No. 3 UGA Throttles Arkansas State; Notre Dame Looms: News and Notes
*Defense Setting The Tone: The Bulldogs (3-0) posted their first shutout of the year, registering a 55-0 victory over Arkansas State. It was the first shutout since the 2018 season opener here (45-0 over Austin Peay). The 55-point margin of victory was the largest under Kirby Smart, and the biggest by the Bulldogs since 2014 when it blanked Troy here 66-0. The Bulldogs have allowed only 23 points in three games.
For the third straight game, Georgia’s opponent was held under 300 yards of total offense. ASU finished with 220 on 68 plays. The leading tacklers were Robert Beal, Jr., and Tyler Clark with five apiece. Clark registered his first sack of 2019 and the fifth of his career. Sophomore OLB Quay Walker also had his first career sack as the Bulldogs had four.
*Pouring On The Points Quickly: The Bulldogs scored 21 points at Vanderbilt in the first half and then 42 in the first two quarters against Murray State before piling up 34 points against Arkansas State to start Saturday’s game. Georgia scored a touchdown on its opening drive for the third straight game following a six-play, 60-yard drive at the 9:02 mark in the first quarter. As he has the first two games, senior TB Brian Herrien scored with a 3-yard run to put the Bulldogs up 7-0.
The Bulldogs finished today with 656 yards of total offense (5th best in school history) on 66 plays Junior QB Jake Fromm completed the game 17-for-22 for 279 yards and three touchdowns while junior D’Andre Swift led the ground attack with 76 yards on nine carries, including a 39-yard scamper in the second quarter that set up UGA’s third touchdown. Swift reached the end zone on that drive with a career-long 48-yard catch, which was the fifth receiving touchdown of his career. He had two catches for 64 yards. Also on the ground, sophomore TB James Cook had a career-long 37-yard touchdown run and finished with 51 yards on three carries.
*A 98-Yard TD Drive: The Bulldogs upped their lead to 55-0 at the 9:07 mark in the fourth quarter on a six-play, 98-yard drive. This was the longest TD-drive since going 98 yards in 11 plays against Auburn in 2014 that made it 34-7 Bulldogs. Freshman TB Kenny McIntosh went 62 yards for a touchdown on the drive, marking the first score of his career.
*Aerial Attack: Fromm connected with freshman WR Dominick Blaylock for a 60-yard touchdown at the beginning of the second period. Blaylock finished with four receptions for 112 yards, which is the first 100-yard game for a Bulldog since Mecole Hardman (6 rec., 103 yards) versus South Carolina last year. Blaylock’s 60-yarder was a career long reception and the longest for the Bulldogs this year. Blaylock has now scored for the second game in a row. Graduate WR Lawrence Cager had his first career touchdown catch at UGA on a 5-yard strike from Fromm. He had 10 touchdown catches at Miami (2015, 2017-18). Georgia’s leading receiver was freshman WR George Pickens, who snagged five for 84 yards.
*Blankenship Boots It Through: Graduate PK Rodrigo Blankenship collected 13 points, drilling field goals of 29 yards and 41 yards (season long) plus had seven PATs. Blankenship is now 5-for-5 on the year in FGs. He is second in SEC history for Career Consecutive PATs made with 173. The SEC record is 198 held by Daniel Carlson (Auburn). Blankenship already owns the Bulldog record.
*For Starters: Junior Malik Herring (DL) started his first game of the year and the second of his career. Lawrence Cager got the start for the first time in his Bulldog career after starting a total of 18 games at Miami. While sophomore Cade Mays moved from RG to RT, junior Ben Cleveland started at RG, marking his first start of 2019 and 10th of his career. Jake Fromm started his 31st straight to lead the offense while graduate J.R. Reed (S) now leads the defense with 32 in a row.
*Injury Report: Senior WR Tyler Simmons had two catches for 21 yards and a punt return for 17 yards but had to leave the game at the end of the first quarter with a right shoulder injury. Sophomore DB Tyson Campbell did not return after halftime with a right foot injury.
*Up Next: The Bulldogs (3-0) play host to Notre Dame on Dooley Field in Sanford Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. CBS will televise the top-10 matchup. The Fighting Irish (1-0) face New Mexico at home today.