WATCH: Behind-the-Scenes Highlights of UGA Football's Season Opener
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ATHENS - Kirby Smart and UGA football released behind-the-scenes highights of the No. 1 Dawgs’ lopsided season-opening win over the weekend today.
"Very few places in the country open with a game like that and get a sellout and an atmosphere like that," Kirby Smart told his team after the win. "Our fans were incredible tonight."
No. 1 Georgia has won 10 straight season openers including all eight under Kirby Smart.
Saturday marked Georgia’s first season opener at home since 2018 against Austin Peay (Bulldogs won 45-0). Since then, the Bulldogs kicked off a season with wins at Vanderbilt, Arkansas, versus #3 Clemson in Charlotte and last year against #11 Oregon in Atlanta. Also, today marked the official game debut of UGA XI or “Boom” who was introduced to the Bulldog Nation at the spring G-Day game this past April.
"You are going to represent the brand today. Go out and take what is yours!" Kirby told his team. "Seize the moment,” Kirby told his team.
After posting the 48-7 win, Georgia has set a school school record with its 18th straight victory dating back to the 2021 season when it registered a 34-11 decision over #2 Michigan in a CFP semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl in Miami. The Bulldogs now have won 28 consecutive regular season games, which leads all of FBS, and is the second longest active streak in the NCAA behind DIII Mount Union who won today to extends it streak to 55 straight. Also, Kirby Smart is now 8-0 in season openers and 82-15 overall.
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*Defense Blanks Skyhawks For Three Quarters: Top-ranked Georgia blanked the Skyhawks until 6:39 left in the contest when they scored a TD on a nine-yard completion to Trevonte Rucker from Kinkead Dent to finish a 12 play, 75-yard drive that made it 38-7. UT Martin finished with 260 yards of offense on 63 plays. In the first half UT Martin was held to 89 yards on 24 plays.
Tonight, Georgia’s leading tacklers were sophomore safety Malaki Starks with eight and senior star Tykee Smith with six including a TFL. Sophomore DE Mykel Williams had a sack. Williams led the team last year with 4.5 sacks. Freshman Kyron Jones registered a pick-six, covering 26 yards to make it 48-7. It marked the 28th score on either defense or special teams in the Kirby Smart era. It was the first Bulldog pick-six since Kelee Ringo’s 79-yarder to help clinch the CFP national championship against top-ranked Alabama on Jan. 10, 2022.
*Bulldogs Post 48 Points In Season Opener: Georgia amassed 559 yards of total offense on 70 plays in a 48-7 season-opening victory.
In the first half, Georgia built a 17-0 lead, tallying 248 yards of offense on 42 plays. Junior TE Brock Bowers scored his fifth career rushing TD with a three-yard scamper to put the Bulldogs up 7-0. It capped a 10 play, 76-yard drive in 4:39.Senior Kendall Milton was the leading rusher with 53 yards on nine carries including a 37-yarder in the 2nd quarter. The second TD drive covered 68 yards on seven plays. The Bulldogs added a field goal on its final possession of the second quarter to cap their scoring.
In the 3rd quarter, Georgia put together a 98-yard TD drive, which is tied for the second longest in the Kirby Smart era. The Bulldogs had a 99-yarder versus Ga. Tech on five plays last year and a 98-yarder on six plays against Arkansas State in 2019. Later in the 3rd quarter, Beck led an 80-yard drive in five plays to extend the lead to 31-0 while redshirt sophomore Brock Vandagriff directed the final TD drive while the defense added a pick-six for the final score.
*Starting Role BECKons: Junior QB Carson Beck made his first career start and finished 21-for-31 for 294 yards and 1 TD. In the first half, he was 14-for-21 for 140 yards. Also, he had his first career rushing TD, a four-yarder to make it 14-0 with 4:29 left in the first half. In the 3rd quarter, Beck connected for a 54-yard TD pass to Mekhi Mews to cap a 98-yard drive on six plays in 2:32. It put the Bulldogs in front 24-0.
Also at signal-caller, redshirt sophomore Brock Vandagriff (2-for-3, 77 yards, 1TD) entered the game late in the 3rd quarter. His first career completion came on a 56-yarder to junior RaRa Thomas, his first as a Bulldog. On the next play, he connected on a 21-yard TD pass to sophomore TE Oscar Delp to cap a 77-yard drive in two plays in just 37 seconds for a 38-0 advantage. Redshirt freshman QB Gunner Stockton (3-for-5, 29 yards, 2 rushes for 18 yards) saw his first action with 6:39 left in the game and led the team to a field goal.
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*Top Targets: Eleven Bulldogs caught a pass and the leading receivers were junior TE Brock Bowers (5 rec., 77 yards all in the first half), redshirt sophomore TB Cash Jones (career-high 4 rec.,for 25 yards) and redshirt sophomore WR Mekhi Mews (3 catches, 75 yards {both career highs}, 1 TD). Mews had a 54-yard TD catch for his first career TD. Sophomore TE Oscar Delp had a 21-yard TD catch.
*Special Teams Summary: True freshman PK Peyton Woodring registered 12 points, going 6-for-6 on PATs and made field goals covering 23 and 33 yards. He is the first true freshman placekicker to make his debut in the season opener since 2012 (Marshall Morgan tallied nine points against Buffalo). Junior Jared Zirkel handled kickoffs. Sophomore Brett Thorson punted five times for a 44.6 average with a long of 53 yards.
Redshirt sophomore Mekhi Mews served as the punt returner with two for 19 yards plus four fair catches and one KOR for 31 yards. Coming in tonight, Mews had one career punt return and no kick returns.
*Red Zone Review: Georgia went 5-for-5 in the Red Zone with three TDs and two field goals while UT Martin was 1-for-1 with a TD.
*Captains, Coin Toss and For Starters: Juniors Brock Bowers (TE), Sedrick Van Pran (C), Javon Bullard (S) and Jamon Dumas-Johnson (ILB) served as the game captains.
There were three first-time starters on defense: junior Chaz Chambliss (OLB), redshirt sophomore Xavian Sorey (ILB) and sophomore Daylen Everette (CB).There were five first-time starters on offense: junior Carson Beck (QB), sophomore Oscar Delp (TE), redshirt-freshman Earnest Greene III (LT), redshirt sophomore Mekhi Mews (WR) and junior Arian Smith (WR). Also, true freshman Peyton Woodring (PK) made his debut. Van Pran made his team-leading 31st career start.
*Honoring #77 Devin Willock: Senior LG Xavier Truss wore #77 today in honor of his late teammate Devin Willock. A different Bulldog offensive lineman will be wearing #77 each game this season.
*Up Next: Top-ranked Georgia (1-0) plays host to Ball State (0-1) Saturday, Sept. 9 at Noon (SEC Network). The Cardianls fell 44-14 at Kentucky earlier today.