Is it possible for a 38–14 victory to be….unsatisfying?
Maybe. That is the question confronting Bulldog fans after they watched Georgia put in a solid, though not dominating victory over the visiting Vanderbilt Commodores.
Let’s start with the positives. The Red and Black offense racked up 471 yards of total offense that felt like it very much could have been more. Gunner Stockton’s remains one of the most efficient quarterbacks in college football, today hitting on 25 of 32 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns.
Mike Bobo took some of those shots downfield we said in the pregame that he should against a Commodore defense that blitzes more and harder than just about anyone else in the SEC. The Dawgs didn’t hit as many of them as perhaps they should have, and that made the offense perhaps feel a tad more anemic than it really was. But the Bulldogs came away with points on six of their eight drives excluding the short drive before the half and the one to kneel out the game (when Bo Walker very nearly took the ball to the house). That’s pretty solid efficiency.
We saw Nate Frazier, albeit only on 2 rushing attempts for 9 yards. The downside of that is that it was because Chauncey Bowens got banged up. Bowens did return, but we again find ourselves with a running back corps full of Ferraris: the fastest thing on the road when they’re not in for repairs. I would expect Frazier to try to go next Saturday in Tuscaloosa. But in a game in which we may need to control the ball and keep it away from the high-powered Tide offense, I’d really like to have a full complement of tailbacks. We may have everyone available, but not 100%.
It also remains to be seen what the receiving corps look like heading into next week. In the absence of Isaiah Canion Thomas Blackshear caught 3 passes for 33 yards before himself exiting the game with an undisclosed injury he was on the sideline in a shoulder sling in the second half, which isn’t a promising sign going forward. He was one of ten receivers Stockton hit on the me day, with Dwight Phillips leading all receivers with 5 catches for 75 yards an a touchdown (and what would have been another but for instant replay). Coaches have talked all fall about trying to get the ball in Phillips’ hands, and today was a solid step in that direction.
And then there was the defense. The Commodores only totaled 293 yards of offense and were a pedestrian 5 of 12 on third down conversions. But in the moment it felt like both those totals were much higher. Some busted coverages on the back end allowed the Nashvillians to convert some third and longs that extended drives in frustrating fashion.
I don’t want to excuse the performance, but would say that there were extenuating circumstances. With Jared Curtis’s last minute totally legitimate “injury” the Bulldogs found themselves defending Blaze Berlowitz, a more mobile QB who in fact led Vandy in rushing. With a whopping 37 yards. Again, it probably seemed worse to the viewing fan than it was in reality. But the fact that Berlowitz looked serviceable doesn’t inspire confidence with Keelon Russell up next.
It’s also worth noting that the Athenians allowed only 59 yards of offense in the second half. Part of that was the Bulldog offense going into ““anaconda mode”, in which Kirby and Mike Bobo just slowly constrict opponents into oblivion. But part of it was also better execution, especially in the linebacking corps and secondary.
Vanderbilt also executed well on third down, finding some plays they haven’t found at key times this season. Hilariously, Jared Curtis could find himself getting Wally Pipped by Berlowitz after that performance. The UGA defense held the SEC’s 14th ranked offense 70 yards below its season average, but compared to what we’ve seen previously this effort looked a little like a team looking ahead.
And what a game to look ahead to. The Bulldogs will travel to Tuscaloosa, where they haven’t won since 2007, to face a Crimson Tide team that’s suddenly looking like it can’t be stopped offensively unless it stops itself. We’ve more than once seen a Kirby Smart team show up big in a big game after this sort of adequate but not spectacular warmup.
It doesn’t feel even nearing the halfway point of the season like we yet know just how good this team can be, and as if they’re still a work in progress.But we’re about to learn if this team is an apex predator in the SEC or just a member of the pack.
Go “Dawgs!!
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