Tag: Georgia Football

Georgia Bulldog transfer has breakout performance

Georgia Bulldogs football transfer wide receiver goes off for the Syracuse Orange.

Former Georgia Bulldog wide receiver Jackson Meeks has been looking for opportunities to prove himself as a top wide receiver on the Syracuse Orange. This past week, he went a long way towards doing that.

Against the Holy Cross Crusaders, Meeks had a career day, racking up 161 yards and a touchdown on 10 receptions. He was a big part of the Syracuse offense in a dominating 42-14 win.

His strong performance earned him the top Pro Football Focus grade of any wide receiver in the country this week, with a 90.2 grade. It also earned him a spot on the All-ACC team in PFF for Week 5.

Before this game, Meeks had only tallied about 3 receptions per game, but he was doing well with them, totaling about 38 yards a game, meaning he had over 12 yards a reception. With fellow Georgia transfer Yazeed Haynes missing time due to personal reasons, Meeks took advantage of his improved playing time. It’ll be interesting to see how both their college careers pan out, but for Meeks, it could be a sign of dominance to come.

Syracuse is 3-1 to start the season under former Georgia Bulldogs defensive back coach Fran Brown.

Hugh Freeze explains what it will take to upset Georgia

Hugh Freeze outlines how the Auburn Tigers can shock the world and upset No. 5 Georgia on the road

Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze knows the Tigers (2-3) have to clean some things up if Auburn is going to upset No. 5 Georgia (3-1). Auburn has played some sloppy football to start the season and it has cost the Tigers, who are playing in their first road game of the season at Georgia.

Sanford Stadium won’t be an easy an environment for an Auburn team that has not been able to get out of its own way. Auburn had two missed field goals and a costly pick-six in the Tigers’ most recent loss to the Oklahoma Sooners. Auburn significantly outgained Oklahoma, but could not outscore the Sooners.

“We lost the three games. We lost by an average of 7.7 points in those games and have had 11 turnovers,” said Freeze. Auburn currently ranks second-to-last in the country with 15 turnovers. The Tigers have been unable to take care of the football, but if they limit turnovers, then they could make things interesting against Georgia.

“We’ve got to get ready for a very difficult Georgia team who’s loaded with talent and experience and maturity and obviously well-coached,” said Freeze. “Great respect for Kirby (Smart), the job he’s done and the classes he’s stacked there make them one of the nation’s elite.”

Freeze has a ton of respect for Kirby Smart, but Georgia is looking to bounce back as well. The Bulldogs are coming off a four turnover performance of their own and are hoping to rebound after losing 41-34 to Alabama last week.

So what does Freeze think that it will take to upset the No. 5 team in the country? “It will take a mistake-free game to go to Athens and upset Georgia,” explained Freeze.

Georgia has not lost in Athens since 2019 and has not lost to Auburn since 2017, so there’s several streaks on the line in the latest edition of the Georgia-Auburn rivalry.

Auburn RB reminds Kirby Smart of Nick Chubb

Is Kirby Smart comparing Auburn’s top running back to Nick Chubb a fair comparison? We dive into the numbers

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart compares Auburn Tigers running back Jarquez Hunter to former Georgia running back Nick Chubb.

Hunter has 65 carries for 437 rushing yards and two touchdowns this season. The 5-foot-10, 210-pound senior is averaging 6.7 yards per carry.

“The dude, I don’t know if it’s the 27 thing, he reminds me so much of Nick Chubb,” said Kirby Smart. Hunter is a in his fourth season with Auburn, and he is a similar size to Nick Chubb, but he is simply not the bell cow running back that Chubb was at Georgia.

Nick Chubb posted legendary numbers during his time at Georgia. Chubb, who had one college season cut short due to a brutal leg injury, is the SEC’s second all-time leading rusher. Chubb finished his four year career at Georgia with 4,769 rushing yards and 52 total touchdowns. Chubb averaged over 100 yards per game in 47 career games.

Jarquez Hunter does not have that level of production, but he is one of the best backs in the SEC. Kirby Smart thinks there’s a lot to like about Hunter’s game.

“I mean, he’s got a straight line, and he’s so physical. People just bounce off of him,” added Smart. Hunter has 2,607 career rushing yards and 23 total touchdowns in four seasons at Auburn. His numbers don’t compare favorably to Nick Chubb’s but he has been very efficient throughout his college career.

“He’s just super physical, downhill,” continued Smart. “Like, he makes you not want to tackle him. He embarrassed us two years ago here, and then he had a really good game against us there. So, we think he’s one of the best backs in the country.”

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In 2023, Hunter rushed 19 times for 59 yards and scored a touchdown against Georgia. Hunter scored a long 62 yard receiving touchdown against UGA in 2022 and finished with 93 total yards on eight touches.

4-star DL, brother of UGA TE projected to commit to Georgia

Georgia football is expected to land a commitment from four-star Norcross defensive line recruit, who is the brother of a UGA tight end

Four-star defensive line recruit Carter Luckie is projected to commit to the Georgia Bulldogs football program according to Steve Wiltfong of On3. Luckie is the brother of Georgia tight end Lawson Luckie.

Carter Luckie is a member of the class of 2026. He plays high school football for Norcross High School in Norcross, Georgia. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound defensive lineman is ranked as the No. 233 recruit in the country, per 247Sports. Luckie is the No. 24 recruit in Georgia and the No. 26 defensive lineman in the nation.

Head coach Kirby Smart and Georgia have three commitments from recruits in the class of 2026. Georgia has the No. 8 recruiting class in the 2026 cycle. The Bulldogs are still looking for their first commitment from a player in the trenches in the class of 2026 and Luckie would be good foundation for the Dawgs.

Georgia is also favored to land a commitment from four-star running back Ousmane Kromah, who is announcing his college decision on Saturday.

The good, bad and ugly of the SEC entering Week 6

See what the SEC has to offer in the good, the bad and the ugly entering Week 6

In Week 5, the SEC owned the headlines. Whether it was the matchup between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs or the bad beat Ole Miss suffered against the Kentucky Wildcats, there was plenty of excitement to go around.

As we prepare for Week 6 of the 2024 college football season, there’s a ton of storyline to follow, especially within the SEC.

The strongest conference in college football will look to feature a handful of teams in the newly formatted College Football Playoff, but teams will have to prove themselves first in the gauntlet that is the SEC in-conference schedule.

Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly of the SEC as we enter Week 6.

The Good

After escaping an improbable comeback that Georgia almost mounted, Alabama will hit the road to take on Vanderbilt. With the win, the Crimson Tide took over the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll Top-25, dethroning the Texas Longhorns. There’s plenty of football left to play in the 2024 season, but Alabama seems primed to hold onto that spot unless they suffer a loss at some point on the road. As things stand, the SEC has a pretty strong grip on the top 10 in the rankings.

The Bad

Ole Miss appeared to be one of the strongest teams in the nation, with their offense destroying opposing defenses and the Rebels’ defense looking strong. Unfortunately, Lane Kiffin and his team could not get past Kentucky, which played a tight game and earned the win in the final minutes of the game. It’s not a season-defining loss for Ole Miss, but it certainly hurts the team’s resume. That being said, there is plenty of time to bounce back and redeem themselves.

The Ugly

The Auburn Tigers looked like they were set to win against the Oklahoma Sooners in Week 5, but fell apart toward the end and lost the matchup. Hugh Freeze needs to figure something out fast to keep the team from trending downward. They’ll have their work cut out for them in Week 6 as they take on a Georgia team fresh off of a disappointing loss.

UGA transfer among College Football 25’s top risers

Georgia football cornerback transfer records his first INT and is among the top risers in the latest College Football 25 update

Former Georgia Bulldog cornerback A.J. Harris, who now plays for the Penn State Nittany Lions, is among the top risers in EA Sports College Football 25. Harris has emerged as one of Penn State’s top defenders. His rating in College Football 25 increased from 82 overall to 84 overall in a recent update.

Harris’ impact is felt beyond the video game world. The former Georgia cornerback has 11 total tackles and one interception this season.

Harris, a former five-star recruit, recorded his first career interception in Penn State’s 21-7 win over Illinois last week.

Unfortunately the sophomore’s pick six against Illinois was called back due to a penalty. Harris showed lots of promise as a true freshman at Georgia, but as Harris’ freshman season went on he saw less snaps with the UGA defense.

The Bulldogs could have used another body to throw at Alabama star wide receiver Ryan Williams last week. Georgia did not stop Williams from scoring two long touchdowns in UGA’s 41-34 loss to Alabama.

Here’s a look at A.J. Harris’ first career interception.

Georgia’s pass defense improved in the second half against Alabama with the notable exception of two long plays to Ryan Williams.

 

Stetson Bennett loses bet on Georgia-Alabama game

Former Georgia football quarterback Stetson Bennett faced embarrassing consequences after losing a bet on the Georgia-Alabama game

Former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett lost a bet with former Alabama Crimson Tide tight end Miller Forristall. Bennett bet that Georgia would defeat Alabama, but the Crimson Tide prevailed in a thrilling 41-34 win.

Bennett and Forristall are teammates on the Los Angeles Rams. In the aftermath of Georgia’s loss, Bennett was forced to wear Alabama attire to the Rams’ facility.

Bennett wore an Alabama hat and collared shirt. There’s honestly been more embarrassing punishments than this one, but Stetson Bennett does not want to wear any Alabama gear.

The Crimson Tide were the final team to beat Bennett in his college career (2021 SEC championship game). The good news for Bennett is he gained revenge on Alabama in the 2021 national championship and went on to win the 2022 national championship (he did not play the Crimson Tide in 2022).

Forristall posted Bennett’s payoff via social media to add to the former Georgia quarterback’s embarrassment.

Bennett remains on the Rams’ 53-man roster after missing most of his rookie season.

Browns RB Nick Chubb returns to action

Nick Chubb returns to practice over a year after suffering a serious leg injury

Georgia Bulldogs fans will get to see one of the best former players in the NFL come back in action soon. Nick Chubb has been designated to return by the Cleveland Browns and is currently practicing with the team.

It’s been a long road to get back to action for Chubb. After the severe knee injury in Week 2 of last year, and the PUP placement at the beginning of the year, he’ll finally have a chance to play again. He isn’t be expected to debut in Week 5, but him being at practice is a good sign for his recovery process.

Chubb, who is the SEC’s second leading rusher of all-time, has recovered from a major leg injury before. It is good to see the Georgia Bulldogs legend back at practice with the Browns.

 

The Browns have found adequate replacement for Chubb since then, with Jerome Ford totaling 1,384 yards from scrimmage since his injury with 4.3 yards per rush attempt. However, Chubb will be a welcome addition for the Browns.

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Chubb will more than likely be used in short doses early on before getting higher workloads toward the end of the season.

‘College GameDay’ going to school for first time ever in Week 6

ESPN’s “College GameDay” will be attending a college campus for the first time ever in Week 6

ESPN’s “College GameDay” has decided where it will be for Week 6 of the 2024 college football season. The GameDay set will be in Berkeley, California, as the California Bears host the No. 8 Miami Hurricanes. 

GameDay will begin coverage at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday, so Cal fans will have to wake up very early if they want to attend GameDay. This is the first time GameDay has gone to Berkeley. Cal, which just recently joined the ACC, is 3-1 this season. Miami is 5-0 and has a Heisman contender in quarterback Cam Ward.

Last week, GameDay went to the Georgia at Alabama game, which ended up being one of the most entertaining college football games in recent memory. Nick Saban, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Rece Davis and Pat McAfee are college football analysts for GameDay.

Other top games in Week 6 include Missouri at Texas A&M, Michigan State at Oregon, Ole Miss at South Carolina, Iowa at Ohio State and Auburn at Georgia. Week 6 features a number of conference games, but not very many ranked matchups.

ESPN sportscaster Kirk Herbstreit commentated the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs game last week. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

There’s a good chance that GameDay will be present for three other Georgia football games this fall (at Ole Miss, at Texas and vs. Tennessee).

Key statistics for Auburn Tigers vs. No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs

How do the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs compare with the Auburn Tigers statistically?

The Georgia Bulldogs fell in the US LBM Coaches ranking after failing to come through against longtime foe on Saturday. Georgia’s 41-34 loss was a wild game where Georgia fell behind 28-0 in the first half, then roared back to take a 34-33 lead in the fourth quarter. However, Georgia’s lead did not last long as UGA blew it 18 seconds later.

Georgia’s playoff hopes are still alive, but they’ll need to win almost all of their remaining games, including against the Auburn Tigers. The Tigers themselves are 2-3 after their own tough loss against the No. 19 Oklahoma Sooners. They had a 21-10 lead before giving up 17 unanswered points to lose 27-21.

Georgia is favored early against Auburn, but they’ll need to make sure to play a complete game of football to avoid a major upset. Here’s the stat breakdown for Georgia and Auburn, provided by CFB Stats:

Scoring Offense

Auburn: 33.4 points per game (t-42nd)

Georgia: 32.3 points per game (52nd)

Rushing Offense

Auburn: 171.20 rushing yards per game (62nd)

Georgia: 129.25 rushing yards per game (102nd)

Passing Offense:

Auburn: 294.8 passing yards per game (25th)

Georgia: 302.3 passing yards per game (19th)

Total Offense: 

Auburn: 466 total yards per game (23rd)

Georgia: 431.5 total yards per game (44th)

Scoring Defense

Auburn: 18.8 points allowed per game (t-37th)

Georgia: 14.8 points allowed per game (18th)

Rushing Defense:

Auburn: 121 rushing yards allowed per game (t-48th)

Georgia: 126.25 rushing yards allowed per game (58th)

Passing Defense:

Auburn: 208 passing yards allowed per game (67th)

Georgia: 162 passing yards allowed per game (25th)

Total Defense: 

Auburn: 329 total yards allowed per game (50th)

Georgia: 288.3 total yards allowed per game (24th)

One key stat to watch:

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart recently explained why Georgia’s third down offense is struggling this season. The Bulldogs are converting over 20% less third downs than last season.