Saturday, November 14
Athens, Ga.
3:30 p.m.
University of Georgia
vs
Missouri
November 09, 2026 | Football
Game & Broadcast Info
- Kickoff: Saturday, November 14 - 3:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium (93,033), Athens, Ga.
- 2026 Records: Georgia (8-1, 6-1), Missouri (6-3, 3-3)
- 2026 Rankings: Georgia #1, Missouri NR
- 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- 992; Georgia Channel: 179 or 230; App: 954
- Web Stats: georgiadogs.com
- Twitter: #MIZvsUGA
- SECN ReBroadcast: 11/17 3-6am ET; 11/19 9:30p-12:30am ET
- GameCenter: View Live GameCenter
- History: Georgia vs. Missouri All-Time Series Results: UGA 12-1
- Last Meeting: Georgia won 30-21 in Athens, Ga., 11/4/2023
- Tickets: SeatGeek
Georgia-Missouri Quick Comparison
| Georgia (SEC) | Missouri (SEC) | |
|---|---|---|
| Scoring Offense | 41.1 (1st) | 30.2 (9th) |
| Rushing Offense | 210.7 (2nd) | 158.2 (8th) |
| Passing Offense | 243.6 (7th) | 256.7 (3rd) |
| Total Offense | 454.2 (2nd) | 414.8 (5th) |
| Scoring Defense | 14.0 (1st) | 20.1 (7th) |
| Rushing Defense | 83.8 (1st) | 95.8 (3rd) |
| Passing Defense | 186.6 (5th) | 234.7 (12th) |
| Turnover Margin | +8 (4th) | +9 (2nd) |
The 2026 Georgia Bulldogs
Top-ranked and SEC-leader Georgia (8-1, 6-1 SEC) plays host to Missouri Saturday at 3:30 p.m. (ABC) in the final SEC regular season game on Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium. Last Saturday, Georgia blasted #10 Ole Miss 42-7 in Oxford while then No. 18 Missouri fell 34-20 to No. 7 Texas in Columbia.
Georgia holds a 12-1 edge over Missouri in a series that dates to 1960. The Bulldogs have won 10 straight in the series.
During head coach Kirby Smart's tenure, Georgia is 80-19 against SEC teams in regular season, SEC title games and CFP matchups including 33-5 at home.
In the Smart era against the Tigers, the Bulldogs are 8-0 overall including 4-0 in Athens. Missouri's lone win came in Athens in 2013 by a score of 41-26.
The Bulldogs lead the SEC and rank fifth nationally in Scoring Offense at 41.1 points per game (ppg) and lead the SEC and rank seventh nationally in Scoring Defense at 14.0 ppg.
Georgia and Notre Dame are the only two FBS teams to rank in the top 10 nationally in both Scoring Offense and Defense. Georgia is 5th and 7th while the Irish are 9th in both.
Since being upset by Auburn 27-24 on Oct. 17, the Bulldogs are 2-0 and have outscored their opponents 69-15, surrendering just a pair of fourth-quarter TDs after having leads of 24-0 on #17 UF and 35-0 over #10 OM. UF and OM were averaging 39.6 and 37.1 points per game.
Georgia's 35-point win last Saturday over a top 10 opponent in their stadium was the largest in Georgia history. The Rebels were ranked fourth nationally in fewest sacks allowed and hadn't surrendered one in three games before the Bulldogs collected five on the night.
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's defense has scored three TDs.
This season, Georgia is outscoring its opponents 108-14 in the first quarter and 230-57 in the first half. Overall, the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 370-26.
Fifth-year All-SEC quarterback Gunner Stockton, who is now among the top 10 for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, ranks fourth in the NCAA with a 180.1 Passing Efficiency Rating and eighth in Completion Percentage at 70.9. He is among the Davey O'Brien Award Great 8 for week 10. Georgia's 45 TDs this year are 22 rushing and 23 passing.
Thirteen different Bulldogs have a touchdown catch led by sophomore Talyn Taylor who has six. Juniors Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens each have a team-best six rushing TDs.
The offensive line starters has been the same all year in Earnest Greene III, Dontrell Glover, Lombardi Award semifinalist Drew Bobo, Zykie Helton and Juan Gaston Jr. In the latest win over #10 OM, Georgia tallied 295 yards on the ground and allowed just one sack.
The defensive starters have featured Elijah Griffin, Jordan Hall, Quintavius Johnson, Gabe Harris Jr., Butkus and Lombardi Award semifinalist Chris Cole and Raylen Wilson while the back end has included Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist KJ Bolden and Ellis Robinson IV plus Demello Jones, Kyron Jones and Khalil Barnes. A few others who have made starts include Joseph Jonah-Ajonye, Rasean Dinkins and Ja'Marley Riddle.
Senior All-SEC placekicker Peyton Woodring owns a career FG% of 85% (68-of-80) and an SEC record 220 consecutive PATs made. Junior Drew Miller handles the punting.
SEC Nation Following The Bulldogs
SEC Nation, a three-hour traveling college football pregame show that airs live on the SEC Network from 9 a.m. until noon ET each Saturday will be coming to Athens for the Georgia-Missouri game. The show features host Matt Barrie, analyst Chase Daniel and reporter Marion Crowder, who is a UGA grad and former soccer standout, alongside the familiar voices of Paul Finebaum, Roman Harper and Tim Tebow. This is the third straight game that SEC Nation will be covering the Bulldogs as they were in Atlanta for the win over No. 17 UF and the victory over No. 10 Ole Miss in Oxford.
All-Time Winningest SEC Coaches By Percentage
(All Games at SEC Schools & Min. 10 Years)
(All Games at SEC Schools & Min. 10 Years)
| Rk | Coach | School | Pct. | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | KIRBY SMART | GEORGIA | .850 | 125-22 |
| 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 | 81-10 | .890 |
| 2. | Alabama | 75-16 | .824 |
| 3 | Ohio State | 72-13 | .847 |
MOST GAMES COACHING AP NO. 1 TEAM
| Rk. | Coach (School, Seasons at No. 1) | Games | Rec. | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nick Saban (UA, 2008-2022) | 98 | 88-10 | 89.8 |
| T2. | Woody Hayes (Ohio St., 1954-75) | 45 | 40-4-1 | 90.0 |
| T2. | Bobby Bowden (FSU, 1988-2000) | 45 | 40-5 | 88.9 |
| 4. | Kirby Smart (Georgia, 2021-24, '26) | *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).
Stockton Named NFF Campbell Trophy Finalist
Fifth-year Gunner Stockton is a 6-1, 215-pound native of Tiger, Ga.
Owns a 20-4 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 4th in NCAA in Passing Efficiency (180.1 rating) and 8th in Completion% (70.9) in 2026. Thrice named Davey O'Brien Great 8 weekly honor
Aims to become only 3rd QB in SEC history with Career Completion Percentage over 70%, Currently 69.9; SEC Record Holder is Mac Jones, UA 2017-20 (74.3%, 413x556), Jayden Daniels, LSU 2022-23 (70.2%, 502x715).
Accounted for 5 TDs in 42-7 road win over #10 Ole Miss (9-for-15, 186 yards, 4 TDs covering 3, 6, 58 and 65 yards plus 1 rushing TD)
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.
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) |
| 2026 | 9/9 | 139 | 196 | 70.9 | 1,857 | 4 | 20 | 180.1 | 70WKU(TD) |
| Total | 32/24 | 465 | 665 | 69.9 | 5,339 | 11 | 47 | 157.4 | 70WKU(TD) |
Stockton's Career Game-By-Game
| Game | Cmp. | Att. | Pct. | Yds. | INT | TD | SK | EFF | LG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | |||||||||
| UT Martin | 3 | 5 | 60.0 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 108.7 | 20 |
| Ball State | 1 | 1 | 100.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 133.6 | 4 |
| UAB | 2 | 3 | 66.7 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 53.2 | 15 |
| #4 FSU (Orange) | 6 | 10 | 60.0 | 96 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 206.6 | 31 |
| 2024 | |||||||||
| #14 Clemson | 0 | 0 | 00.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - |
| Tenn. Tech | 10 | 12 | 83.3 | 90 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 146.3 | 21 |
| UMass | 3 | 4 | 75.0 | 45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 169.5 | 23 |
| #2 Texas (SEC) | 12 | 16 | 75.0 | 71 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 99.8 | 18 |
| #5 ND(CFP Qtr.) (L) | 20 | 32 | 62.5 | 234 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 134.2 | 67 |
| 2025 | |||||||||
| Marshall (W) | 14 | 24 | 58.3 | 190 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 152.3 | 47TD |
| Austin Peay (W) | 26 | 34 | 76.5 | 227 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 132.6 | 19 |
| @ #15 UT (W) | 23 | 31 | 74.2 | 304 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 177.9 | 45 |
| #17 Alabama (L) | 13 | 20 | 65.0 | 130 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 136.1 | 38TD |
| Kentucky (W) | 15 | 23 | 65.2 | 196 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 142.5 | 36 |
| @ AU (W) | 24 | 37 | 64.9 | 217 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 141.4 | 30 |
| #5 OM (W) | 26 | 31 | 83.9 | 289 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 204.8 | 36 |
| vs. UF (W) | 20 | 29 | 69.0 | 223 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 149.4 | 42 |
| @ MSU (W) | 18 | 29 | 62.1 | 264 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 172.7 | 64TD |
| #10 Texas (W) | 24 | 29 | 82.8 | 229 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 187.7 | 30TD |
| Charlotte (W) | 17 | 21 | 81.0 | 196 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 149.8 | 38 |
| @ #23 GT (W) | 11 | 21 | 52.4 | 70 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 86.6 | 24 |
| #9 UA{SECCG} (W) | 20 | 26 | 76.9 | 156 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 165.4 | 19 |
| #6 OM {CFP/Sug} (L) | 18 | 31 | 58.1 | 203 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 123.7 | 31 |
| 2026 | |||||||||
| TSU (W) | 15 | 16 | 93.8 | 202 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 261.7 | 25 |
| WKU (W) | 13 | 16 | 81.3 | 234 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 307.2 | 70TD |
| @ ARK (W) | 10 | 13 | 76.9 | 147 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 197.3 | 61TD |
| #24 OU (W) | 14 | 25 | 56.0 | 171 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 118.7 | 41 |
| VU (W) | 25 | 32 | 78.1 | 295 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 186.5 | 55 |
| #6 Bama (W) | 18 | 22 | 81.8 | 249 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 182.8 | 53 |
| 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 |
| #10 OM (W) | 9 | 15 | 60.0 | 186 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 252.2 | 65TD |
Behind Stockton, there's junior Ryan Puglisi (14 career games) followed by sophomores Ryan Montgomery and Hezekiah Millender.
Puglisi is the only backup in the SEC who signed with and has spent more than two seasons at his current school.
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 | 7/0 | 20 | 31 | 64.5 | 252 | 0 | 2 | 154.1 | 41 AU |
| Total | 14/0 | 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 |
| #24 OU | 6 (2R, 4P) | 4 (4P) | #2 Georgia 41-13 |
| VU | 8 (2R, 6P) | 6 (2R, 4P) | #2 Georgia 38-14 |
| #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 |
| #10 OM | 11 (8R, 3P) | 4 (1R, 3P) | #2 Georgia 42-7 |
| TOTAL | 92 (44R, 48P) | 47 (16R, 31P) |
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 Tested In RB Room This Season
Georgia is averaging 210.7 rushing yards including 5.9 yards a rush.
The running back room had to shuffle a bit during the season to injuries to its top returnees in Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens.
The Bulldogs have 22 rushing TDs on the year with Frazier and Bowens with six each. Five of Frazier's six 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 UA 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 a TD. He followed that with 107 yards on 16 carries at #10 OM. Georgia had 295 yards on 48 attempts.
Bowens got injured against VU and has been out the past four 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., who leads the team with 481 yards on 66 atempts, made his first career start and went for 120 yards on 17 carries against #6 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.
Finding The Open Man
Georgia is averaging 243.6 passing yards a game this year.
The 23 TD catches on the year belong to 13 different Bulldogs.
Sophomore WR Talyn Taylor leads the team (25-for-426 yards, 6 TDs) followed by freshman WR Craig Dandridge Jr. (20-for-349 yards, 1 TD). Taylor tied a school record with 3 TD catches in the win at #10 Ole Miss.
Senior London Humphreys (14-for-136 yards, 3 TDs) is big on special teams too, blocking a punt at Arkansas and downing a punt at #10 OM at the 2.
The longest TD catches belong to White-Helton (70 vs. WKU), Taylor (65 at #10 OM) and Dandridge (61 @ Arkansas).
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. His best game came in the road win over #10 Ole Miss as he had four catches for 140 yards and 3 TDs, both career-highs. His TDs covered 6, 58 and 65 yards.
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 missed the next five games before returning against #10 OM on Nov. 7.
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 fifth in the NCAA averaging 41.1 ppg. The Bulldogs have been sacked just 10 times for 64 yards. The Georgia offensive line has been named to the Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll.
In 2026, fifth-year Drew Bobo (C), a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award, 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 41 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 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.
Well-Stocked Tight End Room Again
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).
Georgia's tight ends have combined for 38 catches for 510 yards and 8 TDs in 2026. They are solid blockers and an option in the run game too.
In the 42-7 rout of #10 Ole Miss, the group had four receptions for 39 yards including a 3-yard TD catch by sophomore Ethan Barbour.
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.
Setting The Tone Early
Georgia leads the SEC and is 7th nationally in Scoring Defense, allowing 14.0 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.
Georgia shut out #10 Ole Miss until 10:43 left in the game in a 42-7 win.
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 Standards
In 2026, Georgia's opponents are averaging only 83.8 rushing yards/game, and the Bulldogs have 31 sacks, both which rank sixth nationally.
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. No. 10 Ole Miss with elusive QB Trinidad Chambliss came next, and the Rebels tallied 66 yards on 31 attempts. The Rebels had allowed just five sacks on the year until Georgia notched five in the win!
Along with the starters, a few others to watch in the rotation include Joseph Jonah-Ajonye, Josh Horton, JJ Hanne and Nnamdi Ogboko. Horton (2.0) and Anthony Lonon Jr., (2.5) have combined for 4.5 sacks. Jonah-Ajonye had a career-high six stops against Arkansas and had his first career sack and forced fumble in the road win over #6 Alabama to earn SEC DL of the Week honors. He missed the #10 Ole Miss game due to injury.
Torrent Of Tackles For Wilson And Cole
Senior Raylen Wilson (58 tackles, 7 TFL, 4 sacks, 2 CF) and junior Chris Cole (58 tackles, 11 TFL, 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 are the tackle leaders.
Cole has been named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award and Lombardi 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 Atlanta in 2026
In the 42-7 road victory over #10 Ole Miss, Cole had a team-high nine tackles and 1.5 sacks while Wilson was next with seven stops.
In the 27-8 win over #17 UF, Cole made nine stops, one sack and a 66-yard fumble return for a TD, his second this year and third of his career.
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 for a TFL.
Junior Justin Williams (32 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 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. Brooks tallied the first two TFLs of his career in the win over #17 UF in Atlanta and then picked up his first career sack in the road win over #10 Ole Miss.
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 83.8 rushing yards. The secondary has eight interceptions.
In the most recent game, #10 Ole Miss had 186 passing yards and only 66 on the ground in a 42-7 loss to the Bulldogs.
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 nine games with four starts. Bolden missed the AU game but was back versus #17 UF and made six tackles and then had three stops and an interception in the road rout of #10 Ole Miss.
In the win over #10 OM, Dinkins notchd his first career sack, and on the play, he had a forced fumble and fumble recovery (both 2nd this season). It gave Georgia the football at the OM22 and 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 earlier this year. Green has missed the past seven games due to injury.
The Bulldogs notched three INTs in the win over #17 UF including 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.
We're Going For It!
In the Kirby Smart era, the Bulldogs have a 64.5% success rate on 4th Down Conversion attempts (100-for-155) with 17 TDs.
In 2026, Georgia is 4-for-6 (67%) 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.
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 220-for-220.
The NCAA mark for Consecutive PATs Made is 233 (Alex Trilca, Texas Tech).
For the year, Woodring has a team-best 74 points (9x13 FG, 47x47 PATs).
Woodring's Career FG% is 85% (68-of-80), and he might set the Georgia and SEC record. Rodrigo 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 63 kickoffs with 44 touchbacks and one out of bounds. 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 Georgia's 2025 Ray Guy Award winner Brett Thorson now in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings.
A native of Mediapolis, Iowa, Miller is averaging 46.2 yards on 25 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 8.0 yards per punt return (17/ 136 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.
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 43 big plays. Opponents have 12.
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
G9: 4 (65-yd. TD pass Stockton-Taylor); #10 OM: 1
Points Off Turnovers In 2026
Georgia has a +8 Turnover Margin.
Georgia has 86 points off 17 turnovers.
Opponents have 30 points off nine 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
#10 OM: Georgia got 7 pts off 2 TO; OM got none
Bulldog Career INTs & Pick-Six
Georgia has 8 INTs in 2026: B. Stewart (WKU), D. Jones-2 (WKU, vs. UF), KJ Bolden (OU, #10 OM), E. Robinson IV-2 (VU, vs. UF), B. Conley (vs. UF);
Opp. have 4 INTs.
| Bulldog | INT | TD | Last INT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellis Robinson IV, DB | 6 | 0 | UF26 |
| KJ Bolden, S | 5 | 0 | #10 OM |
| Demello Jones, DB | 2 | 0 | UF26 |
| Blake Stewart, S | 1 | 0 | WKU26 |
| Kyron Jones, Star | 1 | 1 | UTM23 |
| Daniel Okonkwo, S | 1 | 0 | CHAR25 |
| Braylon Conley, DB | 1 | 0 | UF26 |
| !Khalil Barnes (CLEM) | 7 | 0 | SMU24 |
| !Ja'Marley Riddle (ECU) | 6 | ^1 | FAU25 |
| !Gentry Williams (OU) | 4 | 0 | @Texas23 |
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 31 sacks in 2026; Opponents have 10. Last year, Georgia had only 20 sacks and allowed 20.
| Bulldog | '26 | '25 | '24 | '23 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Cole, LB | 5 | 4.5 | 0 | n/a | 9.5 |
| Raylen Wilson, LB | 4 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 8.5 |
| 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 |
| Anthony Lonon Jr., DL | 2.5 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 2.5 |
| !Khalil Barnes, S (CLEM) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Josh Horton, DL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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 |
| Khamari Brooks, OLB | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1 |
| Rasean Dinkins, SS | 1 | 0 | n/a | 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 |
| !Amaris Williams, LB(AU) inj. | inj. | 2 | 0.5 | n/a | 2.5 |
| !Zion Branch, CB(USC) | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
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;
#10 UM: 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 WoodringWKU: KJ Bolden, Terrell Foster, Nate Frazier, London Humphreys
ARK: Earnest Greene III, Lawson Luckie, Gabe Harris Jr., Raylen Wilson
OU: Drew Bobo, Gunner Stockton, Chris Cole, Quintavius Johnson
VU: Chauncey Bowens, Dontrell Glover, Khalil Barnes, Jordan Hall
#6 UA: Earnest Greene III, Gunner Stockton, Chris Cole, Raylen Wilson
AU: Elijah Griffin, Jordan Hall, Drew Bobo, Dwight Phillips Jr.
#17 UF: Earnest Greene III, Gunner Stockton, Chris Cole, Quintavius Johnson
#10 OM: Drew Bobo, Lawson Luckie, Jordan Hall, Raylen Wilson
HEAD COACH KIRBY SMART QUICK FACTS
- Career Record: 125-22 (.850), 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 | 8 | 1 | .889 | 6-1 | -- | -- |
| Total | 125 | 22 | .850 | *80-19 |
#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, Talyn Taylor vs. #10 OM (11/7/26); 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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