Thoughts from the Box: Georgia Bulldogs Rip Missouri's Heart Out in 26-22 Win
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COLUMBIA, MO - It felt like 2016 again in Columbia, Missouri as the Georgia Bulldog’s escaped with a close, come-from-behind win over the Tigers, 26-22
For the second consecutive Saturday, the Georgia Bulldogs DID NOT look like the No. 1 team in the country. After an unimpressive win against Kent State last weekend, most thought the Bulldogs would come out strong on the road against an SEC East opponent in Missouri.
Well, that didn’t happen. In fact, the game could not have started worse for Kirby Smart and his team who got down 13-0 before getting on board with a 40-yard Jack Podlesny field goal mid-way through the 2nd quarter.
Missouri had their way with Georgia early on and the Bulldogs just couldn’t get anything going offensively. Two early turnovers, a lost fumble by Kendall Milton and another from Stetson Bennett, put the Bulldogs in a giant hole.
It was a really sloppy first half full of dropped passes, turnovers, missed opportunities, and bad play overall on both sides of the trenches. They went into the half down 16-6, and things had to chance quickly.
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After a tough first half for Stetson Bennett, the veteran quarterback turned it around with a big second half. He missed a lot of throws early on and went into the half only 10/24 for 149 yards and a lost fumble. His second half was completely different and he made a lot of big throws down the stretch to get the Bulldogs in a position to put up points. He ended the game 24/43 for 312 yards and zero touchdowns.
The offensive line had a bad day for three quarters, but when they needed to bring their “A” game, they found a way to get the job done in the 4th quarter. It took them way too long, but eventually the offensive line got some push, opened up some holes, and gave Stetson Bennett time to scan the field and deliver some big throws.
Offensively, they just need more playmakers at receiver. Ladd McConkey had a key drop early in the game but had a couple of key receptions late. Brock Bowers is STILL one of the best players in college football. Darnell Washington is still a freak and needs the ball more and more. Dominick Blaylock had three big catches for 42 yards. AD Mitchell was out, and we only saw one reception from Arian Smith, but Georgia needs those two back to full health quickly.
The defense cracked a little, but like the offense, they stepped up late in the game when it mattered most. Still too many missed tackles, though. A blown coverage led to an early touchdown. Kelee Ringo gave up a long reception and had another brutal PI call on 3rd and long.
Georgia didn’t play like the best team in the country, but they closed like one. This didn’t look like the offense we saw against Oregon and South Carolina. The running game was non existent until the 4th quarter, and of course when they finally made some plays on the ground, things opened up more for Bennett and the passing game.
I’ll say I was wrong about Missouri. They played hard, played fast, and gave Georgia everything they had for three and a half quarters.
It’s clear Georgia has a lot to work on. They have to do a better job of blocking in the run game. There was nowhere to run up the middle. Too many penalties. Multiple drops. Stetson Bennett needs to build more chemistry with guys not named Brock Bowers and AD Mitchell.
Also, let’s give Daijun Edwards some respect. He closed this game out for Georgia. He’s quick, shifty, breaks tackles, and does his job every play. He needs more carries and we’ll likely see more and more of him as the season loves along.
Missing Jalen Carter hurt. That was a cheap shot and should’ve been a flag.
In the end, this was another wake up call for the reigning champs. They’re going to get everyone’s best shot, and if they don’t come with their “A” games, this won’t be the last game that comes down to the wire. This team is obviously beatable, and they need to continue getting better and better each week.
It was a sloppy win, and we’ll continue breaking this game down the rest of the week, but they escaped, and they’re now 5-0 on the season.
The Georgia Bulldogs WIN the 2021 NATIONAL TITLE!
Check out DAWGSTRUCTION NOW!
