As No. 2 Georgia prepares for four consecutive conference games against ranked opponents, it’s easy to overlook a game such as Vanderbilt, but Georgia defensive tackle Michael Barnett is preparing like he’s facing a Super Bowl champion.
Vanderbilt (3-2) soundly lost its only conference game to South Carolina two weeks ago and nearly lost to Tennessee State last week, but before their two-game skid, the Commodores proved they’re capable of playing solid football when they nearly defeated then-No. 8 Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., three weeks ago.
Georgia and Vanderbilt kick off at 7:30 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network; Bulldogs, News 95.5 and AM-750 WSB) at Sanford Stadium.
“I feel like they’re a good run and pass team,” Barnett said. “They’re really well-rounded, and I feel like they’re pretty good team that’s going to give us their best (effort), so we still have to play these guys like were playing the New England Patriots. We have to put our best foot forward and be in a tiptop shape.”
Georgia (5-0, 3-0) knows firsthand that Vanderbilt can occasionally cause trouble for more talented teams. The last time the Commodores traveled to Athens in 2016, Vanderbilt left Sanford Stadium with a 17-16 win.
Coach Kirby Smart said Georgia’s problem in 2016 was poor play in all three phases, but most notably on special teams, where Georgia allowed Vanderbilt to punt for 378 yards and total 124 yards on kick returns. However, Smart said the mistakes from the Vanderbilt game in his first season as head coach have no impact on this Saturday’s game.
“I don't think it has any effect on this game being two years ago,” Smart said. “They've got some of the same players. We've got some of the same players. The biggest thing looking back was (Vanderbilt out-gaining us). I mean special teams killed us.”
One of the Commodores returning to Sanford Stadium on Saturday is senior quarterback Kyle Shurmur, who has only progressed since the Commodores stunned the Bulldogs in Athens.
Shurmur, who threw for 109 of the Commodores’ 171 yards of offense against Georgia as a sophomore, currently is the SEC’s third-leading passer and one of several veteran SEC quarterbacks the Bulldogs will face this season with experience dissecting Georgia’s defense.
“(Shurmur’s) been there for a while,” Barnett said. “He knows the offense. He knows what to see in opposing defenses to get them at their weakest point, so I feel like he’s a real student of the game. He’s a really good player.”
Shurmur totals 1,231 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions this season.
He threw for 326 of those yards and one touchdown as he led Vanderbilt’s second-half scoring surge against Notre Dame earlier this season, proving he finally has enough experience to make his team’s offense — which averages 414.2 yards — a threat more talented teams can no longer overlook.
“(Shurmur’s) very intelligent,” Smart said. “He understands the system he plays in. He's able to know what coverage you're in. He knows where to go with the ball. He knows what matchups are right.
“He's a really good quarterback that understands the game and one of the many in the SEC now that are grown up. Two years ago, all these guys we were playing against were freshmen. Now they're all older and better players, but certainly he'll be able to test us deep because they've got the capability of doing that.”
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