Three Bold Takes for Georgia Football vs. Vanderbilt Football – Sports Illustrated

The Georgia Bulldogs might cruise to another blowout win against the Vanderbilt Commodores this weekend. Kirby Smart and the Dawgs have covered big betting lines with ease in every single contest so far, and Georgia is a 24.5-point favorite over Vanderbilt.
In games like these, we have a little bit more leeway to come up with very bold takes for what will happen in the game. I went ⅓ last week. The only bold take that ended up coming true was that Georgia sacked Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer three times. Stockton ended up throwing an interception and the Dawgs didn’t reach the 200-yard mark on the ground.
Let’s try this again. 
This Dawg defense has looked so good. The starters have allowed just one touchdown so far a third of the way through the regular season. They have scored touchdowns, they have picked off the quarterback, they have sacked the quarterback, they have strangled run games and have won the line of scrimmage. What they haven't done is pitch a shutout. 
Holding the opponent to 0 points is 100% a goal of this team. Smart has been upset with the defense not doing it yet. I think they will set out to do it this weekend and finally pull it off. Vanderbilt got shut out when it visited Athens in 2022. History often repeats itself. 
Talyn Taloy caught four passes for 110 yards and a score for Georgia last weekend. That was the first time a Georgia pass catcher accrued 100 yards in a game since Zachariah Branch did it against Florida last year. 
I think one of the three of he, Sacovie White-Helton or Craig Dandridge will log a 100-yard game.
Dandridge already has catches of 43 yards and 61 yards on the season. The true freshman scored on the 61-yarder against Arkansas. White-Helton took a slate 70 yards for a score against Western Kentucky.
Taylor and Dandridge have proven to be downfield threats for Gunner Stockton to throw to. White-Helton looks like someone who can house a play from anywhere. 
Georgia’s defense now has two touchdowns on the season. It scored on an interception that turned into a fumble that was corralled in the end zone by true freshman Tyriq Green against Western Kentucky. Star linebacker Chris Cole recovered two fumbles against Oklahoma, taking one to the house for an 85-yard touchdown. 
This Georgia defense is already better than last year’s. It is forcing turnovers and finding the end zone. The Dawgs forced four turnovers against John Mateer. Now, it will face a worse Vanderbilt team that will likely have true freshman quarterback Jared Curtis on the field. 
I like the odds that the Georgia defense will score again. 
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Ryan Kerley began his journalism career in the throws of COVID in 2020 – complicating the start of his career in the space. A year later Kerley reported from Athens to Miami to Indianapolis as the Bulldogs won the program's first national title since 1980. Kerley has covered SEC Championships, Peach Bowls, Orange Bowls, Sugar Bowls and College Football Playoff National Championship Games. In addition to his duties at Dawg Post, Kerley is an accomplished play-by-play voice for both football and basketball. Kerley graduated from the University of Georgia in 2024 with a degree in Journalism. Kerley is a native of Cleveland, Georgia.
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