The No. 12 Georgia Bulldogs beat the No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday night in Sanford Stadium. Following the game, sports editor Bo Underwood graded each position group’s performance.
Quarterback
Carson Beck turned in his best performance of the season when Georgia needed it most. He completed 25 of his 40 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns. He was on all night, spreading the ball across the field and extending several plays with his legs. Beck also finished with 32 rushing yards on 3 carries, including a 14-yard scramble that fired the sideline up and a 10-yard touchdown run. He took care of the ball and executed Mike Bobo’s gameplan to perfection. It’s the kind of game Beck has needed all season.
Grade: A+
Running backs
It took a while for Georgia to get the run game going against a tough Tennessee defensive front, but the Bulldogs ended up doing just enough on the ground to keep the Volunteers honest and set Beck and the passing offense up. With Trevor Etienne out, Nate Frazier assumed the lead role in the backfield and rushed for 68 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Freshman Chauncey Bowens also saw some snaps and finished with five carries for seven yards. As a team, Georgia rushed for 106 yards on 31 attempts.
Grade: B
Wide receivers
There were more issuess for Georgia’s receivers on Saturday even in the midst of a productive offensive game. Arian Smith dropped a perfectly-placed deep ball that would’ve been a huge play on the first offensive snap, while Dominic Lovett dropped a bubble screen on third down and a potential touchdown in the end zone. Dillon Bell nearly fumbled on a jet pass before it was ruled an incompletion, and Arian Smith actually did fumble on the next snap but recovered it. London Humphreys led Georgia in receiving with 63 yards, while freshman Nitro Tuggle caught two passes for 25 yards. Beck spread the ball out extremely well, and every wideout made at least one play despite the drops.
Grade: B-
Tight ends
The tight end group had its most productive outing of the year by far. Oscar Delp set three new career-highs with four catches for 56 yards and two touchdowns. Ben Yurosek had his best game as a Bulldog with five catches for 51 yards, and Lawson Luckie caught a pass for 23 yards on a free play. The tight ends provided some much-needed security for Beck on a night where his receivers left some plays on the board. If Delp can continue to develop a rapport with Beck late in the season, it could add a whole new element to Georgia’s offense.
Grade: A
Offensive line
Georgia’s offensive line bounced back in a big way after a disastrous performance against Ole Miss. Against an incredibly talented Tennessee defensive front, Georgia didn’t allow a single sack. Beck was kept clean all night, and as the game went on he appeared to gain more and more confidence with navigating the pocket. There have been times this year where he’s gotten hit early and it’s shaken his composure, but he had plenty of time to see the field in this one and the results reflected that. Big time game from Georgia’s offensive line.
Grade: A
Defensive line
Georgia’s defensive line had its work cut out for it with uber-talented running back Dylan Sampson coming to town. Sampson turned in another 100-yard game with 101 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, but Tennessee was forced to start throwing it once Georgia got in front. Georgia allowed Sampson to get loose for a 27-yard touchdown in the second quarter, but put a lid on the explosive runs after that. Warren Brinson had three tackles including a tackle for loss.
Grade: B+
Linebackers
Smael Mondon was back to his old ways on Saturday, finishing tied for a team-high eight tackles, a sack and a pass deflection. He made plays all over the field and looked healthy as ever, which could be huge for Georgia’s defense down the stretch. Chaz Chambliss had another big game with two sacks, while Jalon Walker had eight tackles and a sack of his own. Damon Wilson had a sack to make it five total for Georgia. The linebackers created negative plays all night and never allowed Nico Iamaleava to get comfortable. Another dominant night from Georgia’s pass rush after an uncharacteristically quiet day against Ole Miss.
Grade: A
Defensive backs
Georgia’s secondary kept Tennessee in front of them all night and didn’t allow many deep shots. The Volunteers have struggled to connect on deep balls this season and those issues returned on Saturday. Iamaleava completed 20 of his 33 passes for just 167 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. He made the right play most of the time, but whenever Tennessee needed a big play, it just couldn’t find it. It was a very disciplined performance from Georgia’s secondary, and probably not one that would’ve happened this time a month ago.
Grade: A-
Special teams
The special teams unit surrendered a 26-yard punt return that nearly went for a touchdown before punter Brett Thorson made a textbook tackle that ended up saving Georgia four points after Tennessee was forced to kick a field goal. Peyton Woodring connected on a 36-yard field goal and all four of his extra points. Thorson punted four times for 177 yards with two being downed inside the 20.
Grade: B
