For much of the time after Notre Dame lost to Northern Illinois, the Action Network’s Brett McMurphy was not empathetic. He consistently had the Irish in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, thus rendering their first season in the expanded College Football Playoff era a failure.
Now, McMurphy has flipped the seeds for the Irish and Nittany Lions, meaning the Irish now would host the first-round game. What’s more, he has the Irish winning the game, which would give them a New Year’s Day date with Georgia at the Sugar Bowl. Regrettably, that’s where he has the Irish’s run ending, but this still is a nice projection.
A lot has to go right for the Irish to get as far as McMurphy thinks they will, but that he even made this projection shows how much the narrative surrounding the Irish has changed for the better.
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A game time has been announced for the Tennessee-Georgia football game in Week 12.
Week 12 will feature a marquee matchup in the Southeastern Conference. Georgia will host Tennessee at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia.
The SEC contest will kick off at 7:30 p.m. EST and will be televised by ABC.
No. 2 Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC) will play at No. 12 Ole Miss (7-2, 3-2 SEC) on Saturday ahead of hosting the Vols. Kickoff is slated for 3:30 p.m. EST and will be televised by ABC at Vaught–Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi.
Tennessee (7-1, 4-1 SEC) will also be in action on Saturday, hosting Mississippi State (2-7, 0-5 SEC). Kickoff between the Vols and Bulldogs is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST and will be televised by ESPN.
A 2025 mock draft has the 49ers adding pass rush help:
Next year’s NFL draft will be fascinating and extremely important for the San Francisco 49ers.
The 49ers are in a transition period with their roster where they’ll need to start finding replacements for some of the veteran stars that have helped carry them for the the last half decade. They need to start hitting on first-round picks and finding some superstars to replenish a roster that has been one of the NFL’s best for the last five years.
Barring a change in defensive philosophy, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they tried to find pass rush help with their first-round choice in the 2025 draft. That’s the exact route they go in a mock draft from Cory Kinnan at Daft on Draft. He has the 49ers snagging Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams with the No. 17 overall pick.
Teams are going to love Mykel Williams. Even if he hasn’t hit his max potential at Georgia, and even if he has had some issues staying healthy and on the field. Williams is explosive as hell, built in a lab, and possesses massive 36-inch arms with the bend to win along the outside track as well.
There aren’t many things the 49ers love more than an edge rusher with measurables and high-caliber tools, although the injury issues may scare them off.
Williams in three seasons has played in 33 games, posting 11.0 sacks and 19 tackles for loss. Pro Football Focus credits him with 68 pressures. Perhaps the more notable thing that would make Williams so enticing for San Francisco is that he’s graded out very well as a run defender which would allow him to stay on the field for all three downs – something the 49ers will surely want from a first-round selection. There’s also a chance at Williams’ size that he could also contribute as an interior pass rusher.
There are other needs the 49ers could theoretically address in the first round of next year’s draft, but don’t be surprised if their pick goes toward a high-upside edge rusher like Williams.
Where does Georgia rank in ESPN college football analyst Rece Davis’s new top 10?
This story was updated because an earlier version included inaccuracies.
ESPN’s “College GameDay” analyst Rece Davis released his top 10 rankings after Week 9 of the college season. Davis has a vote for the Associated Press and agreed with the media consensus for his top team this week. He ranked the Oregon Ducks No. 1.
The Georgia Bulldogs had a bye week, but they still have the No. 2 spot a week after a 30-15 win over the formerly No. 1 Texas Longhorns. Those Longhorns are settled in the No. 4 spot of Davis’s rankings after holding off a comeback from the Vanderbilt Commodores.
A few new teams join Davis’s rankings. BYU boasts an undefeated record and several impressive wins. It is leading the Big 12 in conference wins. Iowa State is not that far behind with an undefeated record, but it has played one less game than BYU. The Cyclones’ matchup against Kansas State in Week 14 is extremely important in the Big 12 title race.
Week 10 will feature several games with big College Football Playoff implications. Ohio State plays Penn State in a game that could effectively decide the other representative (besides Oregon) in the Big Ten championship.
Georgia plays Florida in Jacksonville for what could be a trap game. Oregon plays Michigan. The Ducks were able to bludgeon Illinois, but the defending champions still represent a test for Oregon.
Rece Davis’ top 10 college football rankings after of Week 9
Georgia football statistics leaders through Week 8. Ranking Bulldogs among the SEC’s leaders
With the Georgia Bulldogs going into their second bye week let’s look at where their stat leaders rank among the SEC.
Offense
Passing
Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart leads the SEC with 2,384 passing yards followed by LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier with 2,222 passing yards.
Carson Beck is third in the SEC going into the bye week with 1,993 passing yards. He also is second in passing touchdowns with 15.
Rushing
Georgia’s rushing leader is Trevor Etienne with 422 rushing yards, which is on pace to become the Bulldogs’ first 1,000 yard rusher since D’Andre Swift in 2019. His rushing yard total ranks 9th in the SEC. His three touchdown performance against the Texas Longhorns helped him become 6th in the SEC in rushing touchdowns with his total at 8. Etienne missed Week 1.
Receiving
Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Arian Smith is off to a strong start to the season. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Georgia leading receiver in yards goes to Arian Smith with 444 receiving yards. Smith is on pace to become Georgia’s first 1,000 yard receiver since star receiver Terrance Edwards did it in 2002. The yard total has Smith ranked 13th in the SEC. A surprising stat is that Dillon Bell leads the team with 4 receiving touchdowns. In which he is tied 5th with the likes of Texas star wide receiver Isaiah Bond and Ole Miss Rebels wide receiver Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr.
Defense
Tackles
On the defensive side the leading tackler is star safety Malaki Starks. The junior has accounted for 39 total tackles in which it ranks tied for 22nd with Alabama Crimson Tide defensive Keon Sabb and Mississippi State safety Brylan Lanier.
Sacks
After his 3 sack performance against Texas Jalon Walker remains the sack leader among the Georgia defense with 4.5 sacks. The last 10 plus sack rusher for Georgia was Jarvis Jones in 2012 with his record-breaking 13.5 sack season. Walker has a chance to be the first 10 sacks rusher in the Kirby Smart era here at Georgia. It is tied for 8th with the likes of South Carolina Gamecock edge rusher Dylan Stewart and LSU Tigers defensive end Sai’von Jones.
Interceptions
Dan Jackson, Daylen Everette, and Malaki Starks leads the Bulldog defense with 1 interception. The trio ranks tied for 15th among players in the SEC.
Special Teams
Kicking
Sophomore kicker Peyton Woodring is second in the SEC field goal percentage with 92.3 percent going 12 for 13. His long of 55 yards is tied for 4th with Kentucky kicker Alex Raynor.
Punting
Although the punt game has not been used much this season Georgia punter Brett Thorson is still a crucial part to this teams success. He is third in the SEC yards per punt which is 48.3 behind Arkansas Razorback punter Devin Bale and South Carolina Kai Kroeger.
Returning
The return game has been very efficient due to the fact that Anthony Evans III is back there returning. He is 4th in the SEC in punt return yards with 104 yards to his name. He is behind Florida Gators Chiemere Dike, Texas Silas Bolden, and Vanderbilt Commodores returner Martel Hight.
Where were the New Orleans Saints scouting 2025 draft prospects this week? Their scouts were spotted at a couple of high-profile matchups:
Where were the New Orleans Saints scouting during this week’s college football games? Their scouting department is spread out nationwide catching games and filling out reports on 2025 NFL draft prospects, but we only know where they are when it’s reported. This week’s news had them at several high-profile matchups.
Per the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Eli Hoff, the Saints were one of six teams scouting Mizzou’s game with Auburn. It’s at least the second time this season they were watching Missouri live, and the school’s best prospect is wide receiver Luther Burden III, a likely top-10 pick in the 2025 draft class. The 5-foot-11, 208-pound wideout totaled 6 receptions for 49 yards against Auburn and is up to 168 catches, 2,034 yards, and 19 touchdowns in his career. He’s also gained 209 rushing yards and scored four times on just 30 carries as a runner.
But that’s not all. The Saints joined half the league in scouting all of the early-round prospects competing in Texas-Georgia on Saturday night, a game the Bulldogs won handily. Quarterbacks Carson Beck and Quinn Ewers have both also earned top-10 buzz, but they took a step back against the future NFL players on each other’s defenses. Beck was intercepted three times and Ewers was briefly benched in favor of Arch Manning after throwing an interception and taking several sacks.
This may not be the year to look for a quarterback early on. The Saints need help at multiple positions, and it could be worth taking the best player available if they hold onto their position with a top-10 pick. We’re waiting for the rest of Week 7’s games to resolve, but Sunday morning’s Jacksonville Jaguars win put the Saints at No. 6 overall.
Georgia enters the Texas game as slight underdogs. The Bulldogs have looked much more inconsistent compared to Texas. Yes, Georgia has played a challenging schedule, but Georgia simply has not been as dominant as Texas.
Here’s why Texas will defeat Georgia football
Turnovers
Texas has a turnover margin of plus-3. The Longhorns have forced 11 turnovers this season and have eight giveaways.
Georgia has a turnover margin of minus-1. Georgia has only forced five turnovers this season. UGA quarterback Carson Beck has all six of Georgia’s turnovers this year, but two were not necessarily his fault. We think Georgia, which had four turnovers in its last road game, loses the turnover battle again in this one.
Texas has a better offensive line
“The better offensive line in this game is Texas,” said college football expert Joel Klatt. “They’re more experienced, they’re healthier and I just think that they’re better overall.”
Georgia is missing offensive guard Tate Ratledge, but the Bulldogs have struggled to run the ball at times this season. In fact, Texas rushes for 55 more yards per game than Georgia (189 to 134 rushing yards per game).
Texas’ offensive line has allowed six sacks this season, which is second-best in the SEC. The Longhorns have a number of NFL prospects on their offensive line including tackles Kelvin Banks Jr. and Cameron Williams.
Texas has a better pass rush
Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Texas has the third-most sacks (tied) in the SEC with 19 through six weeks. The Longhorns have the best scoring defense in the country thanks in large part due to their ability to disrupt opposing quarterbacks. Linebackers Anthony Hill and Collin Simmons both have four or more sacks for Texas.
Georgia has 11 sacks this season, which is second-to-last in the SEC. The Bulldogs have elite pass rushers Jalon Walker and Mykel Williams, but they have just 1 1/2 sacks combined this year.
Texas’ defense proves itself again
Mikala Compton/American-Statesman
The Texas Longhorns have the top defense in the country per a number of different metrics. Texas has the No. 1 scoring defense and allows an average of 6.3 points per game. The Longhorns have allowed the fewest passing touchdowns (one) and yards (756) of any team in the country.
Texas also has the second-best red zone defense in the country. Texas has allowed only seven red zone trips all season and just one red zone touchdown. Texas has a challenge against Georgia’s high-powered offense, but the Longhorns will show they are capable of rising to the occasion.
Quinn Ewers, Isaiah Bond are too much for UGA’s secondary
Tim Warner/Getty Images
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and wide receiver Isaiah Bond, an Alabama transfer, are projected to be a first-round picks in the 2025 NFL draft. Bond burned Georgia in the 2024 SEC championship, and we think he does it again on Saturday.
Ewers is primed to shred a Georgia secondary that gave up massive plays, 31 points and a lot of yardage to a Mississippi State team that has only won one game all season. Look for Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian to put Ewers in numerous favorable situations. The Georgia defense will be confused at times due to Sarkisian’s motions.
Georgia sinks in recruiting rankings after five-star quarterback prospect Jared Curtis decommitted from UGA football
The Georgia Bulldogs have dropped significantly in the class of 2026 recruiting rankings after five-star quarterback Jared Curtis decommitted from the Bulldogs. Georgia now has the No. 20 recruiting class in the country following Curtis’ decommitment.
Of course, Georgia and head coach Kirby Smart have a long way to go in the class of 2026 recruiting cycle. Georgia is primarily focused on the class of 2025, which is the current senior class. However, it never hurts to get off to a strong start with the junior class.
Curtis’ decommitment still stings for Georgia. The Dawgs have just two remaining commitments in the 2026 cycle. Curtis is the No. 1 quarterback and the No. 6 overall recruit in the country, per 247Sports.
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Curtis was a potential long term replacement for Carson Beck. Now, Georgia will need to either utilize the transfer portal or someone on the roster to replace Beck. Georgia’s top options include Gunner Stockton, Jaden Rashada, and freshman Ryan Puglisi. The Bulldogs also have a commitment for class of 2025 quarterback Ryan Montgomery, who is out for his senior season due to injury.
ESPN predicts the winner, score of Georgia football versus Mississippi State
For people that trust technology more than people when it comes to making predictions, this is for you: SP+, a statistical model made by ESPN (subscription required) predicted almost every detail of the game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. the Georgia Bulldogs.
SP+ is a model created by ESPN analyst Bill Connelly to predict the outcome of college football games. “SP+ is intended to be predictive and forward-facing,” according to Connelly. “It is not a résumé ranking that gives credit for big wins or particularly brave scheduling — no good predictive system is.”
“It is simply a measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football. If you’re lucky or unimpressive in a win, your rating will probably fall. If you’re strong and unlucky in a loss, it will probably rise.”
The model has predicted the Georgia will win 43-13 at home vs. Mississippi State. This means that, despite the blowout, Georgia won’t cover the spread of -33.5. Regardless of the score, the model has predicted Georgia has a 97% chance of winning. There are several reasons that Mississippi State could cover against Georgia, and the AI model supports that thinking.
Georgia football transfer linebacker leads the Arkansas Razorbacks in tackles through six games
Former Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Xavian Sorey has made an immediate impact with the Arkansas Razorbacks this season. Sorey, who had 24 tackles and one sack in three seasons at Georgia, has already bested those numbers through six games with Arkansas.
Sorey has 40 total tackles and a sack this season with the Razorbacks. Sorey leads Arkansas in tackles and is a big reason why the Razorbacks are off to a strong start the season.
Sorey’s top performance came in Week 2 against Oklahoma State when recorded 13 total tackles. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound linebacker also put up eight tackles in Arkansas’ stunning upset of Tennessee in Week 6.
Arkansas is 4-2 this season including 2-1 in SEC action. Former Georgia offensive line coach Sam Pittman and the Razorbacks are fourth in the SEC football standings entering bye week. Arkansas’ next game is at home on Oct. 19 against the LSU Tigers.
