5 things to know: Georgia defense faces explosive challenge at Mississippi State

ATHENS – Georgia’s penchant for preventing big plays under Kirby Smart is well-known, but it figures to be put to the test at Mississippi State.

Coach Jeff Lebby’s Maroon Bulldogs lead the SEC with 16 pass plays of 40 yards or more this season, and Mississippi State is likely planning to take more big shots on Georgia.

Smart, speaking in advance of the noon game in Starkville on Saturday, said his defense ranks among league leaders in preventing explosive plays, and he has confidence in his secondary.

Perhaps just as important, Smart said his defensive backs play and carry themselves with confidence, too.

“Something to be proud of in terms of that, in terms of our guys not giving up explosives,” said Smart, whose team has given up the third-fewest plays of 20 yards or more in the SEC.

“What we’ve got to do is get more turnovers, affect the quarterback, tackle better, and do all of those things, but our guys have confidence,” Smart said. “I mean, if you play DB, you better have some confidence, because these guys can get on top of you quick, they can get behind you quick, they’ve done it to everybody they have played.”

Georgia opponents are averaging 215.3 passing yards per game and have thrown for 10 touchdowns this season, while Mississippi State averages 250.6 yards passing per game.

Four of the passing touchdowns UGA allowed came against Tennessee, which under coach Josh Heupel has an offense similar to Mississippi State with its formations and some passing concepts.

“The thing that makes them similar is the formations they get into, and the wide splits they take,” said Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino, whose Razorbacks have played both Tennessee and Mississippi State this season.

“Both teams do things a little bit different, you know, with the talent that they have, and I think that’s what makes both places good on offense – they know how to use the talent that’s on their team.”

Lebby, whose team generated more than 300 yards passing and scored more than 30 points in last season’s 41-31 loss in Athens, said Georgia will present a challenge.

“They had this great amount of pass rushers and personnel last year,” Lebby said, likely referring to first-round NFL draft picks Mykel Williams and Jalon Walker, who were two of six players out of UGA’s front seven last year now playing in the professional ranks.

“Maybe they haven’t created the stats again this year, but the way they’re playing situationally, how they’ve affected the quarterback, how they’ve moved him off the spot, and how they’ve been in the guy’s face non-stop, is very evident.”

Indeed, Georgia’s ability to affect the Mississippi State quarterback figures to be a key factor in how the game at Davis Wade Stadium plays out on Saturday.

Things to know for Saturday’s Georgia-Mississippi State game

• When: 12 p.m., Saturday

• Where: Davis Wade Stadium (cap. 60,311)

• Rankings and records: No. 5 Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC); Mississippi State (5-4, 1-4)

• TV/radio: ESPN/Georgia Bulldog Sports Network and SiriusXM 138 or 191

• Weather: Mostly sunny with a high of 77 degrees at kickoff and a low of 52 and a 55-percent chance of rain.

• Series: Georgia leads 21-6. Georgia won in Athens last season, 41-31.

• Key injuries: Georgia – CB Demello Jones (elbow) is questionable; DT Jordan Hall (knee) is out; WR Colbie Young (leg) is out; WR Talyn Taylor (collarbone) is out; DB Kyron Jones (foot) is out; TE Ethan Barbour (ankle) is out; DB Ondre Evans (knee) is out. Mississippi State – S Jahron Manning is probable; OL Albert Reese IV is doubtful; DL Will Whitson is out; OL Blake Steen is out; CB Jett Jefferson is out.

• Last meeting: Georgia held off Mississippi State between the hedges last season, 41-31, on the strength of Carson Beck’s 459-yard passing day. UGA held a 34-10 lead in the second half before the Maroon Bulldogs rallied, scoring three of the game’s final four touchdowns despite Georgia piling up 605 yards of offense.

• Betting line: Georgia opened as an 8.5-point favorite on DraftKings.com.

• Tickets: Tickets are still available, but the game is expected to be sold out. Tickets on the secondary market having been selling starting at $34 in the upper level and $61 each in the lower deck.

Storylines for Saturday’s Georgia game

Gunner for Heisman

Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton is fifth among Heisman Trophy contenders, per oddsmakers at DraftKings.com.

Ohio State’s Julian Sayin is the current favorite (+175), followed by Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza (+240), Alabama’s Ty Simpson (+450), Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed (+900) and then Stockton (+2200).

Other notable players in the Heisman Trophy odds include Georga Tech’s Haynes King (12th, +6000), Miami’s Carson Beck (16th, +20,000) and Texas’ Arch Manning (16th, +20,000).

Cardiac kids

Smart noted his team’s knack for drama after its 24-20 win over Florida last Saturday in Jacksonville. The Bulldogs have been tied or trailed in five of their six SEC games this season, going 4-1 in those contests.

Dating back to last season, Georgia has been tied or trailed at halftime of 11 of the past 12 games against Power 4 competition, going 8-3 in those games.

The streaks

Georgia has won 46 straight games against unranked opponents, dating back to a 20-17 overtime loss to South Carolina in 2019. That loss also represents Smart’s only loss at UGA when allowing 20 points or less (85-1).

Mississippi State has lost 11 consecutive home games against SEC opponents since a 39-33 overtime win over Auburn on Nov. 5, 2022. Georgia’s 45-19 win over Mississippi State in Starkville, one week later, on Nov 12, 2022, was the first game in the 11-game home losing streak against SEC competition.

CJ Allen Butkus Semifinalist

Georgia team captain and junior linebacker CJ Allen leads the SEC with 8.7 tackles per game and was recently named one of 12 semifinalists for the Butkus Award, which goes annually to the nation’s top linebacker.

Atlanta Falcons’ first-round pick Jalon Walker won the 2024 Butkus Award, and former Bulldogs and current NFL players Nakobe Dean (2021) and Roquan Smith (2017) have also won the coveted award.

Allen, who has 69 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, three sacks and two forced fumbles, is coming off a career-high 13-tackle performance in Georgia’s 24-20 win over Florida in Jacksonville last Saturday.

The big number

Georgia looks to score its 900th win all-time, as UGA is currently 899-433-54. Only eight other programs have 900 wins or more:

• Michigan 1,019-360-36

• Ohio State 983-335-53

• Alabama 978-342-43

• Notre Dame 965-341-42

• Texas 964-397-33