Ground And Pound Georgia Kills Arkansas' Defense On Road

The Bulldogs not only controlled the time of the possession, but also the ground game

Arkansas fans knew Saturday's game "between the hedges" was going to be a "Dawg" fight.

Instead, Georgia snoozed its way in the fourth quarter with a backup quarterback leading the charge. 

Take nothing away this season from No. 8 Arkansas. Two top 15 wins over schools from Texas will always be warranted when it comes to proving growth. 

However, the Razorbacks' defense was no match for No. 2 Georgia in a 37-0 defeat. 

Then again, is anyone this college football season? 

Even without starting quarterback JT Daniels, Georgia (5-0, 2-0 SEC) moved the ball  against coordinator Barry Odom's defense with ease. Stetson Bennett didn't miss a beat, though most of the game was controlled on the ground. 

READ MORE: Hogs Physically Whipped: Georgia Starts Fast, Steamrolls Arkansas, 37-0

Four different running backs recorded 10 carries and each finished with over 40 yards rushing. Zamir White led the way with 16 carries, but senior James Cook was just as consistent. He finished with a team-high in yards (87) and yards per play (7.3). 

White tallied two touchdowns while sophomore Kendall Milton picked up a third. As a unit, Georgia finished with 273 yards on the afternoon and recorded 15 of the Bulldogs 22 first downs. 

Last week, it was Arkansas (4-1, 1-1 SEC) sucking the life out of No. 15 Texas A&M with a ground and pound attack. This week, they received a taste of their own medicine. 

"I don't want to simplify this but they just whipped us physically," Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said. "We couldn't block them and we couldn't get off blocks for much of the day."

Georgia won the time of possession before the fourth quarter began. The finished with over 36 minutes of offense and found the end zone three different times.

White who has also been a factor in passing game, made his third touchdown following a blocked punt against Reid Bauer in the end zone to make it 21-0 in the first quarter. 

READ MORE: Late Change for 'Dawgs: JT Daniels Out, Stetson Bennett In

"Zamir is just incredible," Georgia coach Kirby Smart said of his running back. 

Bennett was a footnote on the day. He finished 7 of 11 passing for 62 yards. His longest play was a dump pass to running back Kenny McIntosh for 27 yards. 

And whenever Arkansas was able to control the run enough, it still was too little too late. Kicker Jack Podlesny made shots from 30, 37 and 46 yards out. 

There wasn't an answer. No solution either. 

It doesn't help that Arkansas' offense was stagnant. KJ Jefferson completed 8 of 13 passes for 65 yards and Malik Hornsby wasn't better. The freshman went 2 of 3 for gains of 3 and 19. 

There's a reason Georgia's defense leads the nation in total defense and scoring defense. They've allowed 23 points all season and haven't let a team score in conference play. 

The one solstice? Vanderbilt finished with four first downs in a 65-0 loss. Arkansas had nine. 

The defense rebounded in the second half, allowing just one touchdown and 177 yards. Call that progress least? The Hogs also forced the Bulldogs to settle for two field goals instead of two touchdowns. 

Little wins like this go a long way in a lopsided game. 

READ MORE: Arkansas Top 20 In Recruiting Class?

The Razorbacks should remain ranked another week. However, its top 10 status is hard to imagine without scoring any points and allowing a backup quarterback to construct a 345-yard outing. 

Without Smart, maybe Arkansas football wouldn't be back under Pittman. It was his guidance that eventually led to athletic director Hunter Yurachek making the call down to Athens. 

Still, the Hogs have a way to go. That, or the Bulldogs are special in 2021. 

Maybe both? 

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