Many Notre Dame fans likely still haven’t forgiven Urban Meyer for choosing to coach Florida over the program he once worked for. While the Irish ended up with [autotag]Charlie Weis[/autotag], Meyer won two of his eventual three national championships with the Gators. On the surface, Meyer made the right call.
But as Meyer pointed out in the latest episode of “The Triple Option”, he didn’t simply choose the Gators because he liked their program better. It goes back to the Irish having a national footprint as opposed to other programs with more regional footprints.
Since the Irish have a national following, they need to recruit everywhere around the country, and that often means recruiters spending time away from their families. That wasn’t the case with the Gators, who primarily focused on the state of Florida and sometimes Georgia, which meant recruiters could be home on the same day they left to visit prospective players:
This probably won’t change some people’s perspectives of Meyer, but at least he’s setting the record straight. He chose to spend more time with his family, and who can fault a man for that?
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After suffering an injury in the Bulldogs’ matchup against Kentucky, the extent of the injuries to Georgia guard Tate Ratledge have been confirmed.
The Georgia Bulldogs offensive line had a rough outing Saturday night against Kentucky Wildcats, in large part due to an injury suffered by 2023 first-team all-SEC guard Tate Ratledge.
Ratledge was carted off the field. While the Bulldogs pulled away with the victory, fans nervously awaited news on Ratledge’s status.
As first reported by On3’s Rusty Mansell, Ratledge avoided a season-ending injury. He is, however, expected to miss around six weeks with a sprained MCL and ankle, which would put a potential return date for the Nov. 2 matchup with the Florida Gators after Georgia’s second bye week of the season.
Ratledge is projected to miss the massive upcoming road games against Alabama and Texas, meaning Georgia will need Micah Morris to step up in his place. Morris, a former four-star recruit in the class of 2021, has played in 28 games over his four years with the Bulldogs including all three thus far this season. Morris consistently sees snaps as a part of the offensive line rotation.
Georgia will have a bye week to settle the rotation along the offensive line before heading to Tuscaloosa to take on the fourth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in a prime-time matchup with major implications for the SEC and the College Football Playoff. The line will have to play significantly better than was seen against the Wildcats for Georgia to win in Tuscaloosa for the first time since 2007.
The Rams face a looming decision on former Georgia QB Stetson Bennett after Los Angeles’ Week 2 game against the Arizona Cardinals
Former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett made the Los Angeles Rams’ 53-man roster and served as the Rams’ second-string quarterback in their 26-20 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 1. Bennett is expected to serve the same role in Los Angeles’ Week 2 game against the Arizona Cardinals.
However, after Week 2, NFL veteran Jimmy Garoppolo will return from a two-game suspension. Garoppolo is expected to back up Matthew Stafford for the rest of the season.
Los Angeles has several options upon Garoppolo’s return. The Rams could cut Bennett or move him to their practice squad. It would be surprising for Los Angeles to cut Bennett.
The Rams have no quarterback on their practice squad. Bennett is Los Angeles’ third-string quarterback and the vast majority of NFL teams carry at least three quarterbacks between their active roster in practice squad.
Moving Bennett to their practice squad does come with risk. Another NFL team could sign Bennett to their active roster if he becomes a practice squad player.
Bennett is coming off an up-and-down preseason. He played in the Rams’ first two preseason games and had some excellent moments, including a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown passes, which helped the Rams pick up two wins. However, he threw five interceptions in the preseason (tied for most in the NFL).
His top 10 consists of five SEC schools, three Big Ten teams, and one squad each from the ACC and Big 12, It goes to show that the top competition this year is coming from the SEC and the Big Ten, and both teams that win those conferences will have a significant advantage in the playoffs.
With the 2024 season including an expanded College Football Playoff, there’s a likelihood that all of these teams could make the playoffs, even if they don’t win their division.
Honorable Mentions: Missouri Tigers, Michigan Wolverines, Oregon Ducks, Oklahoma State Cowboys and Oklahoma Sooners
Quarterback Carson Beck shined as the Georgia Bulldogs had their way with Tennessee Tech in a 48-3 victory on Saturday.
Saturday was expected to be more of an exhibition than any true challenge for the Georgia Bulldogs, and the nation’s number-one team did not disappoint. Quarterback Carson Beck shined as the Bulldogs had their way with Tennessee Tech in a 48-3 victory, sending the Golden Eagles back to Cookeville with a 0-2 record.
The Bulldogs got off to a quick start, with Anthony Evans returning the first punt 56 yards to the Tech 22-yard line. Beck would hit Dillon Bell in the corner of the end zone on the first play from scrimmage for the Dawgs to give them a 7-0 lead.
There was no looking back for Georgia, as Beck would find Colbie Young and Dominic Lovett for a pair of scores that combined with a Peyton Woodring 27-yard kick would extend the Bulldogs’ lead to 24-0 at halftime.
Georgia would open the second half quickly, with Beck finding Arian Smith for a 50-yard touchdown on the Dawgs’ opening drive of the third quarter.
A fumble by Tennessee Tech wide receiver Jordan Yates recovered by Dan Jackson would immediately give the ball back to Georgia, giving way to a fifth touchdown pass of the game for Beck, this one to tight end Lawson Luckie.
Sep 7, 2024; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs tight end Lawson Luckie (7) runs for a touchdown after a catch against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles during the second half at Sanford Stadium. Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Backup quarterback Gunner Stockton would finish out the game from there, leading a touchdown drive capped by a 13-yard scoring run from Branson Robinson. Woodring would hit a 32-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, matched by the Golden Eagles’ Hayden Olsen to score the lone points of the game for Tennessee Tech.
Trevor Etienne made his debut for the Bulldogs in this game, picking up 78 yards despite only carrying the ball five times, giving fans a vision of the explosiveness he can bring to the UGA run game.
Sep 7, 2024; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Trevor Etienne (1) runs past Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles linebacker Kalvyn Crummie (42) during the first half at Sanford Stadium. Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Tight end Oscar Delp left the game with an ankle injury, which he would return from near the end of the game. Running back Nate Frazier also left the game with what appeared to be an arm injury, though Kirby Smart said he believed Frazier could have returned had the Dawgs needed him.
Georgia opens SEC play next week in Lexington, Kentucky, against Mark Stoops and the Kentucky Wildcats, fresh off a loss to South Carolina.
Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) passes the ball against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles during the second half at Sanford Stadium. Dale Zanine-Imagn ImagesSep 7, 2024; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs mascot UGA XI at Sanford Stadium Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Numerous former Georgia Bulldogs made impacts in the matchup between the Packers and the Eagles on Friday night in Brazil.
The Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers met in Brazil for the second game of the NFL season on Friday night. Both rosters are filled with former Bulldog players, with four former UGA football players suiting up for the Packers and six on the roster for Philadelphia. A host of these players made contributions on Friday.
On the Eagles side of things, linebacker Nakobe Dean shined, recording four tackles and a tackle-for-loss, an encouraging sign for Eagles fans who have been waiting for a linebacker to step up. Along the defensive line, Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith each recorded two tackles, while Jordan Davis did not record a stat but started and played for most of the game.
For the Packers, a pair of Bulldogs shared the team lead in tackles, as linebacker Quay Walker and rookie safety Javon Bullard each recorded 11 stops, with Walker adding a tackle-for-loss. Eric Stokes recorded two tackles from the cornerback position, while defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt registered a tackle and a tackle-for-loss.
The Eagles will take their 1-0 record back home against the Atlanta Falcons next Monday night. The Packers, meanwhile, will try to rebound at Lambeau field against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
The New Orleans Saints could be looking for defensive line help again next season. Saints draft Mykel Williams in B/R 2025 mock draft
The New Orleans Saints open their season against the Carolina Panthers in just a matter of days. Before we completely focus on the upcoming year, let’s take one last look at a 2025 mock draft.
Bleacher Report’s scouting department projected the Saints will end with the 10th overall pick in next year’s draft and draft Georgia’s Mykel Williams, one of the most exciting pass rushers in this draft class.
The position is completely feasible. Chase Young will likely leave after the season. Carl Granderson is the team’s lead pass rusher. Instead of looking for Cameron Jordan’s running mate, they would be looking for his replacement. A major turn of events
There are two points in their explanation that are off-putting specifically in regards to selecting Williams.
“Williams is more of a traits prospect who has impressive strength at the point of attack to collapse the pocket as a pass-rusher than he is a finished product. But he’d be a good addition for the future of New Orleans’ defense,” wrote B/R’s Matt Holder.
The Saints don’t need that type of player in the top-10. New Orleans has had their struggles defending the run, but that area of the draft is meant for pass rushers. That’s what the Saints would need draft an impact rusher in this portion.
Been there, done that. If Williams can return from injury to have a productive season rushing the passer then this conversation changes. For now, the description provided doesn’t feel like the best pick for the Saints with the tenth overall selection.
UGA freshman, former FSU commit turned down “at least” $200 more in NIL money from other programs to attend Georgia
Georgia Bulldogs true freshman defensive back K.J. Bolden, a former five-star recruit, made an immediate impact in Week 1 for Georgia. Bolden finished the Clemson game with four tackles, which was tied for the second-most on the team.
Bolden had a highly contested recruitment. He had been committed to Florida State from August into December 2023 before flipping to the Bulldogs. Auburn was also a factor in his recruitment. He had a strong offseason and started the opening game against Clemson, turning in and impressive performance including a crucial third-down stop on the first drive.
The recruiting landscape has changed greatly over the past few years with the introduction of name, image and likeness licensing. However, program reputation remains a prominent factor in the recruiting process, something that Kai Bolden gave insight into this week in an interview with On3’s Phillip Dukes. Kai Bolden is the father of K.J.
“Did he (K.J. Bolden) really get $2 million to go to Georgia?” asked On3’s Phillip Dukes.
“Nah, man,” Kai Bolden said. “Actually we could have went to other schools and got more money. It just actually came down to where he wanted to be, and the team he saw that gave him the best possibility to play on Sundays. But, nah. Georgia definitely did not offer him the most money.”
Kai also estimated that K.J. turned down “at least” $200,000 in NIL in order to attend Georgia over other schools.
“Georgia is gonna put 10 other elite athletes out there with you,” Kai Bolden said. “When you go to a school like Georgia, you just gotta do your job. And, you know, it makes it easier for you as a DB when you’re playing with a great defensive line.”
College football analyst Joel Klatt released his updated rankings after Week 1
Fox Sports college football expert Joel Klatt released his top 10 college football teams, and he put an SEC team on the top of the list.
His top nine includes three other SEC schools, three Big Ten schools, one ACC school and one independent school. It goes to show that the top competition this year is coming from the SEC and the Big Ten, and both teams that win those conferences will have a significant advantage in the playoffs.
With the 2024 season including an expanded College Football Playoff, there’s a likelihood that all of these teams could make the playoffs, even if they don’t win their division.
Here’s Joel Klatt’s top 10 teams:
No. 10: Oregon Ducks
Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK
Result: Win vs. Idaho 24-14
Oregon finds themselves down a few rankings from No. 3 in the preseason. This mostly has to do with them keeping it close against Idaho. They’ll have more chances to show they belong in the top 10, but squeaking by a Football Championship Subdivision school does not inspire confidence.
After winning the national championship last year, this year looked to be harder for the Wolverines, who lost 13 players and their head coach in 2024. If their first matchup is any indication, though, they should be fine in the Big Ten; at least, defensively. The Wolverine’s defense sacked Fresno State QB Mikey Keene three times and picked him off twice, one returned for a pick-six near the end of the game.
The Penn State Nittany Lions could be in position to make the playoffs for the first time in school history. They strengthened their case with a dominant win over West Virginia last week. There was a lot of hype for quarterback Drew Allar, and he didn’t disappoint, throwing 216 yards and three touchdowns for a 229.7 passer rating.
Mississippi finds itself moving down a couple of spots in Klatt’s power rankings. This despite Mississippi having the largest margin of victory of the top nine teams. However, some of that may have had to do with its competition: Furman is a Football Championship Subdivision team. Even then, Mississippi dominated on both sides of the ball. Its offense totaled 772 yards and 37 first downs. The defense allowed only 172 yards and seven first downs.
This team was probably the most surprising inclusion into this list. Going up against the Florida Gators, this was expected to be a tossup game that would be close to the end, but it wasn’t. Cam Ward was absolutely dominant, throwing for 385 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception for a 189.3 passer rating.
“@CanesFootball looks like the clear ACC favorite.” said Klatt in another tweet.
In Kalen DeBoer’s first game as new Alabama coach, the Crimson Tide took care of business against one of the weakest FBS teams, the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. Jalen Milroe barely passed the ball, but he still threw for 200 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 79 yards and two touchdowns.
When most teams had a softball opponent on this list, Notre Dame had the No. 20 Texas A&M Aggies in prime time on Saturday. It was a grind. Neither team mustered a touchdown in the first half, but Notre Dame pulled through with a touchdown run with 2 minutes left to steal victory away from the Aggies. This inclusion seems purely for the quality of victory, as Notre Dame showed they can beat a good team this week. Their first true test was passed.
Mikala Compton/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK
Result: Win vs. Colorado State 52-0
The Longhorns looked like a strong contender against the Colorado State Rams, who have a former UGA running back on their athletic training staff. Quinn Ewers threw for 260 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, while Archie Manning made his debut with 95 yards and his own touchdown throw.
Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Result: Win vs. Akron 52-6
To little surprise, Klatt has the Buckeyes ranked as the best Big Ten team. This is despite only putting up 404 yards against a mid-major school. Their defense was incredible through, racking up five sacks and two picks against three different quarterbacks. Still, you’d be hard pressed to argue that Ohio State, at its best, deserves to be up here.
This comes as little shock for anyone who watched Saturday’s game. While Notre Dame’s win against Texas A&M was impressive, Georgia’s win against Clemson was otherworldly. They took a team that looked like it could compete for the ACC crown and likely third playoff spot and broke them in half. They dominated Clemson completely, allowing only 188 yards (mostly in garbage time) and mustered 447 yards, including 169 on the ground. Joel Klatt said it best when he tweeted this.
The former first round safety and star on Georgia’s 2021 defense is preparing to play for an AFC East team
Less than a day after being waived by the Minnesota Vikings last week, former Georgia Bulldogs safety Lewis Cine had seemingly struck a deal with the New York Jets to join their team. However, Cine decided on Thursday to instead sign with the Buffalo Bills.
Cine has not had an ideal start to his NFL career. He suffered a severe leg injury during his rookie season, which was a significant setback. Cine returned for the 2023 NFL season, but did not look like himself. He has played in 10 career NFL games and has just one career tackle. Cine has primarily played a role on special teams.
During his time with Georgia, Cine played in 39 games from 2019 to 2021. In his standout junior season, he recorded 73 tackles and an interception while being named MVP of the national championship game against Alabama.
Cine had a strong performance this preseason. He recorded 11 tackles, a sack, and an interception, as well as a huge hit on Browns quarterback Tyler Huntley.
The Bills parted ways with both Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde this offseason, leaving Damar Hamlin and Taylor Rapp in position to start at safety. Cine figures to have a chance to immediately break into their rotation and compete for a starting role. Cine is also reunited with former Georgia Bulldogs assistant coach Jahmile Addae, who is the cornerbacks coach for the Bills.
