The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: Georgia rolls Tennessee

No. 3 Georgia dominated No. 1 Tennessee 27-13. We take a look at the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly from Georgia's dominant performance.

Georgia dominated No. 1 Tennessee for a massive 27-13 win in front of a wild Sanford Stadium. There was a ton to be happy about in the performance, but as with every game there were certainly things to be addressed. 

The Good: Georgia’s Secondary

With Kirby Smart, Will Muschamp, Glenn Schumann, and Fran Brown all on the same defensive staff, Georgia has arguably the best defensive hive mind in college football. With that knowledge, a lot of folks were expecting Georgia to come out with an ultra-complex defensive game plan for Tennessee’s high-powered offense. Instead, Smart and Co. deployed a simple but effective plan, with a clear message: “Our players are better than yours.”

Kelee Ringo and Kamari Lassiter were extraordinary. Georgia played man-to-man coverage for a majority of the game, and their corners were able to hold up their end of the deal, showing why both were so highly rated as recruits. Lassiter was outstanding in run support and was very rarely targeted in coverage. Ringo, on the other hand, was heavily targeted in the game and gave up some yards, but also hauled in an interception that was a prime example why he’s projected to go very high in next year’s NFL Draft. Javon Bullard exploded in this game, sacking Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker twice. The safety play was solid as well. Christopher Smith was all over the field, making multiple big tackles on the perimeter. Freshman Malaki Starks avoided the big mistake and was solid in the open field.

Georgia had faith in their guys against a wide receiver unit many had compared to 2019 LSU’s. That faith was rewarded in a big way.

The Bad: Georgia’s Second-Half Offense

Listen, you know the rain had a lot to do with it, but for the second week in a row we watched Georgia storm out to a big halftime lead and then stall in the second half, failing to put the opponent away. Stetson Bennett went into halftime with 226 yards and 2 touchdowns through the air. He finished the game with 257 yards and 2 touchdowns. Branson Robinson gave a fumble away the play after Georgia’s defense had taken their own from Tennessee. Penalties, rain, and poor execution held Georgia to just 3 points in the second half. It didn’t ultimately cost Georgia, but it made the game more interesting than it should’ve been.

The Ugly: Turnovers

Georgia has a turnover problem. Over the past six games, the Bulldogs have turned the football over twelve times, including two more fumbles today. Both fumbles came at crucial points in the game, the first when Daijun Edwards put the ball on the ground on the first drive of the game, and the second when Georgia had a chance to slam the door shut on the ball game.

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Christian Goeckel
CHRISTIAN GOECKEL

Christian Goeckel is a Staff Writer for Dawgs Daily on SI.com. Christian has covered College Football for nearly a decade, writing for multiple sites and hosting radio shows across Southern Georgia and South Carolina.