UGA Football Gets Ready for Mississippi State with Hype Film: "Me vs. Me"
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ATHENS - UGA Football released its hype film ahead of Kirby Smart’s No. 5-ranked Georgia Bulldogs‘ clash with Mississippi State.
The Other Bulldogs Make A Visit Between The Hedges
After having just one home game out of its first four contests, the No. 5/4 Bulldogs (4-1, 2-1 SEC) play their second straight Between The Hedges Saturday. Up next, MSU (1-4, 0-2 SEC) visits for the first time since 2020 and just the 16th overall time in Athens.
Georgia owns a 20-6 advantage over MSU including 12-3 in Athens and 12-1 at Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium. In 2020, Georgia posted a 31-24 win over MSU to extend its winning streak in the series to four.
The teams first clashed in 1914 in Athens when MSU registered a 9-0 shutout. Georgia has won 13 of the past 14 meetings. MSU's last victory in the series came in 2010 by a score of 24-10 in Athens. Meanwhile, Georgia is 3-0 against MSU under Kirby Smart.
MSU, under the direction of first-year coach Jeff Lebby, enjoyed an open date last Saturday. MSU began the season wih a 56-7 win over Eastern Kentucky. Since then, they've dropped games at Arizona State (30-23), to Toledo (41-17), Florida (45-28) and at No. 1 Texas (35-13).
Georgia is averaging 32.0 points per game (ppg) and allowing 14.4 ppg. MSU is averaging 27.4 ppg while it allows 31.6 ppg.
During the Florida game, MSU's starting quarterback Blake Shapen, a transfer from Baylor, injured his shoulder and now is out for the year. True freshman Michael Van Buren Jr. made his first career start against the Longhorns. He was 12-for-23 for 144 yards and had a 12-yard rushing TD for his first career score. The 13 points allowed by Texas was a season-high. MSU blocked a punt to give it two for the year.
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The Standard Is The Standard
Georgia checks in this week 13th nationally in Scoring Defense, allowing just 14.4 points per game (ppg). Through the first three games of the season, the Bulldogs were the only FBS team that did not allow a TD as opponents combined for six field goals. In the opener, Georgia limited then 14th-ranked Clemson to one field goal, Tenn. Tech kicked one on the final play of the game and UK made four (two from 50+ yards). Then, fourth-ranked Alabama built a 30-7 halftime lead on the visiting Bulldogs and hung on for a 41-34 win. Georgia bounced back this past Saturday with a 31-13 home win over Auburn, allowing one touchdown while the Tigers two trips inside the red zone resulted in field goals.
Going into the road game with the Crimson Tide, the Bulldogs were one of just three teams in FBS that did not have a turnover on the season. Then, the Bulldogs had four in the loss. Georgia did not have a turnover against Auburn to remain at even in Turnover Margin this season. Georgia's opponent this week, Mississippi State, is even in Turnover Margin as well.
Aiming To Be Elite Against One Tough Slate
The Bulldogs opened the 2024 season ranked No. 1 in the AP and US LBM Coaches poll for the third time in school history (2008, 2023). Georgia dropped to No. 2 in the AP poll after its 13-12 road win over Kentucky on Sept. 14 and remained there for another week before falling to No. 4 Alabama on Sept 28. In this week's AP poll, the Bulldogs remain at No. 5 for the second straight week. Georgia was No. 1 in the US LBM Coaches poll until its first loss when it dropped to No. 5. This week, Georgia moved up one spot to No. 4. Texas is now in the top spot in both polls and will face rival No. 18/16 Oklahoma Saturday in Dallas before Georgia heads to Austin on Oct. 19.
The Bulldogs have the longest active streak of being ranked in the AP top 10 (56 straight polls). Georgia's 2024 schedule features nationally ranked road games with Alabama, Texas and Ole Miss plus Clemson at a neutral site (Atlanta) while Tennessee visits Athens.
A Bobo Making Calls On The Field And From The Press Box
Redshirt sophomore center Drew Bobo made his first career career this past Saturday against Auburn while his father, Mike, is in his second year back as Georgia's John & Alice Sands Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks coach. The Bulldog offensive line was down a pair of starters against Auburn with senior right guard Tate Ratledge and redshirt junior center Jared Wilson sidelined with injuries. Redshirt junior Micah Morris has filled in at guard the past two games while Bobo, a graduate of Auburn High School, got the nod at center. Mike Bobo and head coach Kirby Smart were teammates at UGA from 1994-97. In 2006, Drew served as the ring bearer at Smart's wedding.
SMART Football: Streaks 'n Stuff
Georgia is riding a school record 27-game home winning streak dating to 2019, which leads in FBS.
The 2024 Senior Class is an FBS-leading 46-3 (40-1 in the regular season) since 2021. The next best marks in this span belong to Michigan (44-5) and Alabama (40-7). Georgia's only three losses since 2021 have come to Alabama. Georgia's 2023 Senior Class set the school record at 50-4 with two national titles, an SEC crown plus went 6-0 in bowl/CFP games.
Georgia is 50-3 in last 53 games. A school record streak of 42 consecutive regular season victories ended Sept. 28 this year with a 41-34 defeat at No. 4 Alabama. Also, Georgia had an SEC and school record streak of 28 consecutive SEC regular season wins snap that night.
Georgia owns the nation's longest active bowl streak at 27 seasons and has won its last seven matchups.
Head coach Kirby Smart is unbeaten against all active head coaches over the past five years except Kalen DeBoer (Alabama). Georgia is 66-7 in that span. The coaches no longer active who have wins over Georgia during this stretch: Nick Saban (3) along with Will Muschamp, Ed Orgeron and Dan Mullen.
In the Smart era, the Georgia defense has ended the year ranked in the top five nationally in Scoring Defense five times including leading the nation twice (2019 at 12.6 ppg & 2021 at 10.2 ppg). Also, Georgia has been ranked in the final top 10 in Scoring Offense from 2021-23.
The Bulldogs were the only FBS team to finish the 2023 season nationally ranked in the top five in both Scoring Offense (40.1 ppg/5th) and Scoring Defense (15.6 ppg/5th).
Georgia is the only team to have finished in the top 7 of the final AP poll in each of the past 7 seasons.