this time, Baton Rouge (0-1) and Oxford (0-2). Note: Georgia has not played at Oklahoma, Texas A&M or on campus against Florida. The Georgia-Florida game has been played annually in Jacksonville until 2026-27, moving to Atlanta and Tampa for a two-year stretch due to renovations at EverBank Stadium. The Bulldogs are 9-2 against the Gators at neutral sites following their latest win in the series last Saturday.
All-Time Winningest SEC Coaches By Percentage
(All Games at SEC Schools & Min. 10 Years)
Rk Coach School Pct. Record
1. KIRBY SMART GEORGIA .849 124-22
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 80-10 .889
2. Alabama 75-16 .824
3 Ohio State 72-13 .847
Stockton Named NFF Campbell Trophy Finalist

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

Owns an 19-4 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 6th in NCAA in Passing Efficiency (174.1 rating) and 6th in Completion% (71.8) 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 70.2; 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
vs. #17 UF (W) 13 23 56.5 101 0 0 1 93.4 32

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
#17 UF 7 (5R, 2P) 5 (1R, 4P) #3 Georgia 27-8
TOTAL 81 (36R, 45P) 43 (15R, 28P)

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 200.1 rushing yards including 5.9 yards a rush.

The running back room has had to shuffle a bit due to injuries to its top returnees in Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens.

The Bulldogs have 20 rushing TDs on the year. Frazier is the co-leader with six TDs and five of those 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.

In the win over #17 UF, Frazier saw his heaviest workload since Sept. 19 as he had a team-high 12 carries for 67 yards and one TD. Georgia ran for 217 yards and two scores.

Against Arkansas, Frazier had 14 carries for 80 yards and a score but left in the 3rd quarter due to an injury. Bowens has six TDs in 35 attempts. He got injured against VU and has been out the past three games.

In the win at #6 Alabama, Frazier and 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 UA while sophomore Bo Walker added 10 carries for 69 yards.

Against VU, Phillips Jr. had a career-high five catches for 75 yards and one TD. He tallied 68 yards with one TD plus two catches for 22 yards versus AU and then followed that with 67 yards versus #17 UF.

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.

Frazier started the opener 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.
Finding The Open Man

Georgia is averaging 250.8 passing yards a game this year.

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

Sophomore WR Talyn Taylor leads the team with 21 catches for 286 yards and three TDs followed by freshman WR Craig Dandridge Jr. (20-for-310 yards, 1 TD) and junior WR Sacovie White-Helton (15-for-174 yards, 1 TD).

Senior London Humphreys has 14 catches for 136 yards and three TDs plus blocked a punt at Arkansas.

The longest TD catches belong to White-Helton (70-yarder vs. WKU) and Dandridge (61-yarder @ 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 five 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 fourth in the NCAA averaging 41 ppg. The Bulldogs have been sacked just nine times for 57 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 40 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 sometimes 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 34 catches for 471 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

Georgia leads the SEC and is 11th nationally in Scoring Defense, allowing 14.9 points a game. The Bulldogs have allowed only 14 points in the 1st 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 blanked #17 UF until 6:59 left in the contest in Atlanta in a 27-8 win. The Gators came in averaging 39.6 ppg.

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 86.0 rushing yards/game, which ranks 9th nationally. Also, the Bulldogs have 26 sacks for 167 yards.

Senior Jordan Hall and senior Gabe Harris Jr., and sophomore Elijah Griffin have been the starters up front. Harris Jr., has three sacks.

In the first five games, Georgia allowed just 287 rushing yards on 150 attempts for a 0.5 average. Then, Georgia faced teams that featured running QBs in Alabama's Keelon Russell and Auburn's Byrum Brown. In this span, the Bulldogs surrendered 353 yards on 75 attempts (4.7 avg.), and that duo combined for 156 yards on 35 attempts (4.5 avg.). Against #17 UF, Georgia limited the Gators to 54 rushing yards as RB Jaden Baugh finished with 38 yards on 17 carries while QB Trammell Jones Jr., had 17 on nine attempts with one score.

Along with the starters, a few others to watch in the rotation include Joseph Jonah-Ajonye, Josh Horton, JJ Hanne and Nnamdi Ogboko. Horton and Anthony Lonon Jr., have two sacks apiece. 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.
Torrent Of Tackles For Wilson And Cole

Senior Raylen Wilson (team-high 51 tackles, 7 TFL, 4 sacks, 2 CF) and junior Chris Cole (49 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 3 FR, 2 TDs) have made their share of game-changing plays. 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.

Cole has been named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award.

Georgia's Five Longest Fumble Return TDs In School History
99 yards by Damian Swann vs. Ga. Tech in 2014
96 yards by Leonard Floyd at Tennessee in 2015
92 yards by Sean Jones at Tennessee in 2003
85 yards by Chris Cole vs. Oklahoma in 2026
66 yards by Chris Cole vs. Florida in 2026

In the 27-8 win over #17 UF in Atlanta, Cole made nine stops, one sack and a 66-yard fumble return for a TD, his second this year. Wilson had eight tackles.

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 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. Wilson followed that performance with a career-high 11 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble against #24 OU.

Sophomore Quintavius Johnson has been in the starting lineup for every game. An example of his big-play impact came in the win over #17 UF as he had the sack/fumble hit on Trammell Jones that Cole picked up and scored.

In the road win over #6 Alabama, Johnson 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.

Junior Justin Williams (29 tackles, 4.5TFL, 2 sacks) along with freshman Khamari Brooks and sophomore AJ Kruah are in the early rotation.

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

With Georgia's propensity to stop the run, opponents are forced to lean on their passing game. Georgia's opponents are averaging 186.6 passing yards/ game and only 86 rushing yards. The secondary has seven interceptions.

The Bulldogs notched three INTs in the win over #17 UF including Braylon Conley getting the first of his career in the endzone with Georgia leading 24-0.

In the 27-24 loss to AU, QB Byrum 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.

Georgia's starting unit features Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist KJ Bolden along with Ellis Robinson IV, Demello Jones and Athens native Khalil Barnes. Against VU and at #6 Alabama, Rasean Dinkins got the start in place of Kyron Jones who has seen action in all eight games with four starts. Bolden missed the AU game but was back versus #17 UF and made six tackles.

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' highlights this year in wins include a 23-yard INT return against #17 UF, a career-high six stops over Arkansas, and a 41-yard INT return versus WKU. 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.

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).

Freshmen Tyriq Green and Blake Stewart have contributed to some big plays this year. Green has missed the past six 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.

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 (99-for-154) with 17 TDs.

In 2026, Georgia is 3-for-5 (60%) 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. The other failed attempt came with 21 seconds left in the 27-8 win over #17 UF.

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 214-for-214. 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 68 points (9x12 FG, 41x41 PATs).

Woodring's Career FG% is 86.1% (68-of-79), 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 56 kickoffs with 39 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 (12x, last vs. #17 Florida in MBS/Atlanta '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 46.5 yards on 22 punts with nine 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 9.3 yards per punt return (15 -139 yards) plus two KOR for 34 yards (17.0). He had a season-high 35-yard PR against TSU and a 30-yarder versus #17 UF.

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.
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 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
G8: 4 (66-yd. Fum. Ret. TD by C. Cole); UF: 0
 
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
#17 UF: Georgia got 17 pts off 4 TO; UF got 8 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 4 INTs.
Bulldog INT TD Last INT
Ellis Robinson IV, DB 6 0 vs. UF26
KJ Bolden, S 4 0 OU26
Demello Jones, DB 2 0 vs. UF26
Blake Stewart, S 1 0 WKU26
Kyron Jones, Star 1 1 UTM23
Daniel Okonkwo, S 1 0 CHAR25
Braylon Conley, DB 1 0 vs. UF26
!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 8 FR in 2026; Opp. have 5 FR
Bulldog FR Last FR
Chris Cole, LB 5 vs. UF26
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 26 sacks in 2026; Opponents have 9. Last year, Georgia had only 20 sacks and allowed 20.
Bulldog '26 '25 '24 '23 Total
Raylen Wilson, LB 4 2.5 1.5 0.5 8.5
Chris Cole, LB 3.5 4.5 0 n/a 8.0
Gabe Harris Jr., LB 3 1 2 0 6
Quintavius Johnson, LB 3 2 0 n/a 5
Elijah Griffin, DL 2 1 n/a n/a 3
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
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);
#17 UF: None;
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.
#17 UF: Earnest Greene III, Gunner Stockton, Chris Cole, Quintavius Johnson
HEAD COACH KIRBY SMART QUICK FACTS
 
  • Career Record: 124-22 (.849), 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 7 1 .875 5-1 -- --
Total 124 22 .849 *79-19

#5-6 (includes 2017-19, '21-'25 SECCGs, 2018 & 2022 CFPNC, 2026 CFP Quarterfinal at Sugar Bowl)
 
20 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
2026 @ #6 Alabama Tied 17-17 20-17

%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);
36 DEFENSE AND SPECIAL TEAMS SCORES UNDER SMART

The Bulldogs are 31-2 (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, and then he did it again going 66 yards versus #17 UF in Atlanta. 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 t
DEFENSIVE SCORING IN THE SMART ERA
 
138 Points: 21 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: 18 points in three games (INT Ret., 2 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).

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