Georgia Hosts Oklahoma in Stripe Sanford Game

Saturday, September 26

Athens, Ga.

3:30 p.m.

University of Georgia

Oklahoma

Tickets From $105 - $135

September 21, 2026 | Football

Complete Game Notes Game Notes Index Gameday Central

Game & Broadcast Info

Kickoff: Saturday, September 26 - 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium (93,033) | Athens, Ga.
2026 Records: Georgia (3-0, 1-0), Oklahoma (2-1, 0-0)
2026 Rankings: Georgia #2/#2, Oklahoma NR/#24
TV: ESPN: Bob Wischusen (PxP), Louis Riddick (Analyst), Stormy Buonantony (Sideline)
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- 175 or 228 and the app
Web Stats: georgiadogs.com
Twitter: #OUvsUGA
SECN ReBroadcast: TBA
GameCenter: View
History: Georgia vs. Oklahoma All-Time Series Results: UGA 1-0
Last Meeting: Georgia won 54-48 in Pasadena, Calif., 1/1/2017
Tickets: SeatGeek

Georgia-WKU Quick Comparison

	Georgia	Oklahoma
Scoring Offense/Game:	59.3	25.0
Rushing Offense/Game:	253.3	110.3
Passing Offense/Game:	285.7	219.3
Total Offense/Game:	539.0	329.7
Scoring Defense/Game:	13.3	7.7
Rushing Defense/Game:	45.7	111.0
Passing Defense/Game:	165.7	104.3
Turnover Margin:	+3	-4

Storylines On The 2026 Bulldogs

Georgia At A Glance: Georgia (3-0, 1-0 SEC) checks in at No. 2 in the AP and Coaches poll for the third straight week. The Bulldogs feature seven returning starters on offense and are averaging an NCAA-best 59.3 points a game. A veteran line protects fifth-year All-SEC quarterback Gunner Stockton (NCAA-leading 259.3 passing efficiency rating) and paves the way for All-SEC junior tailbacks Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens. The defense is allowing just 13.3 points a game (3rd in the SEC) with eight returning starters. This groups features All-American juniors KJ Bolden and Ellis Robinson IV in the secondary and veterans in seniors Raylen Wilson, Jordan Hall and Gabe Harris Jr., plus junior Quintavius Johnson at the first two levels. The special teams unit is headlined by senior All-SEC placekicker Peyton Woodring. In 2025, the Bulldogs were one of the youngest teams in the country with 54 percent of the roster consisting of players in their first or second season in Athens. In 2026, the Bulldogs brought in only nine scholarship transfers, the fewest in the SEC.

LET'S STRIPE SANFORD

Help create a stripe pattern throughout Sanford Stadium Saturday when the Dawgs host the Sooners.

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The SEC Gauntlet Underway: The two-time defending SEC champion Bulldogs opened league play last Saturday with a 45-17 road win over Arkansas. It marked the 11th straight win in an SEC opener under Kirby Smart. Up next, Georgia plays host to Oklahoma (2-1, 0-0 SEC).

In the Smart era, Georgia is 75-18 against SEC teams (regular season, SEC title games and CFP matchups). Since 2021, Georgia is 42-3 in its last 45 games against SEC opponents.

At home under Smart, the Bulldogs are 58-5 including 31-4 in SEC games

Series History With Sooners: Georgia leads 1-0. Last Time Out Versus OU: #3 Georgia outlasted #2 OU 54-48 (2OT) on Jan. 1, 2018 in a CFP semifinal at The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. Regarded as one of the best ever Rose Bowls (first one to go to OT) and CFP Semifinal matchups, Georgia prevailed as Smart's Bulldogs played for a national title in just his second season. It was Georgia's first Rose Bowl since 1943 and the last college game for OU Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield who would go on to be the #1 overall NFL draft pick. Georgia's Nick Chubb ran for 145 yards and two TDs while Sony Michel gained 181 yards and three scores including a 27-yarder in the second overtime for the win. Lorenzo Carter blocked a field goal attempt in the second OT that set the stage for Michel's walk-off score.

Easing Into 2026 at +138: After three games, Georgia's scoring differential is +138, and now it faces one of the stingiest defenses in the nation as the Sooners lead the league and rank 4th nationally allowing just 7.7 points a game. OU has surrendered just two TDs and three FGs this year.

The Bulldogs opened the season with a 63-3 home victory over Tennessee State, It marked the most points in an opener by Georgia since 1941 (81-0 over Mercer in Macon). In week two in Athens against Western Kentucky, the Bulldogs raced out to a 49-6 lead by halftime and went on to post a 70-20 victory. It was the most points by the Bulldogs since 1994 when it defeated Northeast Louisiana 70-6 in Sanford Stadium. For the first time since 1915, Georgia had back-to-back games with at least 60 points. Back then, Georgia opened the campaign with a 79-0 win over Newberry and then blanked Dahlonega 64-0. Week three featured an SEC road opener at Arkansas, and the Bulldogs responded with a 45-17 victory.

Fast Starts and Fluffy Stats: Georgia is outscoring its opponents 56-0 in the first quarter and 105-12 in the first half. For the season, the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 178-40.

Georgia's 178 points is the largest total after three games to start a UGA season since 1913 (179).

In the season opener against TSU, Georgia scored a touchdown on its first five posssessions before a bothched hold on a field goal attempt forced a turnover on downs.

In the rout of WKU, the Bulldogs registered a touchdown on their first seven possessions before losing a fumble at their own 15 which led to the Hilltoppers first score.

At Arkansas, Georgia led 21-3 at the half and 38-3 going to the 4th quarter. The Razorbacks did stop Georgia on its second possession and collected the first three sacks of the season against them.

Selflessness: In the offseason, the Bulldogs studied the 2025 NBA Champion OKC Thunder and noted how they led the league in eight major defensive and team statistical categories and most importantly, "seflessness," according to Smart. He aims for the 2026 Bulldogs to showcase that trait.

Playing To Our Standard

Georgia's 2026 Senior Class owns a record of 39-6 with backto- back SEC titles. The 2025 Senior Class went 51-6 with a national title (2022) and three SEC crowns. They were the third straight class to register 50 wins, joining the '23 group (50-4) and the record-setting '24 class (53-5).

Georgia owns the nation's longest active bowl streak at 29 seasons but has dropped its last two CFP quarterfinal games at the Sugar Bowl. Prior to these losses to Notre Dame and Ole Miss, Georgia had won seven straight CFP/bowl games.

Georgia has made 64 appearances in a bowl/CFP game with a 38-23-3 mark. The appearances and wins rank second in FBS.

Georgia has a current winning streak over every SEC team except Ole Miss that equals 78 games. The streaks range from one game up to 16 straight. Simply The Best (Since 2021)

Georgia owns the best record in the FBS since 2021 at 68-7. This run includes back-to-back CFP national titles (2021-22) and three SEC crowns (2022, 2024-25). The next best is Ohio State at 61-11. Georgia and Ohio State are the only FBS schools to win 11+ games every season since 2021.

Stockton Moving the Chains With His Arm And Legs

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

Owns a 15-3 Career Record as a starter

Current NCAA leader in Passing Efficiency with a 259.3 Rating

Ranks 2nd in NCAA with 84.4 Completion Percentage (38-for-45, 583 yards)

Has 9 TD passes and only 7 incompletions on the year

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.

A 3rd Team Coaches All-SEC selection and MVP of 2025 SEC Championship Game (20-for-26, 156 yards, 3 TDs) in beating #9 Alabama 28-7.

5-2 against ranked teams in 2025 including a 83.7 Completion Percentage in the 4th quarter of those games (36-for-43, 383 yards, 7 TDs, 0 INT)

Directed three 4th quarter comebacks in 2025 including over #5 Ole Miss, #15 Tennessee in Knoxville and versus Florida in Jacksonville.

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	1 (7x, last @ #23 GT '25)

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	3/3	38	45	84.4	583	0	9	259.3	70WKU(TD)
Total	26/18	364	514	70.8	4,065	7	36	157.6	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

Behind Stockton, the QB room with game experience includes a trio of Bulldogs. Junior Ryan Puglisi (10 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 showed off some spspeed 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	3/0	16	26	61.5	191	0	2	148.6	27 TSU
Total	10/0	32	53	60.4	352	2	3	127.3	27 (2x)

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 27, 2x last TSU '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 2025 (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
TOTAL	38 (18R, 20P)	10 (3R, 7P)

Longest Rush by Georgia: 70-yd TD by Ryan Puglisi (WKU)
Longest Rush by Opp.: 19-yd by Le'Kamren Meadows (WKU)
Longest Completion by Georgia: 70-yd TD (Stockton to White-Helton (WKU)
Longest Completion by Opp.: 40-yd (Jackson to Smith, @ ARK)

Frazier & Bowens Headline Ground Attack

Georgia is averaging 253.3 rushing yards including 7.3 yards a rush.

Sixteen Bulldogs have had at least one carry and the longest rushes of the year have been on QB-runs. Ryan Puglisi scored on a 70-yarder against WKU while Gunner Stockton rumbled 62 yards against Arkansas.

The Bulldogs have 11 rushing TDs on the year. Junior Nate Frazier leads the team with five rushing TDs in only 24 attempts.

Frazier started against TSU and tied his career high with three TDs in only four carries! His first touch resulted in a 48-yard TD, his second was a 14- yard TD, and his final carry was a three-yarder for a score. His finished with 72 yards on four carries (18.0 avg) and three TDs. Against Arkansas, he had 14 carries for 80 yards and a score but left in the 3rd quarter due to an injury.

Junior Chauncey Bowens had four carries for 24 yards against TSU and added two catches for 32 yards. He only had one carry for four yards against WKU and flashed as a receiver with two catches for 45 yards including a 21-yarder for a TD when he hurdled the final defender near the goal line. Against Arkansas, Bowens became the latest Bulldog in the Smart era to rush for a career-high 3 TDs in a game, tallying 39 yards on 11 carries.

Georgia also welcomes back Dwight Phillips Jr., Bo Walker while freshman Jae Lamar and Nick Peal have seen action too. UK senior transfer Dante Dowdell is out due to an injury. Against TSU, Walker had a team-high five carries for 35 yards. Lamar scored the game's final TD, an 11-yarder as he finished with 15 yards.

Finding The Open Man

Georgia is averaging 285.7 passing yards a game and spreading the wealth in the first three blowouts.

The 12 TD catches on the year belong to 11 different Bulldogs.

Junior Sacovie White-Helton leads the team with eight receptions for 131 yards and one TD.

Thanks to a 61-yard TD catch against Arkansas, freshman Craig Dandridge Jr., now has a team-best 166 yards on seven catches.

Four quarterbacks saw action in the rout of TSU to open the 2026 season, and they combined to complete 25 passes to 15 different Bulldogs for 388 yards and five TDs. Then, three QBs played in the win over WKU as 12 different Bulldogs caught a pass with five TDs. With Arkansas focusing on coverage, Georgia turned to its running game with 42 attempts for 254 yards and four scores while two QBs combined to go 17-for-21 for 210 yards and 2 TDs.

Sophomore Talyn Taylor (5-for-59 yards, 2 TD plus a 31-yard rush) is one of five receivers who have been utilized in the running game too. Taylor plus White-Helton, Dandridge Jr., Landon Roldan and Jeremy Bell have at least one carry. White-Helton, Dandridge Jr., and Roldan have punt returns too.

Georgia saw six of its top seven pass catchers depart to the NFL/graduation. Senior London Humphreys (18-for-276 yards, 3 TDs in 2025) is the top returning receivier. He had THE catch of the 2025 season. Down 38-30 with 2:38 remaining in the game at No. 15 Tennessee, it was 4th-and-6 when he hauled in a 28-yard touchdown strike from Gunner Stockton. This year, he has two catches for 11 yards and a score plus blocked a punt at Arkansas.

Bulldog junior transfer Isiah Canion has three catches for 28 yards on the year. He left the Arkansas game during the first series due to an injury.

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 Up Front

Georgia's offensive line has featured the same starting five through the first three games of 2026, and that's a welcome sight after last year. The Bulldog front had an eventful season in 2025 due to injuries. Georgia used a different starting OL unit in its first six games.

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 35 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.

Helton became just the third true freshman offensive lineman to start an opener in the Kirby Smart era. The others were Andrew Thomas (2017-RT) and Gaston (2025-RG). Overall, 14 true freshmen have started an opener under Smart. Also, don't be surprised if you see Helton lined up as a fullback near the goal line as the Bulldogs some times occupy a jumbo look.

Georgia returns Jahzare Jackson, Malachi Toliver and Michael Uini who made spot starts last year. Along with Helton, another freshman to watch is Ekene Ogboko, who is the younger brother of Bulldog DL Nnamdi Ogboko.

Tight Ends Always In The Game Plan

Tight ends have been a staple of the Bulldog offense and the player development is notable. Five 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 with a stocked room 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 14 catches for 196 yards and 5 TDs in 2026. They are asked to be blockers too.

In the win over TSU, Georgia's tight ends combined for 100 receiving yards on six catches including three TDs: Jaden Reddell (2-38, 1 TD plus a 29-yard rush), Elyiss Williams (2-26, 1 TD), Kaiden Prothro (1-16, 1 TD) and Ethan Barbour (1-10). It was the first career TDs for Reddell and Prothro.

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 Lawson Luckie from Puglisi for the team's final score.

In 2025, Luckie and Delp led the room. Reddell appeared in every game while Williams played in 13 games as a rookie and Colton Heinrich saw action in four games. Last year, Barbour went down with a leg injury in game two (Austin Peay) and eventually returned for the CFP.

Georgia's 2026 additions to the room are freshmen Prothro, Brayden Fogle and Lincoln Keyes.

Reloading The Defense With Elite Talent

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.

Through three games, Georgia is allowing 13.3 points a game including none in the first and third quarters and just 12 points in the first half.

In 2026, Georgia opened with a 63-3 rout of FCS-member Tennessee State. The Tigers field goal came in the second quarter. WKU managed 20 points including 14 in the 4th quarter with Georgia up 63-6. Two of the Hilltopper scoring drives covered just 15 and 23 yards following Bulldog turnovers.

In the 45-17 road win over Arkansas, Georgia built a 38-3 advantage before the Razorbacks managed a pair of 75-yard scoring drives in the 4th quarter including one in the final minute.

Stopping The Run Starts Up Front

In 2026, Georgia's opponents are averaging 45.7 rushing yards per game. The Bulldogs have eight sacks for 81 yards.

In the season opener against TSU, the Tigers managed 10 yards on 32 attempts as the Bulldogs collected three sacks. Then, WKU tallied 110 yards on 37 attempts (3.0 average) as Georgia notched two sacks. The Razorbacks had 17 yards on 20 attempts and were sacked thrice. Their longest rush was eight yards.

Senior Jordan Hall and senior Gabe Harris Jr., and sophomore Elijah Grifin have been the starters up front this season. For Griffin, a FWAA Freshman All-American last year, this is his first season as a starter.

Junior Joseph Jonah-Ajonye had a career-high six stops against Arkansas.

Harris Jr. and Anthony Lonon Jr. each had a sack against WKU.

PJ Dean and Valdin Sone are a couple more freshmen like Lonon Jr., to watch as they gain experience. In the season opener against TSU, Dean posted a team-high 1.5 sacks for a loss of 20 yards plus two tackles. He is the younger brother of former Georgia center Jared Wilson.

Junior transfer Amaris Williams (Auburn) is out with a knee injury.

Linebackers Making An Impact

With the lopsided scores in the first three games this season, the Bulldogs have been able to get a look at their depth on both sides of the football. For the linebackers, the good news is two-thirds of the 2025 starting trio return in Raylen Wilson and Quintavius Johnson while All-American and tackle leader CJ Allen is off to the NFL as a member of the Buffalo Bills.

Wilson made an impact in the 2026 SEC opener at Arkansas, picking up two sacks for a loss of 21 yards, forced a fumble and had three stops. Last year, he ranked third on the team with 74 tackles plus had 6.5 TFL and 2.5 Sacks.

Juniors Chris Cole and Justin Williams, who are best friends, are enjoying their finest season as Bulldogs. They had four tackles apiece against the Razorbacks, and Williams got his first career sack that knocked UA out of field goal range. Cole is tied for the team lead with 10 stops while Williams has nine.

Against Arkansas, Johnson sniffed out a trick play, and he collected a TFL for five yards. UA had moved the ball to the UGA 31 after a 37-yard completion.

Wilson, Cole, Williams and Walker were among the seven Bulldogs who tied for the team-high in tackles (three) against TSU.

Sophomore AJ Kruah has a team-high 10 stops.

Freshman Elijah Littlejohn made three solo stops and his first career sack against TSU while freshman Khamari Brooks had three stops too.

Against WKU, Kruah led the team with five tackles and had a forced fumble while Brooks picked up his first sack.

Sophomore Chase Linton, who was expected to be a force, has yet to play in 2026 due to an injury.

Opponents Forced To Air It Out

With Georgia's propensity to stop the run, Bulldog opponents are forced to lean on the passing game. This season, Georgia's opponents are averaging 165.7 passing yards. The Bulldog secondary has a pair of interceptions.

In the season opener, TSU finished 15-for-26 for 99 yards and no TDs while WKU tallied 115 passing yards, going 18-for-37 with 2 INTs.

Facing a 38-3 deficit, Arkansas padded their passing stats in the 4th quarter, completing 11-of-15 for 126 yards and one score. For the game, UA was 29- of-42 for 283 yards and one TD. The Bulldogs tallied three sacks.

Georgia's starting unit features preseason All-Americans KJ Bolden and Ellis Robinson IV plus Demello Jones, Kyron Jones and local product and Clemson transfer Khalil Barnes.

Barnes helped set the tone in the road win against Arkansas. On its opening drive, UA had made three first downs and then attempted a 4th-and-4 from the UGA38. Barnes came up with a pass break up, and the Bulldogs went on to score a TD on their first possession.

Demello Jones posted a career-high six stops in the victory over Arkansas.

Kyron Jones started the first six games of 2025 before missing the rest of the season due to a foot injury while Demello Jones (no relation) appeared in 12 games last year before making his first start against TSU in the 2026 opener. Demello Jones had a 41-yard INT return against WKU.

Georgia made four portal additions in the secondary: Along with Barnes, Georgia's depth in the secondary 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 in the early going this year.

Before an injury against WKU, Green was getting a look as a a kickoff returner. He had one for 25 yards against TSU and then raced 91 yards for a TD against WKU. Also, he scored a TD after Stewart fumbled into the endzone following an INT versus WKU. This marked the first time since a 2018 win at Missouri that the Bulldogs registered a pair of non-offensive TDs in a game.

Against WKU, Green became the first Bulldog defender to score a pair of TDs in a game since defensive back Brandon Boykin in the 2012 Outback Bowl against Michigan State. Boykin had a 92-yard punt return for a TD, and then on offense, he had a 13-yard TD reception agains the Spartans.

We're Going For It!

In the Kirby Smart era, the Bulldogs have a 64% success rate on 4th Down Conversion attempts (97-for-151) with 17 TDs.

In 2026, Georgia is 1-for-2 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.

In 2025, Georgia ranked second nationally in 4th Down Conversions at 75% (15-for-20) with 3 TDs. Some of the more memorable ones from last year included a 4th-and-3 at the Auburn 40 with 5:14 left in the contest. It was part of the clinching go-ahead TD drive that lasted a school record-tying eight minutes and 45 seconds. Down 38-30 with 2:38 remaining in the game at No. 15 Tennessee, Georgia converted a 4th-and-6 at the UT 28 for a TD (Stockton pass-to-Humphreys).

Did You Know? Prior to the UT game last year, the only other fourth quarter 4th down conversion featuring a TD pass when Georgia was behind under Smart came in 2016 at Missouri. The Bulldogs trailed 27-21 with 1:31 left in the game and faced a 4th-and-10. Jacob Eason hit Isaiah McKenzie for a 20- yard TD in a 28-27 win.

Geaux Dawgs

Senior All-SEC specialist Peyton Woodring, a native of Lafayette, La., is a three-time Lou Groza Award semifinalist.

Woodring's Career FG% of 88.24% (60-of-68) is on track for a school record as the current mark belongs to Rodrigo Blankenship who posted an 82.47% from 2016-19, making 80-of-97 attempts.

Blankenship holds the Georgia and SEC record for Consecutive PATs Made in a Career, going 200-for-200, and Woodring is closing in on that. Woodring is 196-for-196 in Career PATs. The NCAA record is 233 (Alex Trilca, Texas Tech).

Woodring tied a school record with 10 PATs in the 70-20 rout of Western Kentucky this year. He became the third Bulldog to make 10 PATs in a game, joining Kanon Parkman (1994 vs. Northeast Louisiana) and George Jernigan (1946 vs. Furman).

Also, Geogia has freshman PK Harran Zureikat. He took care of the final two PATs and last two kickoffs in the 63-3 season-opening win over TSU. He handled 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 25 kickoffs with 17 touchbacks. Zureikat has four kickoffs with three touchbacks.

Did You Know? After missing three of his first seven field goal attempts as a freshman in 2023, Woodring has been good on 56 of his past 61 FG (4 of those misses were from 50+ yards while one was from 45 yards).

Single Game Career Highs For Woodring

Points: 15 (UK23);
PATs: 10 (vs. WKU '26-ties school record.)
FGA: 3 (11x, last vs. #6 Ole Miss in CFP Qtrfinal at Sugar Bowl '26)
FGM: 3 (8x, last @ #23 Ga. Tech in MBS '25)
LG: 55 (vs. Clemson '24 in MBS, Atlanta)

Did You Know?
Georgia's last game-winning field goal with two minutes or less to play came in the 2021 Peach Bowl against undefeated and No. 8 Cincinnati. Jack Podlesny hit a 53 yarder with three seconds left for a 22-21 lead. The Bulldogs would register a safety on the last play for a 24-21 final.

It's Miller Time

Junior Drew Miller serves as the punter with 2025 Ray Guy Award winner Brett Thorson now in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings.

A native of Mediapolis, Iowa, Miller is averaging 48.0 yards on seven punts with three covering 50+ yards.

Against TSU in the season opener, he had just one, and it covered a career-long 65 yards with a touchback for a net of 45 yards. He punted four times in the second half against WKU and posted a 46.7 average. At Arkansas, he had two punts for a 43.5 average.

Miller got his first taste of action in the 2025 CFP Quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl after Thorson was injured in the 2024 SEC Championship Game.

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.

Single Game Career Highs For Miller

Punts: 6 (MU25)
Long: 65 (TSU '26))
Avg. (Min 2 punts): 48.0 on six (MU25) with 14 PR yards

Back Deep For The Bulldogs In The Return Game

Junior Sacovie White-Helton is averaging 13.7 yards per punt return, tallying six for 82 yards. He had four PR for 59 yards including a 35-yarder in the season opener against TSU. Also, he had one KOR for 18 yards.

Freshman Tyriq Green has a team-best 35.8 average on four KOR. He had one KOR against TSU for 25 yards while freshman Craig Dandridge Jr., had one PR for nine yards. 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).

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.

Did You Know? Georgia's last punt return for a TD came in 2023 (Mekhi {MUH-kye} Mews vs. Ball State, 69 yards)

Did You Know? Georgia's last KOR for a TD came in 2026 (Tyriq Green vs. Western Kentucky, 91 yards)

It's Blocked

Under Kirby Smart, the Bulldogs have blocked 10 punts and eight field goals. There's two players on the current squad with a block for Georgia.

London Humphreys blocked a punt at Arkansas in the 2026 SEC opener.

In the 2025 opener against Marshall, KJ Bolden blocked a punt that led to an eventual TD after a 20-yard drive.

Did You Know? Georgia's last blocked field goal came in 2024 by Dan Jackson against Auburn.

Series History With 2026 Opponents

Tenn. State: Georgia now leads 1-0 '26 Result: #3 Georgia 63-3
W. Kentucky: Georgia now leads 2-0; '26 Result: #2 Georgia 70-20
Arkansas: Georgia now leads 13-4; 26 Result: #2 Georgia 45-17
Oklahoma: Georgia leads 1-0
Vanderbilt: Georgia leads 61-20-2
@ Alabama: UA leads 45-27-4
Auburn: Georgia leads 66-56-8
vs. Florida: Georgia leads 58-44-2
@ Ole Miss: Georgia leads 35-14-1
Missouri: Georgia leads 12-1
@ S.C.: Georgia leads 55-19-2
Ga. Tech: Georgia leads 73-39-5

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.

"Hard To Kill" In 2025

In 2025, Georgia went 7-1 in the SEC gauntlet, trailing early and/or late in seven of those contests. The Bulldogs rallied to beat No. 15 Tennessee and Auburn on the road for their ninth straight victory in those series. They outlasted No. 5 Ole Miss 43-35 in Athens and never had to punt. Georgia won its fifth straight over Florida in Jacksonville. Georgia erased an early 7-0 deficit at MSU with 38 unanswered points and eventually recorded a 41-21 decision for the program's 900th all-time win. Georgia used a 21-point fourth quarter to defeat No. 10 Texas 35-10 to close out the SEC regular season.

The only league contest in the regular season where Georgia led wire-to-wire was a 35-14 home win over UK while the only comeback that fell short came to then No. 17 UA 24-21 in Athens.

The Bulldogs dominated No. 9 UA in the SEC Championship Game becoming the first team to shut out their opponent for the first three quarters of the title game.

Big Plays (25+ yards) In 2026

Georgia has 13 big plays. Opponents have none.

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

Points Off Turnovers In 2026

Georgia is +3 in Turnover Margin.

Georgia has 35 points off five turnovers.

Opponents have 13 points off two 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

Bulldog Career INTs & Pick-Six

Georgia has 2 INTs in 2026: Blake Stewart-1 (WKU), Demello Jones-1 (WKU);

Opp. have 0 INTs.

Bulldog	INT	TD	Last INT
Ellis Robinson IV, DB	4	0	@GT25
KJ Bolden, S	3	0	#10TX25
Demello Jones, DB	1	0	WKU26
Kyron Jones, Star	1	1	UTM23
Daniel Okonkwo	1	0	CHAR25
!Khalil Barnes (CLEM)	7	0	vs. SMU24
!Ja'Marley Riddle (ECU)	6	^1	FAU25
!Gentry Williams (OU)	4	0	@Texas23

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

Bulldog Career Fumble Recoveries

Georgia has 3 FR in 2026; Opp. have 2 FR.

Bulldog	FR	Last FR
Chris Cole, LB	2	UMass24
Khamari Brooks, OLB	1	WKU26
Landon Roldan, WR	1	WKU26
Jordan Hall	1	ARK26
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 8 sacks in 2026; Opponents have 3.

Bulldog	'26	'25	'24	'23	Total
Raylen Wilson, LB	2	2.5	1.5	0.5	6.5
Chris Cole, LB	0.5	4.5	0	n/a	5.0
Gabe Harris Jr., LB	1	1	2	0	4
Quintavius Johnson, LB	2	0	n/a	2
Zayden Walker, LB	2	n/a	n/a	2
PJ Dean, DL	1.5	n/a	n/a	n/a	1.5
Anthony Lonon Jr., DL	1	n/a	n/a	n/a	1
Elijah Littlejohn, LB	1	n/an	n/a	n/a	1
KJ Bolden, S	0	1	n/a	1
Elijah Griffin, DL	1	n/a	n/a	1
Nnamdi Ogboko, DL	1	0	n/a	1
Jordan Thomas, DL	0	1	n/a	1
Justin Williams, LB	1	0	0	n/a	1
!Khalil Barnes, S (CLEM)	0.0	0	0	1	1
!Zion Branch, CB(USC)	0.0	0	1	0	1
!Amaris Williams, LB(AU) inj.	0.0	2	0.5	n/a	2.5

Note: ! Sacks at previous school

Four First-Time Starters In 2026

TSU (4): E. Griffin (DL), Z. Helton (RG), D. Jones (DB), T. Taylor (WR)
WKU (1): E. Williams (TE);
ARK (1): S. White-Helton (WR)

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

HEAD COACH KIRBY SMART QUICK FACTS

Career Record: 120-21 (.851), 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	3	0	1.000	1-0	--	--
Total	120	21	.851	*75-18

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

19 VICTORIES WHEN TIED OR TRAILING LATE

SEASON	OPPONENT	START OF 4TH QUARTER OR DEFICIT	FINAL
2016	% #22 UNC	Trailed 24-23	33-24
2016	@ Missouri	Trailed 27-21	28-27
2016	@ Kentucky	Trailed 21-16	27-24
2016	#8 Auburn	Tied 7-7	13-7
2016	^TCU	Trailed Trailed 23-21	31-23
2017	@ #24 Notre Dame	Trailed 17-16, trailed 19-17 with 10:21 left	20-19
2017	$ #2 Oklahoma	Tied 31-31, trailed 45-38 with 0:55 left	54-48 2ot
2020	~ #8 Cincinnati	Trailed 21-10, trailed 21-19 with :03 left	24-21
2022	! #1 Alabama	Trailed 18-13 with 10:14 left	33-18
2022	@ Missouri	Trailed 19-12, trailed 22-12 with 14:09 left	26-22
2022	~ #4 Ohio State (CFP Semi)	Trailed 38-24, trailed 41-35 with 2:43 left	42-41
2023	@ Auburn	Tied 17-17, tied 20-20 with 6:21 left	27-20
2024	@ Kentucky	Trailed 9-6	13-12
2024	@ Kentucky	Trailed 9-6	13-12
2024	vs. Florida in Jax.	Tied 20-20 with 7:29 left	34-20
2024	Ga. Tech	Trailed 17-6; then 27-13 with 5:37 left; 40-34 in 2nd OT	44-42 (8-OT)
2024	#2 Texas (SECCG)	Trailed 19-16 in OT	22-19
2025	@ #15 Tennessee	Trailed 28-27; then 38-30 with 6:40 left; 41-38 in OT	44-41 (OT)
2025	#5 Ole Miss	Trailed 35-26 and outscored Rebels 17-0 to end the game	43-35
2025	vs. Florida	Tied 17-17; Trailed 20-17 with 14:52 left	24-20

%Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic; ^Liberty Bowl; $Rose Bowl Game; ~Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl; !CFP National Championship

TOP IND. SINGLE GAME PERFORMANCES UNDER SMART

Rushing Yards: 222, Nick Chubb vs. #22 UNC in Atlanta (9/3/16);
Rushing TDs: 3, Sony Michel vs. UK
(11/18/17); vs. #2 Oklahoma in CFP Semifinal Rose Bowl (1/1/18); Daijun Edwards vs. AU (10/8/22); Trevor Etienne @ #1 Texas (10/19/24); Nate Frazier vs. UMass (11/23/24) & TSU (9/5/26); Bo Walker vs. CHAR (11/22/25);
Longest Rush: 83-TD, D'Andre Swift @ #9 UK (11/3/18)
Passing Yards: 459, Carson Beck vs. MSU (10/13/24);
Passing TDs: 5, G. Stockton (WKU-9/12/26), C. Beck (TT-9/7/24, GT-11/29/24), S. Bennett (UAB-9/11/21);
Receiving Yards: 197 (8 rec.), Jermaine Burton vs. MSU (11/21/20);
Receiving TDs: 3, Lawson Luckie vs. #5 OM (10/18/25);
Longest Pass/TD Pass: 89-TD, S. Bennett to Brock Bowers vs. UAB (9/11/21);
Tackles: 15, Nakobe Dean vs. #8 UF in Jacksonville (11/7/20);
Sacks: 3, Trenton Thompson vs. TCU (12/30/16);
Azeez Ojulari vs. #8 UC in Peach Bowl (1/1/21); Channing Tindall @ UT (11/13/21); Jalon Walker @ #1 Texas (10/19/24);
TFL: 3, Azeez Ojulari vs. #7 AU (10/3/20), vs. #8 UC in Peach Bowl (1/1/21); Trenton Thompson vs. Nicholls (9/10/16); Channing Tindall @ UT (11/13/21); Jalon Walker @ #1 Texas (10/19/24) & #2 Texas in SECCG (12/7/24);

34 DEFENSE AND SPECIAL TEAMS SCORES UNDER SMART

The Bulldogs are 29-2 (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 endzone for a score and had a 91-yard kickoff return for a TD. In the 2026 Sugar Bowl, Daylen Everette returned a fumble 47 yards for a TD. In 2024, Chris Cole returned a fumble 28 yards for a TD; In 2023, Kyron Jones returned an INT versus UT Martin 26 yards for a score; Mekhi Mews took a punt return 69 yards for a TD against Ball State; and Joenel Aguero blocked a punt for a safety versus Florida.

DEFENSIVE SCORING IN THE SMART ERA

126 Points: 19 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: 6 points in 1 game (KOR)

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)	*35	33-2	94.3

In school history, Georgia has played 45 games as the No. 1 ranked team and has a record of 41-4 in those contests (91.1%). Prio to Smart, these games were in 1942 (2-1), 1980 (3-0), 1982 (2-1) and 2008 (1-0).