Category: UGA Football

UGA Football: Post Game Notes – Georgia vs. Arkansas

Defense Dominates Again With Historic Shutout Of Top 10 Team: For only the third time in school history and the first time since 1976, Georgia posted a shut out a top 10 team with a 37-0 victory over No. 8 Arkansas. It was the first time since 1980 that the Bulldogs had back-to-back shutouts of SEC opponents, doing it against Vanderbilt and Kentucky. Today Georgia posted its seventh shutout in the Kirby Smart era and the fifth in an SEC game.

The other shutouts of top 10 teams came when No. 6 Georgia blanked No. 10 Alabama 21-0 here in 1976, and in 1942, the No. 5 Bulldogs shut out No. 2 Ga. Tech 34-0 here. The Razorbacks finished with 156 yards of total offense (75-rushing, 87-passing) and came in averaging 35.8 points a game.

Georgia leads the nation in Scoring Defense, allowing just 4.6 points per game. Opponents now have scored just 23 points on the Bulldogs this year.

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UGA Football: Game Notes – Georgia Welcomes Arkansas to Sanford

Game & Broadcast Info
  • Kickoff: Saturday, October 2 – 12:00 p.m. ET
  • Location: Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium (92,746) | Athens, Ga.
  • 2021 Records: Georgia 4-0 (2-0 SEC), Arkansas 4-0 (1-0 SEC)
  • History: Georgia vs. Arkansas All-Time Series Results: UGA 11-4
  • Rankings: Georgia #2, Arkansas #8/11
  • TV: ESPN – Chris Fowler (PxP), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst),
  • Video Stream: ESPN+
  • Radio: WSB AM 750 – Bulldog Network | Affiliates | Scott Howard (PxP), Eric Zeier (Color), DJ Shockley (sideline)
  • Audio Stream: georgiadogs.com
  • Satellite: SiriusXM: 81/81/81
  • Web Stats: GameTracker
  • Twitter: #ARKvsUGA
  • ReBroadcast: SEC Network: TBA

 

Georgia 2021 Averages Arkansas
43.8 Scoring Offense 35.8
5.8 Scoring Defense 14.5
+2 Turnover Margin +3
454.2 Total Offense 480.0
176.5 Rushing Offense 261.0
277.8 Passing Offense 219.0
10.1 Punt Returns 3.2
22.0 Kickoff Returns 27.2

Georgia-Arkansas Series History

Georgia leads the all-time series with Arkansas by a 11-4 margin. The two programs last met in Fayetteville to open the shortened 2020 season with the Bulldogs knocking off the Razorbacks 37-10. Arkansas left Sanford Stadium with a 31-24 win during its last trip to Athens in 2010. The first four clashes in the series came in bowl games starting with the 1969 Sugar Bowl, a 16-2 Arkansas win. Also of note, Georgia captured the 2002 SEC Championship with a 30-3 victory over the Razorbacks in Atlanta.

This Saturday’s showdown marks the second matchup between Bulldog head coach Kirby Smart and Arkansas’ Sam Pittman, who spent the 2016-19 seasons at Georgia, the first three as the offensive line coach and the final year as Associate Head Coach in charge of the offensive line.

Pittman is just one of several Razorbacks on staff with Georgia connections. Former Bulldog special teams coach Scott Fountain is the Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator for the Razorbacks. Former Georgia assistant strength coaches Jamil Walker and Ed Ellis are on staff as Walker serves as the team’s head strength coach while Ellis is the senior associate director. Former Bulldog Fernando Velasco serves as the team’s Director of Player Development, while former Bulldog staffer Patrick Doherty is the Director of Football Operations.

Top 10 Foes In Smart Era

Georgia is 11-6 against top-10 teams under Kirby Smart, including 3-0 at home. Most recently, the Bulldogs started the 2021 season by edging then No. 3 Clemson 10-3 in Charlotte, N.C., during the Duke’s Mayo Classic. The Bulldogs ended last season with a 24-21 win over eighth-ranked and undefeated Cincinnati during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta. Georgia’s highest-ranked win under Smart was over No. 2 Oklahoma (54-48, 2OT) in a CFP Semifinal at the 2018 Rose Bowl Game.

ESPN College GameDay Is Athens Bound

This will mark the first time ESPN College GameDay will be in Athens since coming for the showdown of No. 4 Georgia versus No. 7 Auburn in 2020. The Bulldogs left the Tigers behind in that matchup 27-6. This marked the last top-10 matchup in Athens. The production was trimmed down because of the COVID-19 regulations and was set up in Sanford Stadium’s west side plaza rather than the traditional Myer’s Quad. GameDay was also in Charlotte for the top-five matchup against Clemson. This marks the sixth time that GameDay has come to Athens.

Dominating Defense

Currently Georgia leads the nation in Scoring Defense giving up just 5.8 points per game. The defense has allowed just one touchdown this season and it came in the fourth quarter versus South Carolina with the Bulldogs leading 40-6. Georgia’s opponents have advanced to the Red Zone only four times this season resulting in three field goals and turning it over once on downs.

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UGA Football: Frierson Chats With Justin Shaffer

Georgia senior offensive lineman Justin Shaffer loves green grapes. They are, in fact, a preferred pre-practice snack. At about 4 calories per grape, Shaffer would have to eat a lot of them to get much of an energy surge, but that’s kind of the point, he explained after practice Wednesday.

A 6-foot-4 and 330-pound left guard from Ellenwood, Ga., near Atlanta, Shaffer was a three-star recruit coming out of Cedar Grove High School. He arrived at Georgia in 2017 and played in eight games as a backup during that season’s run to the College Football Playoff. The next season, he played in 12 games as a reserve.

In 2019, Shaffer came in off the bench because of an injury and played a lot in the win over Notre Dame. He then made his first collegiate start against Tennessee, playing every offensive snap. He also started against South Carolina, but then missed the rest of the season with an injury.

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UGA Football: Bulldogs Continue Preparation for Top Ten Matchup at Home

The No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs continued preparation Wednesday Sept. 29, prior to Saturday’s Top-Ten Southeastern Conference matchup against No. 8 Arkansas. Head football coach Kirby Smart met with the media on the SEC’s weekly teleconference call while players offered comments after practice.

Head Coach Kirby Smart
Opening Statement…
“We are coming into the home game excited about Arkansas coming to play at our place. I have a lot of respect for Sam (Pittman) and his staff. They have done a tremendous job creating a new culture and energy there at Arkansas. I would expect nothing less from him. I’m very thankful for what he did with our organization before he left. It will be an exciting atmosphere. I can’t wait to see the atmosphere created Saturday. With our fan base and the early kick, it should be very interesting. I’m excited to see our guys get ready to go play in another big one.”

On Arkansas success with the deep ball…
“They run the ball well. When you run the ball successfully you create one-on-one opportunities and shots. They’ve done that well. I also think their quarterback does an unbelievable job of throwing the deep ball. That is probably the best throw that KJ (Jefferson) makes. Getting the timing on the deep ball. They have some really big wideouts that create matchup issues.”

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UGA Football: Frierson Chats With Robert Beal

Robert Beal Jr. doesn’t spend that much time watching contact sports on television. Georgia’s 6-foot-4 and 255-pound outside linebacker would prefer to watch either bowling or tennis, he said during a Quick Chat this week.

A senior from Peachtree Ridge, Ga., Beal got into football, he said, because he was too physical for basketball when he was in fifth grade. It’s a transition that has worked out well for him. Beal has seven tackles, including a sack, and seven quarterback hurries through four games this season. In last Saturday’s 62-0 shutout of Vanderbilt, he had three solo stops, a 10-yard sack and two QB hurries,

During our Quick Chat, Beal talked about his start in football, not liking getting hit, his love of bowling, and much more. Here’s some of what he had to say:

Frierson: What do you remember about your start in football? We’re you really eager to play or did you kind of fall into it?

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UGA Football: Game Notes – Georgia Welcomes Arkansas to Sanford

Game & Broadcast Info
  • Kickoff: Saturday, October 2 – 12:00 p.m. ET
  • Location: Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium (92,746) | Athens, Ga.
  • 2021 Records: Georgia 4-0 (2-0 SEC), Arkansas 4-0 (1-0 SEC)
  • History: Georgia vs. Arkansas All-Time Series Results: UGA 11-4
  • Rankings: Georgia #2, Arkansas #8/11
  • TV: ESPN – Chris Fowler (PxP), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst),
  • Video Stream: ESPN+
  • Radio: WSB AM 750 – Bulldog Network | Affiliates | Scott Howard (PxP), Eric Zeier (Color), DJ Shockley (sideline)
  • Audio Stream: georgiadogs.com
  • Satellite: SiriusXM: 81/81/81
  • Web Stats: GameTracker
  • Twitter: #ARKvsUGA
  • ReBroadcast: SEC Network: TBA

 

Georgia 2021 Averages Arkansas
43.8 Scoring Offense 35.8
5.8 Scoring Defense 14.5
+2 Turnover Margin +3
454.2 Total Offense 480.0
176.5 Rushing Offense 261.0
277.8 Passing Offense 219.0
10.1 Punt Returns 3.2
22.0 Kickoff Returns 27.2

Georgia-Arkansas Series History

Georgia leads the all-time series with Arkansas by a 11-4 margin. The two programs last met in Fayetteville to open the shortened 2020 season with the Bulldogs knocking off the Razorbacks 37-10. Arkansas left Sanford Stadium with a 31-24 win during its last trip to Athens in 2010. The first four clashes in the series came in bowl games starting with the 1969 Sugar Bowl, a 16-2 Arkansas win. Also of note, Georgia captured the 2002 SEC Championship with a 30-3 victory over the Razorbacks in Atlanta.

This Saturday’s showdown marks the second matchup between Bulldog head coach Kirby Smart and Arkansas’ Sam Pittman, who spent the 2016-19 seasons at Georgia, the first three as the offensive line coach and the final year as Associate Head Coach in charge of the offensive line.

Pittman is just one of several Razorbacks on staff with Georgia connections. Former Bulldog special teams coach Scott Fountain is the Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator for the Razorbacks. Former Georgia assistant strength coaches Jamil Walker and Ed Ellis are on staff as Walker serves as the team’s head strength coach while Ellis is the senior associate director. Former Bulldog Fernando Velasco serves as the team’s Director of Player Development, while former Bulldog staffer Patrick Doherty is the Director of Football Operations.

Top 10 Foes In Smart Era

Georgia is 11-6 against top-10 teams under Kirby Smart, including 3-0 at home. Most recently, the Bulldogs started the 2021 season by edging then No. 3 Clemson 10-3 in Charlotte, N.C., during the Duke’s Mayo Classic. The Bulldogs ended last season with a 24-21 win over eighth-ranked and undefeated Cincinnati during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta. Georgia’s highest-ranked win under Smart was over No. 2 Oklahoma (54-48, 2OT) in a CFP Semifinal at the 2018 Rose Bowl Game.

ESPN College GameDay Is Athens Bound

This will mark the first time ESPN College GameDay will be in Athens since coming for the showdown of No. 4 Georgia versus No. 7 Auburn in 2020. The Bulldogs left the Tigers behind in that matchup 27-6. This marked the last top-10 matchup in Athens. The production was trimmed down because of the COVID-19 regulations and was set up in Sanford Stadium’s west side plaza rather than the traditional Myer’s Quad. GameDay was also in Charlotte for the top-five matchup against Clemson. This marks the sixth time that GameDay has come to Athens.

Dominating Defense

Currently Georgia leads the nation in Scoring Defense giving up just 5.8 points per game. The defense has allowed just one touchdown this season and it came in the fourth quarter versus South Carolina with the Bulldogs leading 40-6. Georgia’s opponents have advanced to the Red Zone only four times this season resulting in three field goals and turning it over once on downs.

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UGA Football: Frierson Chats With James Cook

The years keep rolling one after another. One minute James Cook is a freshman running back competing for carries amid a very talented backfield led by D’Andre Swift and Elijah Holyfield, showing flashes of explosiveness when he got the chance. The next, Cook is a senior, a veteran leader trying to help lead the Georgia football team to a special season.

A senior from Miami, Cook and Zamir White have been the leaders of the Bulldogs’ talented running back group for the past couple of seasons. That depth has kept all of their totals down but it hasn’t kept them from making plenty of big plays. White led Georgia with 779 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns last season while Cook had 303 yards on the ground, averaged 6.7 yards per carry, and scored three rushing TDs. Cook also caught 16 passes for 225 yards and two TDs.

Cook’s older brother, Dalvin, is not only the Minnesota Vikings’ top running back, he’s one of the best in the NFL. Dalvin ran for more than 1,500 yards last season and caught 44 passes. Georgia doesn’t give James Cook as many carries as the Vikings do his big brother, but the Bulldogs do try to make the most of his versatility. Heading into Saturday’s big SEC game between the No. 2-ranked Bulldogs and No. 8 Arkansas, Cook has rushed 22 times for 123 yards (a 5.6-yard average) and caught eight passes for 27 yards and a score.

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