Georgia Bulldogs colossal flaw almost cost them against Ole Miss, but Kirby Smart and Gunner Stockton found a way
Georgia’s terrible defense and pass rush almost lost them another game, but the Bulldogs held on
The Georgia Bulldogs just keep getting away with it. It doesn’t matter who they’re playing. The Bulldogs are almost always apparently going to start slow, put themselves in a hole, and dig their way out in magical fashion late in the game. Kirby Smart and company pulled off yet another dramatic late-game victory over Ole Miss on Saturday, but this can’t keep happening if Georgia wants to go very far in the postseason.
It’s not all on the offense and their inability to strike early either. The main problem has been that Georgia’s defense is just a complete shell of themselves in some of the most important areas. The same problems keep popping up–one more than any others. The pass rush is still completely inept, and that has to change.
Key Georgia Bulldogs defense stats following Ole Miss win
- Coming into the Ole Miss game Georgia already ranked 112th among FBS teams in defensive sacks generated, and they failed to log even one sack again on Saturday
- Georgia ranked 86th in third down conversion rate allowed (where their pass rush continues to fall short), and they gave up five more conversions on nine attempts, likely dropping them outside the top 100 for third down defense
- Following five touchdowns allowed in a row, Georgia’s defense figured something out, allowing just 13 total yards on the next and final three Ole Miss drives of the game
Georgia’s pass rush and third down defense is going to cost them if they’re not careful
The Georgia Bulldogs defense did finally get their act together just in time in the fourth quarter, but not before their complete lack of any pass rush with a pulse nearly cost them the game with five touchdowns allowed in a row.
It didn’t matter even when the Bulldogs did manage to pressure opposing quarterback Trinidad Chambliss either. He would find a way to escape, punishing Georgia for over 40 rushing yards and two touchdowns with his legs.
The most embarrassing example of this came on a play where hybrid defender Chris Cole whiffed on what should have been a sack inside the Georgia 10-yard line, then linebacker Raylen Wilson took a bad angle to Chambliss, giving up the early rushing touchdown that gave Ole Miss their initial lead.
Georgia just couldn’t get off the field early in the game as they were getting beaten at every level of their defense. The secondary looked completely out of whack, committing penalties and giving up explosive plays. The linebackers were taking poor angles and misreading Chambliss’ intentions. The defense line and edge rushers couldn’t bring pressure. All that led to five straight third down conversions to open the game, and another freebie third down win due to a defensive holding call.
Luckily for Kirby Smart and company, Ole Miss finally made a few mistakes late in the second half to let Georgia back in the game, but if it weren’t for a couple wild breaks and conversions by Gunner Stockton and the Bulldogs’ offense this would have finished as an easy win for the Rebels.
This is not Georgia football. This is not winning SEC football. Not on defense anyway. If Kirby Smart and company can’t find a way to start bringing more pass rush pressure and getting off the field on third down there is no way they make it very far in the College Football Playoff. The team barely ranks top 120 in sacks, and likely falls outside the top 100 in third down defense after this week. Just atrocious. Kirby and his staff has some work to do there still before this team is ready for the postseason.
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