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WATCH: Georgia Bulldogs fans Light up Mercedes-Benz Stadium
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ATLANTA - The No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs and coach Kirby Smart always have a ton of fans that follow them wherever they go. Watch as Georgia fans light up Mercedes-Benz Stadium downdown in Atlanta during the 2022 SEC Championship Game.
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Halftime Notes: No. 1 Georgia leads No. 13 LSU 35-10
A Review Of The Defense: Georgia came in ranked 1st nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 11.3 points a game. LSU managed 10 points on 211 yards on 39 plays in the first half.
*Following LSU’s TD to make it 7-all, the Tigers next four possessions resulted in Zero yards on 11 plays with three punts and an INT as Georgia built a 35-7 advantage. On their final possession of the first half, LSU notched a field goal, going 51 yards on seven plays.
*LSU won the toss and took the football. On the opening drive, they gained 21 yards on six plays before having to punt.
*The Tigers became only the second team to score a first quarter TD against Georgia as Ga. Tech did it last week. After Tech scored, Georgia outscored Tech 37-0 until allowing a late fourth quarter TD with 2:55 left in the contest. Today, the rest of the half, Georgia outscored the Tigers 28-3.
*The leading tackler at the half was sophomore Smael Mondon with five stops and an interception. Also, the Bulldogs had three sacks by junior Jalen Carter, sophomore Chaz Chambliss and senior Tramel Walthour.
A Look At The Offense: Georgia carried a 35-7 lead to halftime, gaining 281 yards on 37 plays.
*The 35 points tied the mark for most points in an SEC Championship Game in the first half as Alabama led Florida 35-17 in 2020.
*Georgia came in ranked 12th nationally in Scoring (38.2 ppg) and outscoring foes 279-67 in opening half and 115-23 in the 1st qtr.
*After an LSU TD in the first quarter to tie it at 7-all, Georgia responded with a 75-yard TD drive on seven plays to take a 14-7 lead.
*Senior QB Stetson Bennett finished the first half 19-for-24 for 214 yards and 4 TDs to four different Bulldogs. (3-yarder to Brock Bowers, 22-yarder to Ladd McConkey, 14-yarder to Darnell Washington, 3-yarder to Dillon Bell).
*Bennett’s third TD drive of the half covered 76 yards on a season-long 13 plays in 5:06 for a 28-7 edge.
*Sophomore Brock Bowers was the team co-leader at the half with five catches for 58 yards and a TD while RS-sophomore Ladd McConkey also had five catches for 69 yards and a TD.
Special Teams Summary: Junior Nazir Stackhouse blocked a 32-yard field goal attempt and Chris Smith returned it 96 yards for a score and a 7-0 lead. It marked Georgia’s first special teams TD of the year and first blocked FG return for a TD since the 2012 SEC Championship Game when Alec Ogletree returned one blocked by Cornelius Washington 55 yards for a score versus Alabama.
*For Smith, it was his second career TD after having a pick-six in the 2021 season opening 10-3 win over Clemson last year in Charlotte, taking it 74 yards.
*There have been five blocked field goals in SEC Championship Game history and four of them by Georgia.
*Today marked the 27th defense or special teams score in the Kirby Smart era. Georgia has scored 41 points on special teams in the Smart era. Earlier this year, they had a blocked punt for safety versus Kent State.
*Senior PK Jack Podlesny registered 5 points, going 0-for-1 in FG (miss 43-yarder) with 5 PATs. He had made 11 straight field goals before tonight’s miss going back to the Vanderbilt game. He is now 23-for-26. He has a team-high 129 points.
*Freshman P Brett Thorson punted just once for 56 yards and pinned the Tigers inside the 20.
Red Zone Review: In the first half, Georgia went 3-for-3 in the Red Zone with 3 TDs.
*Georgia came in today ranked 1st nationally in the Red Zone at 97 percent. They have now scored 67-for-69 times including 46 TDs, 21 FGs and twice coming up empty,
*LSU finished the first half 0-for-1 in the Red Zone. The Bulldogs came in No. 1 in Scoring Defense, allowing opponents to score just 64 percent of the time (16-of-25). Today, they blocked a field goal and returned it for a TD on the Tigers first trip.
Points Off Turnovers: Georgia is minus one in Turnover Margin on the year. Georgia has scored 54 points off 14 turnovers.
*Opponents have 43 points off 15 turnovers.
*Georgia got an INT by Smael Mondon after a pass break up by Chris Smith and a tip by Javon Bullard to Mondon. It led to a TD and a 21-7 advantage..
Captains, Coin Toss and For Starters: Senior Chris Smith (FS), junior Warren McClendon (RT), redshirt sophomore Sedrick Van Pran (C) and sophomore Jamon Dumas-Johnson (MLB) served as the captains. LSU won the toss elected to receive the ball.
*Six Bulldogs started their second straight SEC Championship Game in Stetson Bennett (QB), Sedrick Van Pran (C), Warren McClendon (RT), Darnell Washington (TE), Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint (WR) and Kelee Ringo (DB). Kearis Jackson (WR) started tonight after starting the 2019 SEC Championship Game too.
SEC TITLE ON THE LINE SATURDAY
Top-ranked Georgia (12-0, 8-0 SEC) will be looking to capture its 14th SEC title when it meets No. 11 LSU (9-3, 6-2 SEC). The Bulldogs will be making their fifth appearance in the SEC Championship Game (SECCG) in the Kirby Smart era that began in 2016. Georgia’s last SEC title came in 2017 when the sixth-ranked Bulldogs beat fourth-ranked Auburn 28-7. In 2018 and 2021, Georgia fell to Alabama while in 2019, LSU defeated Georgia on its way to a perfect 15-0 season. TheTigers along with Clemson in 2018 are the only teams to go 15-0 in the modern era (1937-present).
Georgia’s 13 conference titles rank the second most in the SEC. The Bulldogs are 3-6 all-time in the SECCG, including 1-3 versus LSU. The teams have met with an SEC title on the line in 2003, 2005, 2011 and 2019. Georgia’s only win came in 2005 when the 13th-ranked Bull- dogs upset No. 3 LSU 34-14. Georgia’s first appearance in the SECCG came in 2002 when it beat Arkansas. That Bulldog squad posted a 13-1 final mark.
LSU leads the overall series 18-13-1 including 2-0 against Smart’s Bulldogs. During the 2018 regular season, second-ranked Georgia was upset 36-16 by 13th-ranked LSU in Baton Rouge. The Bulldogs finished 11-3 that year. The only other meeting came in the 2019 SECCG. Georgia completed that campaign 12-2.
Georgia’s Record In SECCG: 3-6
2002: #4 Georgia d. #22 Arkansas 30-3
2003: #3 LSU d. #5 Georgia 34-13
2005: #13 Georgia def. #3 LSU 34-14
2011: #1 LSU d. #12 Georgia 42-10
2012: #2 Alabama d. #3 Georgia 32-28
2017: #6 Georgia d. #4 Auburn 28-7
2018: #1 Alabama d. #4 Georgia 35-28
2019: #2 LSU d. #4 Georgia 37-10
2021: #3 Alabama d. #1 Georgia 41-24
SENIORS MAKING HISTORY
With the 37-14 win over GeorgiaTech last Saturday, the Bulldog senior class established a school record for most career victories.The 2022 Bulldog seniors are 46-5 and that included just nine regular season games and a bowl triumph during the COVID-shortened season of 2020. The 2021 Bulldog class that finished their career as national champions tallied a 45-8 mark.
Also of note, the 2022 Bulldogs became the first Georgia squad to post back-to-back perfect 12-0 regular seasons. There now have been only six teams in school history to finish a regular season undefeated. These came in 1896 (4-0), 1946 (10-0), 1980 (11-0), 1982 (11-0), 2021 (12-0) and 2022 (12-0). Georgia’s single season record for wins is 14 set by the 2021 national champions (14-1).
DID YOU KNOW?
Georgia collected its fifth SEC Eastern Division title in the Kirby Smart era this season. The Bulldogs previously have won it in 2017-19 and 2021. In school history, the Bulldogs have won 12 Eastern Division crowns and 13 SEC titles. Georgia last won the SEC Championship in 2017 when it defeated Auburn.
RUSHING TO A CONCLUSION
The Bulldogs are tied for third nationally with 35 rushing touchdowns (The school record is 42 set in 2017). Eight different Bulldogs have scored a rushing TD this year. Senior RB Kenny McIntosh has a team-leading eight. He had 182 all-purpose yards in the latest win over GT. Georgia is averaging 203.0 yards per game and 5.5 yards per carry.
Georgia’s offensive line features C Sedrick Van Pran (27 consecutive starts), RT Warren McClendon (team high 36 consecutive starts) and RG Tate Ratledge (made 11 of the 12 starts this season) along with LT Broderick Jones (12 consecutive starts) . LG Xavier Truss (started 11 of the 12 games) missed the game versus No. 1 Tennessee due to a toe injury. RSo. Devin Willock got his first career start against the Vols for Truss and then started for Ratledge at Kentucky. The unit is a Joe Moore Award semifinalist as one of the country’s top offensive lines. The versatile Warren Ericson (17 career starts) relieved an injured Ratledge for the final 14 games of 2021. He can play all five spots along the line. Amarius Mims is lining up at either tackle position. They have helped Georgia pile up 38.2 points/game and 488.8 yards/game thus far.
Georgia ran for a season-high 292 yards and six touchdowns in their 42-10 win over Auburn. The Bulldogs averaged 7.5 yards/carry against the Tigers. Georgia’s rushing tally versus Auburn was the most since 2020 against Missouri (316). The six rushing scores were the most for Georgia since the 2018 contest versus UMass.
PILING UP THE POINTS
Georgia is averaging 38.2 points/game, which is 12th nationally.
The Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 459-136 this season, including 244-60 in the opening half.
The Bulldogs are 64 of 66 in the Red Zone (a national leading 97 percent) this year with 43 touchdowns and 21 field goals.
Georgia jumped out to a 24-6 halftime lead on 306 total yards versus No. 1 Tennessee and eventually posted a 27-13 victory.
Georgia’s offense generated 49 points against No. 11 Oregon in the 2022 season opener. The Bulldogs tallied 571 yards of offense on 62 plays, scoring touchdowns on their first seven possessions. Georgia had a season-high 579 yards of offense vs Vandy.
Georgia’s leading receiver against the Ducks was Kenny McIntosh (9-117-0). Also of note, WR Ladd McConkey scored receiving and rushing touchdowns in the same game for the second time in his career (@ Vanderbilt, 2021) versus Oregon as WR AD Mitchell also snagged a touchdown catch. McConkey accomplished the feat yet again at Mississippi State this season. Mitchell has been limited to four games in 2022 because of an ankle injury.
McConkey is a team co leader with 46 catches for 606 yards (13.2 avg.) and four scores. He had a career-long 70-yard touchdown run at Mississippi State. McConkey is also the primary punt returner with 17 for 197 yards, including a career-long 39 yarder versus Georgia Tech.
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