UGA Football Game Notes For The Alabama Crimson Tide
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ATHENS - Kirby Smart and the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs will host the No. 17 Alabama Crimson Tide in Athens this weekend.
Here are some of the latest news and notes to get prepared for the big game...
The Elephant In The Room
*Georgia and Alabama first met on the gridiron in 1895, a 30-6 Bulldog win in Columbus.
*Alabama holds a 44-26-4 advantage in the series. Georgia’s last win in Athens over UA came in 2003 (37-23). Since then, UA only has made two visits to Athens (2008 and 2015).
*The Bulldogs are 1-6 against the Crimson Tide under Smart, and none of those games have been in Athens. The lone victory came in the 2022 CFP National Championship Game, a 33-18 triumph in Indianapolis, Ind. The teams have met four times in Atlanta (the 2018 CFP National Championship Game and three SEC Championship Games) and twice in Tuscaloosa (2020, 2024).
*In 2024, No. 4 Alabama raced out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and 30-7 at halftime before the Bulldogs came charging back. Georgia took a 34-33 lead with 2:31 remaining when Carson Beck connected for a 67-yard touchdown pass to Dillon Bell. However, the lead was short-lived as Jalen Milroe answered with a 75-yard TD strike to Ryan Williams and held off No.2 Georgia 41-34.
*Georgia saw its school and SEC record streak of 28 consecutive regular season wins in league play end last year at Alabama.
*Georgia is 34-2 in its last 36 SEC regular season games. The 2024 Bulldogs finished 6-2 in the SEC including making road trips to #1 Texas (W), #4 Alabama (L) and #16 Ole Miss (L) plus a home game against #7 Tennessee (W).
Simply The Best (Since 2021)
*Georgia owns the best record in the FBS since 2021 at 56-5. This run includes back-to-back CFP national titles (2021-22) and two SEC titles (2022 & 2024).
*Georgia and Ohio State are the only FBS schools to win 11+ games in each of the past four seasons.
1. GEORGIA 56-5
2. Michigan 51-9
3. Ohio State 50-8
4. Oregon 49-10
SEC Nation Coming to UGA
*The SEC Nation traveling pre-game show will originate from Myers Quad from 10 a.m. to Noon ET Saturday on the SEC Network. Laura Rutledge serves as host and will be joined by Paul Finebaum, Roman Harper, Jordan Rodgers and Tim Tebow. Additionally, Marty (Smith) & (Ryan) McGee will be live Saturday from 9-10 a.m. Myers Quad will be home to The Paul Finebaum Show live Friday from 3-7 p.m.
Georgia In The Polls This Week
*The Bulldogs (3-0, 1-0 SEC) check in at No. 5 in the Associated Press top 25 poll, No. 3 in the Coaches top 25 poll and No. 2 in the FWAA-NFF Super 16 poll.
DON’T FORGET YOUR FANDUEL BETS!!
According to FanDuel, the Baltimore Ravens have +240 odds to win the AFC this season.
Stockton Delivers
Redshirt junior Gunner Stockton, a 6-1, 215-pound native of Tiger, Ga., is 3-1 as starter in his career. In his first SEC road start, the Bulldogs defeated No. 15 Tennessee in front of a crowd of 101,915. Rookies are behind him in redshirt freshmen Ryan Puglisi and true freshmen Ryan Montgomery.
*Stockton named Davey O’Brien National QB of the Week after 44-41 over-
time win over #15 UT. Georgia trailed five times, including 21-7 after the 1st quarter, 38-30 with 6:40 left in regulation, and in OT.
*Stockton posted a successful home debut in the 2025 opening win over Marshall as the team’s leading rusher (73 yards on 10 attempts with 2 scores) plus threw for 190 yards and 2 TDs...First Georgia player to have two passing TDs and two rushing scores in a season opener in the past 80 years per ESPN Stats.
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Red Zone Exclusive
Running Back Rotation Keeping Everyone Fresh
Georgia’s top returning running back is 5-10, 205-pound sophomore Nate
Frazier from Compton, Calif. He appeared in 13 games with three starts and
led the team with 671 yards and eight TDs. This season, he has started all three games with a team-high 189 yards on 39 attempts and two scores. Overall, Georgia is averaging 209 rushing yards per game with 10 TDs.
*Redshirt freshman Chauncey Bowens, sophomore Dwight Phillips Jr., senior Cash Jones and redshirt senior Josh McCray, have had their moments.
*The Bulldogs had 55 rushes for 198 yard in the win at No. 15 UT. Frazier had a team-long 21-yard scamper on the first play in overtime to set up the
game-winning score by McCray who notched a pair of scores in the triumph.
*Bowens had a breakout performance against Austin Peay with a career-high 11 carries for 56 yards and two scores. Phillips finished with 55 yards on seven carries including a team-best 23-yard scamper. He is averaging 8.5 ypc.
*In the 45-7 win over Marshall, QB Gunner Stockton was the leading rusher
with 73 yards on 10 attempts with a pair of scores. Phillips Jr., was next with
60 yards with one TD. Frazier started and tallied 47 yards on 11 carries.
Ready To Receive
Georgia’s top receivers to date have been senior Colbie Young (13-for-
179 yards), junior Zachariah Branch (11-for-181 yards, 2 TDs) and junior London Humphreys (8-for-96 yards, 2 TDs). Branch and Humpreys account
for all four TDs in the room as they have two apiece.
*The Bulldogs are averaging 261 receiving yards a game.
*Young had seven catches for 76 yards in the win over Austin Peay and then
followed that up with four receptions for 73 yards at No. 15 UT.
*Branch, who tallied 47 receptions for 503 yards and one TD last year as a USC Trojan, had a team-high five catches for 69 yards in the road win over No. 15 UT. Against the Vols, he registered a 36-yard TD and caught the game-tying two-point conversion with 2:32 left in the contest.
*Humphreys had THE catch of the season. Down 38-30 with 2:38 remaining
in the game at No. 15 UT, it was 4th-and-6. He hauled in a 28-yard touchdown strike from Gunner Stockton.
*Senior Dillon Bell, redshirt freshman Sacovie White-Helton plus true fresh-
man Talyn Taylor have been targeted as well. Taylor had his first two catches for 28 yards against the Govs. White-Helton had just one catch for 17 yards against the Vols, but it was a big one, coming on 2nd-and-12 in the fourth quarter on the game-tying drive.
*Senior Texas A&M transfer Noah Thomas had three catches for 24 yards against the Govs after one target against Marshall. Last year for the Aggies, he had 39 catches for 574 yards and eight TDs.
*Twelve Bulldogs caught a pass in the season opener against Marshall with
receivers accounting for 12 of the 19 receptions. Branch led the group with three catches for 95 yards including a 47-yard TD.
Next Man Up Again On The Line
Georgia was banged up on the offensive line in 2024 while facing the nation’s toughest schedule per ESPN’s FPI. Still, the Bulldogs won another SEC title. This year, the Bulldogs have a retooled group because All-American Tate Ratledge, Dylan Fairchild, Jared Wilson and Xavier Truss are all in the NFL. Fairchild and Truss were the only ones to start all 14 games last year.
*Due to injuries, Georgia has used a different starting unit in all three games this year. While the left side has been the same with Monroe Freeling (LT) and redshirt senior Micah Morris (LG) plus Drew Bobo (C) in the middle, the Bulldogs have employed three different starting right guards and two different starting right tackles. Freeling has longest the starting streak on the line at eight games. Bobo earned Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honors for his performance in leading the line in the road win over No. 15 UT.
*The Bulldogs did not allow a sack in their first two games before the Vols
collected three. Still, when the UT game was on the line, the offensive line
came through. In overtime, it was three rushing plays for 25 yards that rallied the No. 6 Bulldogs to victory. Also of note, when Georgia trailed No. 15 UT 21-17 to start the 3rd quarter, the Bulldogs leaned on their running game, going 75 yards for a TD on 14 plays (13 rushes) to take their first lead.
*True freshmen Juan Gaston Jr. and Dontrell Glover have started a game at
right guard along with redshirt freshman Michael Uini (his first career start).
*Georgia’s depth was tested early this year as Gaston and Earnest Greene III (RT) both left the Marshall game with injuries and neither played against Austin Peay. Sophomore Jahzare Jackson (RT) and Uini made their first starts.
*Redshirt freshmen Bo Hughley and Daniel Calhoun, redshirt sophomore
Jamal Meriweather and freshmen Cortez Smith have been in the rotation.
Hughley saw action at right tackle late in the win at No. 15 UT.
*Did You Know? Gaston joined Andrew Thomas (RT, 2017) as the only true
freshman offensive lineman to start a season opener in the Smart era. Thomas went on to be a first round pick (fourth overall selection) in the 2020 NFL draft by the New York Giants. He remains a starter for the Giants.
Secondary Tested Early And Often At No. 15 Tennessee
Georgia’s defense faced a passing attack at No. 15 Tennessee that was av-
eraging 352 yards per game (ypg), and the Vols tallied 371 yards in a shootout with the Bulldogs. Coming in to the contest, the Bulldogs had not allowed a passing TD, and the Vols collected four on the day including three big ones that covered 32, 56 and 72 yards. Joenel Aguero, who collected a career-best seven tackles versus the Vols, and KJ Bolden came up with interceptions.
*Marshall finished 11-for-21 for 120 yards and no passing TDs or INTs.
*Austin Peay went 16-for-23 for 151 yards and no passing TDs with 1 INT.
*Redshirt junior Zion Branch led the team with a career-high seven stops versus Marshall while Bolden had six stops against Austin Peay. Bolden blocked a punt against Marshall too.
*Senior Daylen Everette, the MVP of the 2024 SEC Championship Game,
entered 2025 with a team-best 28 consecutive starts but that was snapped
when he missed the opener against Marshall due to an injury. He has returned to his starting role since week two.
*Junior Daniel Harris, redshirt freshman Ellis Robinson IV and redshirt
sophomore Kyron Jones plus senior JaCorey Thomas have seen the most
action. Robinson had the team’s first INT of the year against Austin Peay.
Jones, who was a running back in high school and recruited to play defensive back, posted a career-high 10 stops against the Vols.
Something Special About These Specialists
In 2024, Georgia was the only team in the FBS that had its punter (Brett
Thorson), placekicker (Peyton Woodring) and snapper (Beau Gardner)
named a semifinalist for a national award at their position, and all three are
back! Thorson and Gardner were named finalists for the Ray Guy Award and Patrick Mannelly Award, while Woodring was up for the Groza Award.
Are We Punting? We’re Going For It!
In the Kirby Smart era, the Bulldogs have a 64% success rate on 4th
Down Conversion attempts (86-for-134) with 17 TDs.
*In 2025, Georgia is 5-for-5 with 3 TDs on 4th Down to ranked tied for 1st
nationally in 4th Down Conversion Percentage. Central Florida (8-for-8) is
the only school to be perfect with more conversions.
*Down 38-30 with 2:38 remaining in the game against No. 15 Tennesseee in
Knoxville, Georgia converted a 4th-and-6 at the UT 28 for a TD (Stockton
pass-to-Humphreys). Also that day, Georgia trailed 21-7 in the 1st quarter and converted a 4th-and-3 at the UGA 48.
*Did You Know? The only other fourth quarter 4th down conversion featuring a TD pass when Georgia was behind under Smart came in 2016 at Missouri. The Bulldogs trailed 27-21 with 1:31 left in the game and faced a 4th-and-10. Jacob Eason hit Isaiah McKenzie for a 20-yard TD in a 28-27 win.
*In 2024, Georgia led the SEC and ranked 16th nationally in 4th Down Con-
versions at 67% (18-for-27 with 4 TDs).
Putting Points On The Board
Georgia ranks 3rd in NCAA history for consecutive games scoring and among schools with active streaks: Florida: 466 games (1988-present); TCU: 410 games (1991-present); Georgia: 390 games (1995-present)
Georgia’s All-Time Overtime Record (11-7)
Home: 2-2; Away: 5-2; Neutral: 4-3
(Bowl Game/CFP: 3-2; *SEC Games: 5-4)
