Tag: Georgia Football

5-star linebacker recruit thinks Georgia is electric

A five-star recruit, Grayson High School standout loved the Georgia atmosphere against Tennessee

The Georgia Bulldogs have done great work recruiting high school prospects. Their 2025 class is currently ranked No. 1 in the country at this point, but that doesn’t mean the Bulldogs haven’t done work building their 2026 recruiting class.

The Bulldogs only have three 2026 commits, but five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson could be a fourth potential commit. Atkinson went to Georgia’s 31-17 win over Tennessee and described his experience as electric.

Atkinson Tweeted during their game against Tennessee. “I had a great time,” said Atkinson via social media.

This is not the first time Atkinson has visited Sanford Stadium. As a freshman in high school, he checked out the Bulldogs’ second championship celebration in January 2022. He attended “Junior Day”, where he met linebacker Mykel Williams.

This year, he was in the stands for the Bulldogs games vs. Clemson, at Alabama, at Texas, and vs. Tennessee. Additionally, his trainer Marcus Howard was an All-SEC defender for the Georgia Bulldogs.

While at the Tennessee game, he met with Kirby Smart and inside linebackers coach/defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann. “I spent a lot of time with Coach Kirby and Coach Schu,” he said, via DawgNation. “Kirby talked a lot about my game he came to and what he saw from me. Coach Schu and I talk about everything.”

Atkinson is currently ranked the No. 7 recruit in the nation and the top linebacker. He is the No. 1 prospect in Georgia. He currently plays for Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia. The elite linebacker is predicted to commit to Georgia his potential commitment would strengthen Georgia’s class of 2026.

The Georgia-UMass game is very important for several Dawgs

Key inexperienced players will get valuable playing time in the Georgia vs. UMass game

The Georgia Bulldogs’ Week 13 game against UMass Minuteman could be overlooked because of an inferior opponent. However, the Georgia-UMass game can show us the future at positions where the starters are more than likely headed to the NFL after this season.

Additionally, it will offer an opportunity for many players to get valuable reps. What positions and players will we be watching the most closely?

Quaterback

Carson Beck is more than likely heading to the NFL after this season. This leaves Georgia with questions at the most important position on the field next season. Who is going to step up and lead the Georgia offense in 2025?

There are two quarterbacks on the roster who we think could start nest season. The first one is redshirt sophomore Gunner Stockton. Stockton (31 career pass attempts) has been apart of the program for the last three years, so he knows Mike Bobo’s system and the personnel well.

The other player is redshirt freshman Jaden Rashada who came into the program through the transfer portal. Rashada (82 career pass attempts) already has a season of experience with Arizona State. Rashada is a wildcard because he has not been on the roster long, but head coach Kirby Smart took a chance on him for a reason.

Of course, Georgia could look to the portal or to a true freshman to start at quarterback in 2025 as well.

Edge Rusher

Mykel Willams and Jalon Walker have caused problems for opposing teams this season, but now the question is who will be the next edge rusher for the Bulldogs.

A player to watch at is sophomore linebacker Damon Wilson. Wilson posses great speed, a relentless motor, and the attitude the head coach Kirby Smart wants out of his edge rushers. Wilson will have an opportunity to showcase his ability in expanded playing time this Saturday.

How much is Georgia football paying to play UMass?

Georgia is paying UMass more to play at Sanford Stadium than any other CFB team has paid to play an FBS team at home this year

The No. 8 Georgia Bulldogs are paying the big bucks to play their opponent this week: the Massachusetts Minutemen. The University of Georgia is paying UMass $1.9 million to play at Sanford Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 12:45 p.m. ET.

No other team in the nation is paying more for a home game than Georgia is to play against UMass, who is an independent school and is not a member of any conference. Alabama and Auburn both paid $1.9 million to have home games against Western Kentucky and New Mexico, respectfully.

UMass may use some of the money to pay for a new head coach. The Minutemen fired their head coach, Don Brown, on Monday.

Georgia is favored to win by more than six touchdowns. The Georgia-UMass game will be televised on SEC Network. Against the Minutemen, Georgia looks to extend its home winning streak to 30 games.

Of course, Georgia got a bargain earlier in the season. UGA only had to pay Tennessee Tech $550,000, which is nothing compared to Georgia’s athletics budget.

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“They played multiple SEC teams. I think it’s good because you get to watch how they played those teams,” said Georgia coach Kirby Smart ahead of the UMass game.

Why is UMass playing three SEC teams? Well the money speaks for itself.

Georgia-UMass injury report

Georgia Bulldogs football injury report ahead of UGA’s game against the UMass Minutemen

The Georgia Bulldogs will be without several players against the UMass Minutemen. The Georgia-UMass game is at 12:45 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 23.

Georgia has a significant amount of injuries along the offensive line and at running back. Georgia offensive linemen Micah Morris and Earnest Greene are both questionable to play.

Starting running back Trevor Etienne missed the Tennessee game with a ribs injury. Running back Cash Jones is questionable as well. Georgia is already down a pair of running backs in Branson Robinson and Roderick Robinson, so true freshman Nate Frazier will continue to carry the load. Freshman Chauncey Bowens received five carries against Tennessee.

It will be interesting to see the depth pieces Georgia has against UMass. It is assumed that Georgia will dominate UMass because UGA is 42 1/2-point favorites. We anticipate Georgia being conservative with injured players against UMass.

On the UMass side of the things, the Minutemen are without starting quarterback Taisun Phommachanh, a Clemson and Georgia Tech transfer. UMass relied on quarterback AJ Hairston in their overtime loss to Liberty last week.

Georgia defensive lineman Joseph Jonah-Ajonye, who is a former five-star recruit, is out for the season.

Georgia injury report

Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Dillon Bell missed the second half of UGA’s victory over the Tennessee Volunteers. Brett Davis-Imagn Images
  • RB Roderick Robinson: Doubtful (toe)
  • RB Branson Robinson: Doubtful (knee)
  • DL Joseph Jonah-Ajonye: Out for season (leg surgery)
  • WR Colbie Young: Suspended indefinitely
  • OL Micah Morris: Questionable
  • RB Trevor Etienne: Questionable (ribs)
  • WR Dillon Bell: Doubtful (ankle)
  • DB Joenel Aguero: Questionable (hand)
  • OL Earnest Greene: Questionable (arm)
  • RB Cash Jones: Questionable
  • WR London Humphreys: Probable

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UMass injury report

Taisun Phommachanh of the Massachusetts Minutemen is out against Georgia. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
  • QB Taisun Phommachanh: Out for season

There is no SEC injury report for nonconference games.

Nick Chubb scores two touchdowns in display of resilience

Former Georgia running back Nick Chubb shows he’s back in his prime despite a the serious knee injury he suffered last year

A few weeks ago, former Georgia Bulldog running back Nick Chubb returned to action for the Cleveland Browns after 13 months of recovery. He continues to overcome the odds, and Thursday gave Georgia fans a sign he’s back in his prime.

Chubb suffered a nasty knee injury in his last game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In Cleveland’s 24-19 win over Pittsburgh, he was the focal point of the Cleveland Browns offense because the field was covered in snow. He ran for 59 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team rostering several Georgia Bulldogs, on Thursday Night Football.

Despite former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston committing two turnovers, the 3-8 Browns were able to stun the 8-3 Steelers thanks to Nick Chubb’s performance. Chubb’s performance personified his major comeback.

Nick Chubb posted his first two touchdown game since a 2022 Week 8’s matchup vs. the Cincinnati Bengals.

 

 

Georgia football has nation’s top recruiting class after recent commit

The Georgia Bulldogs have the nation’s top recruiting class after gaining a commitment from 4-star Chase Linton

The Georgia Bulldogs became the SEC’s best ranked recruiting class of 2025 after cornerback Dominick Kelly reclassified from the class of 2026 to 2025. Now, with four-star edge rusher Chase Linton committing to Georgia, the Bulldogs have passed Ohio State and earned the top recruiting class in the nation.

Georgia has done a lot of work in the past few weeks to get the top spot, preparing for the early signing period beginning Dec. 4. It appears that their work is far from done as Kirby Smart has been active looking to flip recruits. Specifically, he’s been looking to flip several of the nation’s top committed quarterbacks.

Georgia’s recruit class includes five five-stars, including Elijah Griffin, and 19 four-stars. It’s an incredible feat, especially since the SEC has seven of the nation’s top 10 recruiting classes.

Who have the nation’s best ranked recruiting classes?

Brett Davis-Imagn Images
  1. Georgia Bulldogs (26 commits, 5 5-stars, 19 4-stars)
  2. Ohio State Buckeyes (25 commits, 3 5-stars, 18 4-stars)
  3. Alabama Crimson Tide (21 commits, 4 5-stars, 13 4-stars)
  4. Texas Longhorns (23 commits, 4 5-stars, 12 4-stars)
  5. Auburn Tigers (27 commits, 1 5-star, 18 4-stars)
  6. LSU Tigers (26 commits, 3 5-stars, 19 4-stars)
  7. Tennessee Volunteers (24 commits, 1 5-star, 14 4-star)
  8. Oregon Ducks (16 commits, 3 5-stars, 11 4-stars)
  9. Miami Hurricanes (23 commits, 16 4-stars)
  10. Texas A&M Aggies (21 commits, 17 4-stars)
  11. Oklahoma Sooners (21 commits, 1 5-star, 14 4-stars)
  12. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (23 commits, 13 4-stars)
  13. USC Trojans (21 commits, 2 5-stars, 11 4-stars)
  14. Michigan Wolverines (18 commits, 1 5-star, 12 4-stars)
  15. Ole Miss Rebels (21 commits, 1 5-star, 11 4-stars)
  16. Penn State Nittany Lions (26 commits, 17 4-stars)
  17. Clemson Tigers (14 commits, 8 4-stars)
  18. Washington Huskies (27 commits, 8 4-stars)
  19. Missouri Tigers (15 commits, 9 4-stars)
  20. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (21 commits, 7 4-stars)
  21. Nebraska Cornhuskers (20 commits, 10 4-stars)
  22. TCU Bullfrogs (25 commits, 6 4-stars)
  23. South Carolina Gamecocks (21 commits, 9 4-stars)
  24. Maryland Terrapins (23 commits, 5 4-stars)
  25. Wisconsin Badgers (24 commits, 7 4-stars)

Comparing Carson Beck and Brock Vandagriff’s stats

Comparing Georgia quarterback Carson Beck’s stats to UGA transfer and Kentucky starting quarterback Brock Vandagriff

Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck won the starting job over former Georgia quarterback Brock Vandagriff ahead of the start of the 2023 college football season.

Beck has not missed a start for Georgia since then. Following the 2023 season, Brock Vandagriff transferred to the Kentucky Wildcats.

Vandagriff has held down the starting role at Kentucky despite some inconsistent performances and results. The Wildcats are fighting to try to make a bowl game over the last two weeks of the season.

Vandagriff and Kentucky nearly upset Georgia in Week 3. The Wildcats came one play away from beating Georgia in a 13-12 loss.

When Beck initially won the starting role, many Georgia fans questioned the decision. Well, now we have more data on how both players have performed in starting roles.

Beck’s numbers are better than Vandagriff’s almost across the board, but remember Beck has a superior supporting cast.

How do Carson Beck and Brock Vandagriff’s stats compare through 10 games of the 2024 college football season?

Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck and Kentucky quarterback Brock Vandagriff were teammates for several years at UGA. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
  Brock Vandagriff Carson Beck
Completion Percentage (%) 57.8 65.1
Passing Yards 1,542 2,835
Passing Touchdowns 9 19
Interceptions 7 12
Yards Per Attempt 7.3 7.9
QBR 57.3 80.5
Team Record 4-6 8-2
Rushing Yards 138 71
Rushing Touchdowns 0 1

There’s no doubt that Beck has posted better numbers than Vandagriff. Beck has had some turnover issues, but he’s kept the UGA offense moving for the most part and has Georgia in College Football Playoff contention.

It is surprising to see that Vandagriff only has 138 rushing yards. We thought the Wildcats would use him more in the their rushing attack. Some of Vandagriff’s rushing stats are down because he’s taken 23 sacks.

Vandagriff did win at Ole Miss, which is one accomplishment that Carson Beck was unable to pull off. Vandagriff has another chance to earn a major upset on Saturday as Kentucky travels to play No. 3 Texas.

4-star Georgia State OT commit projected to flip to UGA

Four-star Georgia State offensive tackle commit is a late riser in the recruiting rankings. Will he flip to Georgia?

Four-star Georgia State Panthers offensive tackle commitment Dennis Uzochukwu recently received a scholarship offer from the Georgia Bulldogs.
The 6-foot-6, 285-pound offensive tackle has been committed to Georgia State since July. Former Georgia Bulldogs running backs head coach Dell McGee is now the head coach at Georgia State. It’d hurt McGee to lose Uzochukwu, who is one of his top commitments in the class of 2025.
On3 ranks Uzochukwu as the No. 189 recruit in the country and the No. 22 prospect in Georgia. The talented offensive tackle plays high school football for Peachtree Ridge High School in Suwanee, Georgia.
Uzochukwu, who also plays high school basketball, attended the Georgia-Tennessee game. The Peachtree Ridge standout has good athleticism, length and mobility. He would be a welcome addition to Georgia’s No. 1 recruiting class. The Bulldogs have commitments from four offensive linemen in the 2025 cycle, so they certainly could add a fifth commitment.
Uzochukwu is projected to flip from Georgia State to Georgia according to 247Sports and On3. He plans to visit Georgia for the UMass game.

SEC honors two Georgia Bulldogs after win vs. Tennessee

The SEC announced their players of the week, rewarding two Georgia Bulldogs

In Georgia’s 31-17 win over the Tennessee Volunteers, there were several standout players. The SEC honored senior guard Tate Ratledge and junior punter Brett Thorson for their performance versus Tennessee.

Ratledge earned SEC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week, which is unbelievable considering he’s currently managing pain from the tightrope surgery from a high ankle sprain. Regardless of the injury, he played all 76 snaps of offense. He had a 77.5 pass-blocking grade, according to PFF (subscription needed), and he was part of a line that didn’t allow Carson Beck to get sacked once against a fierce Tennessee pass rush.

“It’s probably the first game that we haven’t subbed an offensive lineman the whole time,” Kirby Smart mentioned about Ratledge, “And we were concerned about that because we didn’t know how Tate would hold up. And that game meant a lot to Tate. Tate grew up in a Tennessee family and a dad that was a Tennessee fan. That game’s a lot of pride to him. And I thought his energy and toughness really showed. And just a week ago, he dinged it and couldn’t go. And he went out there tonight and really played physical, played tough.”

Thorson won SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Week. The Australian native averaged 44.2 yards per punt, with a 53-yard boot and two punts inside the Tennessee 20-yard line. He also had a touchdown-saving tackle in the first half.

Thorson gave a presentation to the team after his tackle.

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This year, Thorson has averaged 46.3 yards a punt, which is ranked tenth in the country. He also ranks fifth in the country on net punt average, with 43.5 net yards per punt.

3 Georgia Bulldogs selected early in first round of 2025 NFL mock draft

Three Georgia Bulldogs are projected to go in the top half of the first-round in a recent CBS NFL mock draft.

CBS writer Ryan Wilson recently released his newest 2025 NFL mock draft. Wilson projects that three Georgia Bulldogs will go in the top half of the first round of his mock draft.

All three of Wilson’s projected first-round picks from Georgia play defense. The Bulldogs are among the best defenses in the country, but still have room for improvement.

Jalon Walker, Miami Dolphins, 12th overall

Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images

Jalon Walker has shown insane versatility, lining up as both an off-ball linebacker and as an edge rusher. He’s a fast player that is great at block shedding, both in pass-rushing and run defense. He’s already drawn praise from NFL legends, such as Micah Parsons, who he’s received comparisons to. Walker would be an impact player for the Dolphins defense that sorely needs one in the front seven.

Mykel Williams, 14th overall, Chicago Bears

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Mykel Williams is a little further down from draft mocks earlier in the year. He was considered a contender for the No. 1 overall pick in September. However, he is still a one-of-one talent when he’s healthy.

Williams’ incredibly good against the run, showing elite upper-body strength and technique that helps him bulldoze offensive tackles. The Bears could use offensive lineman, but they could also use a second edge rusher to pair with Montez Sweat.

Malaki Starks, 16th overall, Seattle Seahawks

Tanner Pearson-Imagn Images

Starks would fit perfectly in former Georgia assistant Mike McDonald’s system. Starks is a safety with excellent range. He is super effective at reading running gaps and is one of the best tacklers on Georgia’s defense. That could make a Seattle defense that is already 12th in tackling grade, according to PFF, even better.