Tag: uga

Five things to know about UMass

Five things to know about Saturday’s opponent. Georgia plays UMass at 12:45 p.m. ET

UMass Minutemen is the Georgia Bulldogs’ opponent on Saturday. Not a lot of people know much about them. Here are a few things to know about the Minutemen.

Student Enrollment

UMass student enrollment is over 30,000. The Minutemen received over 50,000 undergraduate applicants this season while only accepting 5,300 applicants for first-year students.

Independent Conference

UMass’ first three seasons in the FBS was apart of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) before becoming an independent in 2015.

UMass just fired their coach

UMass fired their head coach Don Brown on Monday. Offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery will serve as UMass’s head coach following Brown’s dismissal.

UMass not been over .500 in over a decade

UMass has not been over .500 since Week 8 of the 2011 season. In their second best season, they went 4-8 in 2018 with wins over Duquesne, Charlotte, UConn, and Liberty.

Share a common opponent

Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Damon Wilson II tries to tackle Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr.. Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Georgia and UMass share a common opponent this season which is Mississippi State Bulldogs. The Minutemen lost 45-20 in their game in Starksville. Georgia won their game 41-31 against the Bulldogs in Athens.

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.

Four-star edge rusher Chase Linton commits to Georgia

Top edge rusher recruit pledges to Georgia, trolls Georgia Tech with his commitment

The Georgia Bulldogs are the new home for four-star edge rusher Chase Linton, who is a member of the class of 2025.

The talented edge rusher picked the Bulldogs over Florida State, Georgia Tech, LSU and Rutgers. During his commitment, Linton put on a Georgia Tech shirt and hat, but he said it felt too tight and then committed to UGA.

Linton is listed at 6 feet, 4 inches and 215 pounds. He plays football at North Atlanta High in Atlanta, Georgia. He is the fourth-ranked edge rusher nationally and the seventh-ranked player in Georgia, per 247Sports. Linton is the No. 45 recruit in the country, so he is not far from being a five-star recruit.

The Bulldogs offered Linton on July 28 and were favored to land a commitment from the four-star pass rusher since his decommitment from Rutgers in August.

Coach Kirby Smart and UGA hold the nation’s top ranked recruiting class. Georgia has 26 commitments in the class of 2025 recruiting cycle. The Bulldogs are now ahead the Ohio State Buckeyes and Alabama Crimson Tide.

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There’s a new No. 1 in the SEC recruiting rankings

The SEC has six of the top seven recruiting classes in the nation. Where does Georgia’s class of 2025 rank?

(This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.)

The Georgia Bulldogs now have the top recruiting class in the SEC. Four-star Georgia cornerback commitment Dominick Kelly became Georgia’s 25th commitment in the class of 2025. Kelly reclassified from the class of 2026 to the class of 2025.

It has been a busy few weeks for the Bulldogs on the recruiting trail. Georgia is preparing for the early signing period, which begins Dec. 4. Georgia football and coach Kirby Smart have been pushing to flip a few more recruiting targets. Most notably, Georgia has been offering scholarships to several of the nation’s top quarterback commitments.

The Bulldogs have the third-ranked class in the nation. Georgia recently leaped Alabama, which has lost a few commitments the past couple of weeks.

Update: Georgia now has the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation after four-star edge rusher Chase Linton committed to the Bulldogs.

Recruiting in the SEC is ultra-competitive. The SEC is home to six of the seven top recruiting classes in the country and 10 of the top 20 classes.

2025 SEC football recruiting rankings

Coach Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs have the best recruiting class in the SEC. Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

  1. Georgia Bulldogs (25 commits, No. 2 national ranking)
  2. Alabama Crimson Tide (21 commits, No. 3 national ranking)
  3. Texas Longhorns (23 commits, No. 4 national ranking)
  4. Auburn Tigers (27 commits, No. 5 national ranking)
  5. LSU Tigers (26 commits, No. 6 national ranking)
  6. Tennessee Volunteers (24 commits, No. 7 national ranking)
  7. Texas A&M Aggies (21 commits, No. 9 national ranking)
  8. Oklahoma Sooners (21 commits, No. 11 national ranking)
  9. Ole Miss Rebels (21 commits, No. 15 national ranking)
  10. Missouri Tigers (15 commits, No. 19 national ranking)
  11. South Carolina Gamecocks (21 commits, No. 23 national ranking)
  12. Kentucky Wildcats (20 commits, No. 25 national ranking)
  13. Mississippi State Bulldogs (19 commits, No. 29 national ranking)
  14. Arkansas Razorbacks (23 commits, No. 30 national ranking)
  15. Florida Gators (14 commits, No. 31 national ranking)
  16. Vanderbilt Commodores (12 commits, No. 73 national ranking)

All recruiting rankings are per 247Sports.

Kirby Smart provides several injury updates ahead of UMass game

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart provides injury updates on receiver Dillon Bell, more ahead of UMass game

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart gave several injury updates on key Georgia players ahead of the UMass game.

“No update on (wide receiver) Dillon (Bell) really, I just ran into him a few minutes ago. He got an ankle sprain, not going to require (surgery), it’s stable,” said Smart. “So, hopeful to get him back, and same with (running back) Trevor (Etienne).’

Georgia wide receiver Dillon Bell left of Georgia’s win over Tennessee with an ankle injury and was seen in a boot during the second half. Bell is expected to miss the UMass game. Trevor Etienne also missed the Tennessee game with a ribs injury.

“Ribs are a painful injury,” continued Smart when discussing Etienne later. Georgia is thin at running back, but if Carson Beck can play well, then it does not matter as much.

“Earnest (Greene) was going to be a game time decision, and he’s still struggling with that arm that he was out there giving everything he had against Ole Miss. Didn’t have complete strength in his left arm, which is hard to use at left tackle. We’re hoping that he continues to gain strength,” said Smart on Georgia left tackle Earnest Greene.

Georgia started Monroe Freeling against Tennessee. The Bulldogs did not allow a sack to the Volunteers’ stout defensive front.

“Micah (Morris) was close to being able to go and might have been in an emergency Saturday, but it’s not completely healthy,” said Smart on offensive guard Micah Morris. UGA started Tate Ratledge and Dylan Fairchild at offensive guard.

“Joenel (Aguero) had a pin, so he got injured in the Ole Miss game. But he’s available to play. But he got a pin put in his hand, his pinky. He was cleared to play but was going to struggle to play in a club… he’s in the same situation this week, but he’s post screw getting put in. So, we think he’s going to be closer to being able to play,” said Smart.

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Georgia plays UMass at 12:45 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 23. The Bulldogs are hoping to get a little healthier ahead of their Friday, Nov. 29 game against Georgia Tech.

Georgia Bulldogs DB commit reclassifies

Four-star cornerback recruit, UGA football commit reclassifies to the class of 2025

Four-star Georgia Bulldogs defensive back commitment Dominick Kelly has  reclassified from the class of 2026 to the class of 2025. Kelly has been committed to Georgia since July.

Kelly is listed at 6-foot-1, 175 pounds and plays football at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Kelly is the nation’s No. 32 cornerback and No. 35 player in Florida according to 247Sports.

Kelly’s recruitment is one to watch heading into the early signing period after he elected to reclassify. Kelly was committed to USC before he flipped to Georgia over the summer.

The four-star cornerback’s reclassification gives Georgia 25 commitments in the 2025 recruiting cycle. Georgia has the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class behind Ohio State, but the Bulldogs are looking to make a push over the next few weeks. Georgia has a few remaining targets, including five-star defensive lineman Justus Terry.

Kelly is Georgia’s second cornerback commitment in the class of 2025. Cornerback is one of UGA’s top positions of need.

Kelly is no longer a member of Georgia’s class of 2026, which is down to three commitments: wide receiver Vance Spafford, cornerback Jontavius Wyman and tight end Lincoln Keyes.

Former Georgia RB promoted to be Chicago Bears’ offensive coordinator

Former Georgia football running back receives promotion and is now the Chicago Bears’ offensive coordinator

The Chicago Bears promoted passing game coordinator Thomas Brown to be their new offensive coordinator. Brown, who is a former Georgia Bulldogs running back, replaces previous offensive coordinator Shane Waldron.

The Bears fired Waldron after a rough start to the season despite having a very talented offense surrounding quarterback Caleb Williams, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Chicago has the ninth-worst scoring offense in the NFL at 19.4 points per game.

Brown has previous experience as the Carolina Panthers’ offensive coordinator in 2023. He was the Panthers’ play-caller for part (primarily the second-half of the season) of Carolina’s brutal 2-15 season.

Chicago interviewed Brown for their offensive coordinator role before the season. The Bears ended up hiring Brown as their passing game coordinator. Now, he’ll have an opportunity to prove himself and show he deserves to remain as offensive coordinator.

Brown served as an offensive assistant with the Los Angeles Rams under Sean McVay before coming to Carolina and Chicago. He is highly respected throughout the NFL.

Kirby Smart roasts CFP selection committee after win vs. Tennessee

“I respect their opinion but it’s different in our league,” said Georgia head coach Kirby Smart on the selection committee

Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart is unhappy with the College Football Playoff selection committee. Smart made that known after No. 12 Georgia’s 31-17 home win over the No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers.

Smart thinks Georgia should be ranked higher than No. 12. The Bulldogs have played the toughest schedule in the country and aren’t getting much credit from the playoff selection committee.

Yes, Georgia has played inconsistently, but the Bulldogs still are 8-2 despite facing five ranked opponents and just one ranked opponent at home.

“I don’t know what they’re looking for,” said Smart on the selection committee. “I really don’t. I wish they could really define the criteria. I wish they could do the eyeball test where they come down here and look at the people we’re playing against and look at them. And you can’t see that stuff on TV.”

Entering Week 12, the Big Ten had four of the five highest ranked teams in the country. It is rare for another conference to have so many teams ranked ahead of the best teams in the SEC.

“They’re not in that environment,” said Smart on explaining Georgia’s offensive struggles against Ole Miss to the committee. “They’re not at Ole Miss in that environment playing against that defense, which is top five in the country with one of the best pass rushers in the country. And they’re fired up. They got a two-score lead, and they’re coming out to play. They don’t know, they don’t understand that.”

To be fair, it would be tough for the selection committee to pick games every week. If would seem unfair to whatever teams’ games they aren’t attending.

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“I respect their decision. I respect their opinion but it’s different in our league,” said Smart. The next playoff rankings will be released on Tuesday, Nov. 19.

Peter Herbstreit meets Uga before Tennessee-Georgia

Peter Herbstreit met Uga before Tennessee-Georgia

No one wil replace the beloved Ben Herbstreit, America’s Dog. However, Kirk Herbstreit has new company on the road, another Golden Retriever of the family, Peter.

On Saturday before the SEC clash between Tennessee and Georgia, Peter Herbstreit met a famed school mascot, the Dawgs’ Uga.

They seemed to become fast friends.

Georgia releases hype video before Tennessee game

UGA football releases hype video before the Tennessee game. Mecole Hardman narrates the video

The No. 12 Georgia Bulldogs (7-2, 5-2) host the No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers (8-1, 5-1) in a critical SEC game with major College Football Playoff implications.

Georgia’s hype video for the Tennessee game is narrated by former Georiga wide receiver Mecole Hardman, who was with the program in the early Kirby Smart years 2016-2018. Hardman emphasizes Georgia fans and that UGA needs bring the juice in a pivotal matchup. Hardman is now a NFL wide receiver with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Bring the juice is the motto for this week because this situation has the Bulldogs with their backs against the wall coming into the Tennessee game.

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The Tennessee game is viewed as a test for the Bulldogs to see if they are still amongst the elite of college football. Tennessee is looking to win this game to improve their positioning in the playoff.

Georgia and Tennessee play at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Georgia-Tennessee game will be televised on ABC.