ATHENS – Georgia’s struggles against a mediocre Missouri team this past Saturday night left voters so unimpressed that they dropped the Bulldogs to No. 2 in both polls. But what exactly should we make of it?
Let’s review:
Two more turnovers.
That gives Georgia five in the last two games with just one takeaway, or a turnover margin of minus-4. After having zero turnovers in the first three games, the Bulldogs drop to 39th nationally in turnover margin at +2.
The miscues were both fumbles. One was a strip of Kendell Milton from behind on a 35-yard run. The other was a mishandled zone-read exchange between quarterback Stetson Bennett and Daijun Edwards that was charged to Bennett.
Coach Kirby Smart: “It’s frustrating but it happens in football. You don’t ever want to put it on the ground, but we had three games without any. Then, all of a sudden, you get a little rash. We’re not getting them back. We’re not playing the ball in the air. I think Chris Smith should’ve had a pick. We should’ve had some opportunities to get the ball off them. We can’t put the ball on the ground and be successful. We have to do a better job of managing that.”
Speaking of Bennett, how’d he do?
The consensus was that he was “a little off” early in the game. He admittedly was. But he also was handed some pretty tough scenarios and wasn’t helped at times by his receiving corps.
Bennett was sacked on Georgia’s first offensive series facing third-and-14. His next pass attempt came on third-and-12 and was dropped by Ladd McConkey. Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint couldn’t handle his on-point throw in tight coverage on the Bulldogs’ fourth series. It was during the fifth possession that Bennett had the ball slip out of his hand. He had four overthrows and two throw-aways.
But on Georgia’s go-ahead, touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, Bennett was 4-for-4 for 39 yards. Including the field-goal drive on the earlier possession in the fourth quarter, Bennett was 7-for-9 for 78 yards with the game on the line.
On the night, it added up to 24-for-44 for 312 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Bennett also was under pressure much of the night. He was sacked twice and hurried seven times.
“First of all, I didn’t play very well in the first half,” Bennett said. “I had to step up (at halftime) and let them know I’m going to get my job done.”
Said Smart: “Stetson didn’t play his best game; I think he’d be the first to tell you. I don’t know whether the atmosphere got to him, but he kept his composure. He led two really good drives down the field. The one drive before the last drive, he made some big-time throws. But he missed some throws tonight, and I think he’d be the first to tell you he didn’t play his best game.”
Dirty play?
Saturday’s game was tarnished by some pregame trash-talking and posturing brought on by Jalen Carter and some other Georgia defensive linemen taunting Missouri in pregame warmups down in the Tigers’ end zone. There is some question about whether that led to a dirty play by Missouri in the game.
Carter, who didn’t start for the third straight game because of an ankle injury, was the victim of a chop-block in the second quarter. Missouri left tackle Trent Sederwell drove headfirst into Carter’s left knee while left guard Mitchell Walters hooked Carter’s right arm. Carter left the game at the 10:51 mark of the second quarter and did not return. He is believed to have suffered an MCL sprain.
Smart clearly was having to bite his lip after the game.
“It was a tough block,” he said. “A tough, tough cut block that they do well.”
What about the defense?
Georgia’s defense gave up only 294 yards to Missouri on 53 plays, for an average of 5.5 yards per play. The Tigers’ were 2-for-2 in the redzone but failed to get in the end zone after reaching the 1-yard line. The Bulldogs recorded two sacks but were just a fraction late on critical downs that resulted in explosive offensive plays.
Nolan Smith couldn’t bring down quarterback Brady Cook on a play in which he completed a 36-yard pass on third-and-6. Cornerback Kelee Ringo was perfectly positioned on a 46-yard pass play to Mookie Cooper. Ringo should have had at least a pass break-up if not an interception. Smith also missed a pick-off opportunity.
“When they can’t run it, what are they going to do? They’re going to throw it at those guys,” Smart said. “We’ve got to make some plays on the ball, you know what I mean?”
Hidden gems
Missouri’s Luther Burden, who spurned the Bulldogs to sign with the Tigers, left Saturday’s game somewhat humbled. The freshman wide receiver and former 5-star prospect finished with three catches for 16 yards on seven targets and had one punt return for six yards.
However, a week after giving up 90 yards rushing to Kent State’s Marquez Cooper, the Bulldogs were hit for 89 yards on six carries by Missouri’s Cody Schrader. Cooper, by the way, had 240 yards on 40 carries against Ohio this past Saturday.
And finally, hidden within Georgia’s fourth-quarter comeback on Saturday was the continually-improving play of junior wideout Dominic Blaylock. A survivor of two ACL surgeries on the same knee, Blaylock is increasingly prominent in the Bulldogs’ game plan. Saturday he was 3-for-3 on his targeted plays and finished with 42 yards. He now has seven catches for 87 yards on the season.
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