I actually considered not even doing a post today, since the Dawgs made such quick work out of perhaps one of the worst teams in FBS. What was there to learn, or even be entertained by this game, on the couch yesterday? Would anyone even be reading today? And then I remembered we only get 13-15 of these, so (like the Dawgs) I needed to find some intrinsic value in (posting about) this game, and for me it has always been about the sustained and growing connection with the Refugee readership. With that in mind, we’ll hit some brief bullets and then be off to Hate Week.

• Really enjoyed the seniors getting a lot of play yesterday. Other a disappointing day for Dylan Bell who had a drop and some missed blocks, all the other guys playing for the last time in Sanford showed up really well.
• Yesterday felt almost as sleepy as an off week, especially coming down from that super-hyped UT game last weekend. I’m sure that boomerang effect, the obvious talent gap, and spring game-like scheme muted the team’s play.
• I mean, when Cash Jones is a better athlete than anyone on the other team, you know it’s a payday game. But he’s so fun to watch in these moments, because you know he loves the extra PT.
• Gunner mostly played great football again, even with the basic scheme forcing him into more scrambling attempts than I wanted to see.
• Only 2 bad throws stand out – the throw to Humphreys on the sideline when he had Branch over the middle (and which should have been picked off) and the INT forcing the ball to Luckie when he had Cash in the flat. Otherwise, he played with energy and didn’t let the competition bring the offense down.
• The OL, missing 2 starters, handled their business nicely. Micah Morris and Juan Gaston looked like they were playing against middle schoolers.
• Glad Bobo and Greene got to rest up for Tech, because they’re going to throw the kitchen sink at our OL on Friday.
• With Chauncey Bowens resting his injury, Nate Frazier got his chance for stats, but he was indecisive early and missed some opportunities. When he settled down, put a foot in the ground and went vertical he got some big runs and a couple of scores. Just wish that he’d always be that version of himself.
• Really fun day for all the RBs, with Bo Walker getting some good reps and even a RodRob sighting!
• I was hoping for Branch to break one of the many returns he got but a couple of shoestring tackles did him in.
• Absolutely gorgeous interception by Ellis. Kirby said he was beat by his guy and took advantage, but it seemed like Ellis actually left his guy to get the ball, a drill that I’ve seen them rep before. 🤷🏻‍♂️
• Elijah Griffin with his first sack of many! Game by game, instead of hitting the freshman wall, that young man is becoming tougher to block. Hopefully this game gives him some more confidence. We need his A-game badly next week.
• Overall, the defense played well and shut down a weak QB. A couple of sacks, lots of pressure with a 4-man rush, and a couple of picks. Fun times.
• Charlotte had some fairly impressive wideouts that I imagine won’t be on that roster next year.
• As for the backups that flashed, well, not so much. Kind of a meh performance from the second and third string guys. CJ Wiley dropped another ball but came back with a nice catch later. Puglisi was nervy at first but settled down and managed through some drops. The OL subs outside of Cortez Smith have a long way to go. The LBs looked great. And the DBs held up ok in coverage. But again, the intensity of game like that makes it tough to give any real grades. Practice is way more difficult for them.

All I kept wondering is whether this would be like the UMass game last year where we couldn’t get starters out early enough, but it all worked out well. No injuries, a mental break, and a week full of valuable game reps for backups. Couldn’t have dialed it up better. And now it’s on to COFH.

While some may have concerns about Tech after last year, I suspect this year won’t be as difficult. GT’s defense is average (there are only 3-4 players who would be in Georgia’s 2-deep). Their offense is a one-man show, and if CJ Allen can play then I think the Dawgs shut them down. If CJ is still out (which is what I suspect), Tech will be successful on more misdirection plays but I still see this as a 2-score win. Hope a lot of you can get to the Benz for the game, bc we need to take advantage of Tech’s decision to move a home game to a neutral site. I think it’s gonna be a ton of fun for us. Until then, have a great Thanksgiving and Go Dawgs!

Now, let’s get geared up for Hate Week.

Tuck Fech.

What a night! Game atmosphere was world class and Kirby added another Top 10 victory to his impressive coaching resume. This was definitely a game where the Dawgs played in spurts, but the end result was a 25-point a** whippin’ that all but eliminated Wooderson’s favorite team. The eyes of Texas…are bruised and filled with tears. On to the grades…   

Quarterback: A-

• Gunner was flirting with another A+ until the 3^rd quarter pick. Let’s get that piece out of the way really quickly. I don’t think anyone will claim the throw was a good decision, but credit to the UT linebacker for making a great play on the ball and fooling Gunner with how he dropped in coverage. Beyond that…is there any Dawg fan who wants another QB leading this team? I sure as hell don’t. For the second time this season, Gunner accounted for as many TD’s as incomplete passes he threw…insane stat. His resiliency is on another level. Some of my favorite Gunner moments from Saturday night…his read option keep on our second offensive play (completely fooled the Texas defense) and ripped off a 20 yarder, the 3^rd down sideline rope to Dillon Bell that extended our first drive, the TD throw to Humphreys to match the Texas TD on the previous drive, and his TD run and ensuing celebration. Take a look at his play in the Marshall game and compare it to what we saw on Saturday night…the development is noticeable. He’s making better decisions overall, he trusts himself more on downfield throws, he knows when to rip it and when to put a little more touch on the ball…he’s made himself and the Georgia offense much harder to defend. He’s as deserving as any other player to be in the Heisman conversation.      

Running Back: C+

• If you look at the overall production from this unit, nothing to write home about…27 carries for 87 yards, and 6 receptions for 39 yards. Let’s credit Texas with having a strong defense and capable individual players. They were clearly focused on stopping our running game and taking their chances on Stockton beating them through the air…which we did. It wasn’t all bad for the RB group…the accumulation of those runs that weren’t very effective most of the game paid some dividends in the 4^th quarter as the Texas defense began to wilt physically and mentally. Frazier hit them for a couple of big gainers that were not available in the first three quarters, and you could tell the white flag was out. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the Cash Jones onside kick recovery…you will not find a more perfectly executed onside kick.          

Offensive Line – B-

• I could be talked into a C+ based on some of the overall running game production and some of the stat sheet issues…Texas got 2 sacks and 8 TFL’s. The 2^nd and 3^rd quarters were pretty forgettable, but the 1^st and 4^th quarters looked excellent. Again, this Texas defense was not from the state of Mississippi…they’re talented and they came to play. I’ll attribute some of the 2^nd and 3^rd quarter issues to going conservative on offense when we saw Texas having a hard time moving the ball against a much-improved Dawgs defense (more on that in a moment). I still think we’re in a much better place with this group than we were earlier in the year when we were working around injuries and figuring out who our best options were on the right side. We appear to have found a 6-man rotation we’re comfortable with and we’re no longer seeing completely blown pass protection assignments like the Tennessee game.         

Receivers (WR’s + TE’s) – A-

• This group put up 190 receiving yards on 18 receptions and produced 4 TD’s. I don’t recall any drops on the evening (Can you imagine saying that in 2024?). Dillon Bell chipped in with a couple of carries for 12 yards. The blocking from Delp and Luckie continues to be on point and difference making. We tried to get Elyiss involved on a shot play, but it fell incomplete…someone’s going to have to explain to me how a defender putting two hands on a receiver and pushing him out of bounds during his route is not some sort of penalty…but I digress. I think this group was a product of the game plan and play calling we employed…they did what was asked of them at a high level, and that’s all you can really judge them on. Maybe not a lot of spectacular grabs or highlight plays, but execution was excellent. I do want to give a call to Branch for a great individual effort on his catch and run where he hit the jets to beat a couple of Texas defenders to the sideline for a 30-yard gain…love that dude.  

Defensive Line – A

• Didn’t have this one on my bingo card. For my money, it was the best performance from our DL all season. I saw a lot more push and pressure from this group. Elijah didn’t light up the stat sheet, but definitely had an impact on the game winning some one on one battles, including a batted pass and drawing a holding penalty. Same could be said for JJA and Christen Miller…not overwhelming on the stat sheet, but were impacting the game and winning one on one battles. Gabe Harris had the best statistical performance with a sack and 1.5 TFL’s on the evening…has come on well the last couple of games. I’m definitely of the belief that our defensive success/failure hinges on this group. When they play well like Saturday night, our LB’s and DB’s jobs become easier and are able to make more plays. Great to see some of these key players in the rotation getting better as we get deeper in the year.  

Linebackers – A+       

• Hated to see CJ limp to the locker room…so hoping he’ll use this week to get right and be ready in time to hurt the Bees. Aside from that unfortunate circumstance, this group was outstanding. Chris Cole stepped up in a big way when CJ Allen went out…dude looks like a guided missile when he sniffs out a play. Raylen Wilson’s TFL sent a shockwave through the stadium. Justin Williams was very productive, and Zayden Walker got his first sack and forced fumble. But, want to give a special callout to Quintavious Johnson…something has clicked for this guy in the past couple of weeks and he looks like a different dude from the beginning of the season. He’s always had that “first guy off the bus” look, now he’s making a big impact on the game, getting pressure, setting edges, getting off blocks…and making plays when he gets opportunities. Awesome to see him stepping up in the OLB role that wasn’t having a big impact on the game at the beginning of the season. As a whole, LB’s accounted for 2 sacks and 5 TFL’s…elite stuff on the evening.      

Defensive Backs – A-

• They couldn’t run at all, but this group still held Texas to 10 total points and 7 of those points came on a short field. Demello probably had his best game as a Dawg with a PBU, half a TFL, 4 total tackles, set the edge for Raylen Wilson to make a highlight TFL and put together his own highlight scoop slam. Ellis Robinson has been quietly playing very well the past few games and that rough Tennessee game feels well in the rearview mirror right now. Daylen Everette put in another workmanlike effort and totaled 5 tackles on the evening…they tested him a couple of times, but never got beat for an explosive. KJ Bolden was alert enough to grab another pick to kill a Texas possession that could/should have ended in points. Only negative was Zion Branch getting called for DPI on third down to extend a Texas drive that resulted in their only touchdown. Like the DL, this group seems to be getting better as the regular season comes to a close. When we get pressure on opposing team’s QB’s, the DB’s are holding up their end of the bargain.    

Special Teams – B

• Woodring had a quiet evening…perfect on XP’s, no FGA’s, and Texas was not able to do any damage on kick returns (and no kicks out of bounds!). Branch returned a few punts, but fair caught one in the 2^nd quarter that I’m sure he wishes he would have made a go at returning…had a lot of room to work. On the other hand, Branch put together his best kick return of the year with a 44 yarder…so more good than bad on returns. Mentioned earlier, but about as perfect execution as one could ever get for an onside kick…just beautiful. Alright, let’s get to it…Thorpedo’s night sucked, easily his worst game as a Dawg. I know their punt returner is extremely scary, but too many punts that put Texas in favorable field position and put our defense in bad positions. Makes me wonder if Kirby going for it on those 4^th downs in the 3^rd quarter were because Thorpedo wasn’t feeling it?

Offensive Coaching – B

• If it’s just the 1^st and 4^th quarters, this is an easy A. The 2^nd quarter was a lost cause and the 3^rd quarter only picked up at the end. Bobo was totally unpredictable in the 1^st quarter, especially on that first drive where we passed every down, except Gunner’s keep. I love it when we don’t force things that aren’t there…balance for balance’s sake is ridiculous…take what the defense is giving you. Bobo went to the WR screen well a little too much in my opinion, especially when Texas was stopping it without issue. The play calling went way too conservative in the 2^nd quarter when we had an opportunity to put up a 21-3 or 24-3 type of lead. I know we won 35-10, but the game was 14-10 deep in the 3^rd quarter…so playing it too safe in the 2^nd quarter could have come back to bite us…same kind of thing happened against Tennessee in the 3^rd quarter. But, credit to Bobo for getting the offensive momentum going again in the 4^th quarter and taking total advantage of our stolen possession.

Defensive Coaching – A-

• I’ll keep this short and sweet…best game Schumann has called all year. Love that we’re bringing more pressure and forcing QB’s to make throws under duress. We look like a completely different/better defense when we’re not playing soft zone with lots of cushion. The concern was we would give up more big plays with this philosophy, but not sure that’s been the case. I would have to get the data, but I think we’ve had less DPI’s and less explosives given up since the 4^th quarter of the Ole Miss game. Only gave up one long drive to open the game (which is just what we do and I’ve accepted it) and stopped Texas on a couple of shorter fields. All this success AFTER Texas had an off week to prepare. Congratulations Schumann…you’ve earned the right to call me a dumbass this week!

Bama Letdown Games Against Teams Not Named Georgia – A+

• Wouldn’t it be nice if Bama gave their C+ game when they played Georgia? I think they put the ball on the ground about 27 times against Oklahoma. I know the Sooners play good defense, but winning a game with a little over 200 yards offense is absurd. If we put up a little over 200 yards offense against Alabama, we’d lose 48-2. I’m happy Oklahoma got it done because I love watching Bama lose, but I’d be less than honest if I said I wasn’t a little pissed Oklahoma got the benefit of playing the Bama team that played FSU. Maybe I’m out of my mind for saying this, but I’d love to see A&M lose to Texas so we can get another shot at Bama. Anyone else?      

Week 13 cupcake approaching…let’s jump on them early and make it the Puglisi show in the second half. Time to get as healthy as possible before COFH and remind them that last year’s close call was an aberration.   

Go Dawgs!           

Yes, I finally made a game in person yesterday, and the town of Athens and the crowd delivered on many fronts. I brought a small herd of Horns fans with me and meshed them with my Dawg buddies for an amazing long weekend. The weather was perfect, food was delicious, bourbon flowed like wine, and the rental house was spacious (thank you Stephanie and Frank!) for our large group. As I sit here at the airport writing this, lots of great memories are filling my mind. JB singing the anthem was the chef’s kiss.

While the game script (numerous Texas drops, turnovers and the onside kick) gave us a lopsided victory, this one just never seemed to me as concerning as the Alabama game. If you watched Texas all year, you knew their OL was average, Manning was inconsistent and they didn’t have more than one good DB. That is a matchup that favors the Dawgs all day, and it showed. They shut down the running game, pressured Arch, and Kirby stole the show with the onside kick. What a win. On to the bullets.

• While I love John Bell and Widespread Panic, and him repping the G was so cool, the anthem might not be the right song for him. YMMV.
• I decided before kickoff if Georgia deferred I wouldn’t watch the first defensive drive. But I did, and the experience is of course equally painful in person. Thankfully the defense bowed up to force a FG, and the rest of the day was much more enjoyable. If the defense gives up only 10 points per game, I think we can survive bad first drives.
• Other than on that first drive, the defense was focused and fierce. Think Kirby wants to prevent Texas from challenging Georgia’s spot at the top?
• Noah Thomas was open all day. I know Bobo likes to spread it around, but had he just fed Thomas for a couple of drives I think he could have had 3-4 TDs himself.
• At the same time, Delp did really well finding green grass himself against zone coverage, and he beat Texas’ safeties all night.
• It sure is nice when the other team drops 4 passes in the game. Hearing the Horns guys last night criticizing Sark for the drops reminded me of last year and made me thankful we haven’t had to deal with it at all this year.
• The OL was dominating early, getting a good push, but Texas really bowed up themselves and bottled up the running game in the second and third quarters. I thought Micah Morris had some rough reps during those quarters and let some dudes through, but ultimately they recovered quite nicely in the 4th.
• Bobo called a great game, again mixing up the run scheme and using the whole field with Gunner to keep UT guessing.
• Started getting texts about CJ Allen going to the locker room, but I must have missed that play while in the bathroom. Haven’t heard any reliable chatter but Kirby did mention he seemed fine in the locker room, so fingers crossed there. That would be a big loss of leadership at a terrible time. Hopefully just a sprain and he’s back for the playoffs.
• Speaking of injuries, it sounds like Bowens is fine, and Talyn Taylor might be back soon….
• Gunner’s pass to Delp on the second to last drive of the half was a beautiful display of touch that he didn’t seem to capable of, even earlier in the year. The Stetson trend is real, people.
• Ballsy call by Kirby and Bobo on 4th and 1, and a great design by Bobo.
• But even more badass was Kirby calling for the onside kick. The timing was excellent, the execution and concealment perfect, and the biggest roar of the night from the crowd resulted. To me, Texas began to wilt after that play.
• Demello Jones, welcome back. We need you like that the rest of the way.
• In fact, other than Joenel, the DBs all played pretty aggressively and with discipline. Yes, the drops made the stats better than they could have been, but Texas has some really fast WRs so losing them in coverage from time to time is expected. Just have to tackle well, and they did.
• Middle 8 was 0-0, but the turnovers and onside kick helped offset the lost yardage from Thorson’s worst game of his career. And they owned the 4th quarter (21-0) again.
• The second and long run from Gunner down the right sideline was huge and maybe the final nail in the coffin. Thought Texas quit after that.

Kirby mentioned multiple times in the press conference about how so many teams in college football don’t want to put in the work anymore. They just want “a check.” He said he wasn’t referring to Texas, but I wonder who? Either way, Georgia works harder that any other program, and maybe Kirby has them working smarter with the longer season in mind. The Dawgs showed the rest of college football that they in fact did level up again, and they haven’t even peaked. I have to imagine Brent Key, Ryan Day, etc. aren’t thrilled. On a personal level, the game capped off a great weekend for our crew and allowed us to tease our Horns friends a little last night. For all that, I’m thankful. Until next time, Athens. Go Dawgs!

We’re entering the final quarter of the season and time is running out for schools to make moves in the SEC Power Poll. I missed the Week 10 update due to some outside obligations, so time to shuffle the deck as needed. Enjoy!

1. Texas A&M – I continue to underestimate these dudes. They’ve caught a couple of breaks with conference scheduling, but credit to them for taking care of business and seemingly getting better the past couple of games. Only one major hurdle left on their schedule playing in Austin to close the season, but 12-0 is certainly in play for these guys.
2. Alabama – Bama has been pushed the past couple of games. They got through South Carolina with a little good fortune, and LSU pushed them hard in Tuscaloosa in a very physical game. Can’t believe a 4-5 FSU team is their lone defeat. I don’t care what it would mean for us…I’d like for Bama to lose Oklahoma this weekend and Auburn to close the year. Can’t stand ‘em.
3. Georgia – We looked better this weekend, but can’t put us ahead of Alabama when they beat us at home. If we get the Georgia team that played MSU the rest of the way, we’re a very tough out. If the MSU game was some sort of a tease and we revert back to the “Stomach Ulcer” Dawgs…let’s just not think about it right now.
4. Ole Miss – Beat the crap out of Citadel…and had some fun doing it. Did you see Lane photo bomb the newly engaged couple during a timeout? I know he’s a fun guy to beat, but damnit, the Laner is the most entertaining side show of any coach in America right now. College Football is much more interesting with him involved.
5. Texas – I said it a few weeks ago…this team just won’t die. I did not want these dudes coming to Athens with anything left to play for, and that’s exactly what we’re going to get…with an off week to prepare no less. Credit to them for finding more ways to survive than 1983 NC State Basketball, but let’s do America a favor this weekend and take care of Wooderson’s favorite team.
6. Oklahoma – Somehow these guys are still hanging around in contention for the CFP. Didn’t see the win over Tennessee in Knoxville happening, but here we are. Make or break weekend for the Sooners going to Tuscaloosa…but they are coming off a bye week and playing a Bama team that just went to war with LSU. Stranger things have happened.
7. Vanderbilt – Anytime Vanderbilt sits at 8-2, that deserves recognition. But these guys are looking shakier than tone deaf karaoke singers. Auburn had them dead to rights and blew it. They’ll probably get through Kentucky, but will Tennessee have enough state pride to end the dream on the final week?
8. Tennessee – What could’ve been. The Oklahoma loss is still puzzling me. They’re effectively out of the CFP barring some really crazy things happening. They can still salvage 9-3 if they take care of business against a Florida team that has decided football isn’t for them the rest of the season, as well as caring enough about ruining Vanderbilt’s dream season…which I bet they will. If you can’t achieve your own goals, make sure you ruin someone else’s.
9. Missouri – I never bought into these dudes and feel a little validated that they’re sitting 2-3 in conference play. They’ve come up short in every major game they’ve had this year and are now out of CFP consideration. They still have zero ranked wins on the season.
10. Kentucky – I might catch some hell for this, but it’s a Power Poll, and recent play is a part of the ranking equation. Kentucky has just as many conference wins as LSU, Florida and Missouri…and more than the bottom four teams in the conference. They figured out a way to beat Auburn on the road and completely thumped a Florida team who took apathy to new levels. Congratulations Wildcats…you’re no longer the most embarrassing team in the conference!
11. LSU – They’ve dropped 3 in a row…but the competition was strong, to quite strong. Without Brian Kelly to hold them back, they gave Alabama more of a game than I would’ve predicted. If they would’ve cashed in on a couple of opportunities, that game would’ve been very interesting. That said…they still lost and the best I can do is #11 for this week.
12. Auburn – This is where things get really tough. These last five teams are maddeningly inconsistent and there is no rhyme or reason to their results, so I’m going with some recency bias for this week’s poll. Auburn pulled another coulda woulda shoulda this week…and found a new, exciting way to lose another game. I’ll give them credit for taking a Top 20 team to OT on the road…when they have very little to play for…but still grabbed defeat from the jaws of victory.   
13. Mississippi State – I’ll stand by my statements in other columns…these guys are not that bad. They had been in every tough game except A&M and ran into a great version of Georgia this past week. Bad timing for MSU, but opportunity to close strong with a couple of big games ahead. I don’t see them stopping Ole Miss very much in the Egg Bowl…but can Ole Miss stop them? Over/Under for that game needs to be in the 90’s.
14. Florida – It would have been fun to put them last, but I don’t want to let a couple of idle teams jump them…trust me, there’s still time. That said, Florida’s level of disinterest in Lexington was unbelievable. Getting beat by 31 points to a 3 win Kentucky team is nothing more than, “Put us out of our misery” play. When these guys mail it in, they leave no stone unturned. Starting to wonder if their pregame meal was weed brownies.
15. South Carolina – Awesome! We get to play A&M in College Station this week!
16. Arkansas – Never before has an upcoming game in Baton Rouge looked so winnable.

Go Dawgs!

Gotta admit…didn’t see that coming. Before any non-SEC football fans say, “It was just Mississippi State…” take a look at their results. They should’ve beaten Florida, should’ve beaten Texas and could’ve beaten Tennessee. This is a team that scores points and has been in every game they’ve played outside of Texas A&M. If I were an unbiased man (which I’m not), I would’ve bet MSU to cover the spread and would’ve bet someone else’s farm that we’d be in another 4^th quarter war. Damn I’m happy when I can be wrong and it feels so good. The most complete game we’ve played all year (the only?), and I really hope I’m not jinxing it…but was this a game where we turned a corner? On to the grades…   

Quarterback: A

• Stockton was great and love to see him getting the national recognition he 100% deserves. Nearly 300 yards of total offense, 3 passing TD’s and made his runs count. If I want to find needless things to bitch about, he threw a pretty scary ball on our first drive that could’ve been picked, and could’ve thrown a little more accurate ball to Branch to extend our first drive…but can’t find too much fault in his overall performance. You can see how much more confident he is now compared to the beginning of the season. He’s making good decisions, finding second and third options, didn’t take any sacks, turning potentially bad plays into break even or better plays, etc. Puglisi got some time and wasn’t asked to do too much, but good to see him get more live game reps. Love where we’re at with the QB position at this point in the season.    

Running Back: A

• Straight Outta Compton…Nate Frazier finally delivered the game I envisioned he was capable of! I was his biggest supporter coming into the season, got a little down on him after the Bama fumble, was a little critical of him last week for not busting any big runs all year…and then he goes 12 for 181 and a TD! His vision was great, he was breaking tackles, made decisive cuts and got upfield…and showed some impressive top end speed we had not yet seen. I really hope this gives him a shot of confidence and we get this version of #3 the remainder of the year. Chauncey looked very solid on his carries and also found the endzone. McCray didn’t do very much in garbage time, but Bo Walker made the most of his carries when the game was already decided. Dwight Lightning had some attempts, which I was glad to see, but went backwards on a couple to kill his YPC average. On the day, over 250 yards for the RB’s and a couple of TD’s…and finally some major explosives. Loved it!    

Offensive Line – A+

• I’m sensing an overall offensive theme here. I’ve been tough on the OL for a number of games this year, but I’m man enough to admit when they’ve proven me wrong for a game. This unit was outstanding on Saturday and paved the way for over 300 yards rushing. There have been some games where I felt they weren’t creating enough space for the Running Backs, but Saturday was a completely different story…they were creating more holes than the plotline of Timecop. Take a look at some of Frazier’s explosive runs…the OL absolutely did their job and Frazier took full advantage. They gave Gunner plenty of time to make his reads and fire accordingly…no sacks taken on the day, and 264 yards passing. In total, 7.6 YPP for the Dawgs. Had Kirby decided to pour it on and not pull the 1^st teamers, we’re looking at a 600+ yard day. Third straight game with the same starting lineup…is continuity the key?      

Receivers (WR’s + TE’s) – A-

• I’m really not trying to be boring with these grades, but I can’t find a lot to criticize on offense. The highlight for me was the Noah Thomas catch and run…took what could have been a 20-yard gain and turned it into a 64-yard touchdown. His vision and knowing when to change direction were elite on that effort…had no idea he had that kind of acceleration/speed. Branch did Branch things…God help our opponents when he gets the ball in space with a little bit of blocking. Catch of the day goes to Elyiss Williams…critical moment in the game and made me yell “Holy Sh*t” while watching on my phone at a youth Cross Country meet. You will find zero complaints from me any time we are trying to get Elyiss the ball…oh by the way, he is capable of knocking people on their ass with his blocking. Delp was great on his catches, awesome to see him get into the endzone, blocked his ass of like always…hope he gets a good opportunity to play on Sundays. Humphreys had a big grab on a very well designed play…but credit to him for getting about 10 additional yards after contact. Thoughts go out to Luckie…that hit was scary as hell and hearing that he wanted to go back into the game makes him a certified badass…I felt concussed just watching it. Kudos to MSU defender who made sure to shake Luckie’s hand as he exited the field…sportsmanship is never a bad thing. The only fault I can find on the day was Dillon Bell’s fumble on the goal line…those kind of things can get you beat in close games. I know it was a close call and some saw it as a non-fumble (I personally thought it was too close to say either way and you have to stick with the call on the field).       

Defensive Line – B+

• Some group had to break the streak. It’s not like they played bad or anything, just wouldn’t describe it as a dominating performance. There were a handful of 10+ yard runs we gave up, which is not typical of our run defense. We had our standard first defensive series woes giving up several 3^rd downs and an eventual touchdown. Other than that, good to see a member of the DL get a sack (2^nd of the season?) and Gabe Harris will be directly responsible for whatever new color pee Blake Shapen will be seeing this week…that has to be every DL’s dream…free run at the QB’s blind side. Very nice contributions from the regular DL rotation against an offense that has been very competent this year.

Linebackers – A         

• Raylen Wilson gets an honor that doesn’t occur very often…a LB who had a more impressive day than CJ Allen…6 tackles (4 solo) and 1.5 sacks. Wilson looked like a missile getting into the backfield on a couple of occasions and was close to delivering a big sack on the first play of the game. CJ didn’t have the huge stat day we’ve seen the past few games, but still made an impact and chipped in with another 6 tackles (think he’s still leading the SEC in total tackles). The Cole/Williams combo were productive with identical 5 tackle stat sheets, Williams getting a TFL mixed in there. How about Zayden Walker getting some reps in the first half…and looking pretty damn good when he was out there. It’s crazy that we have FIVE 5* ILB’s on our roster…that’s just insane. Let me give a call to Quintavious Johnson as well…very impressive tackle early in the game where he took on a block then took the ball carrier down with a solo tackle…phenomenal play. He also delivered the big hit that caused the MSU fumble to help us recapture some momentum after our fumble on the previous drive. Big day for the LB group.       

Defensive Backs – B+

• I thought this unit played one of their best games of the year. They gave up 173 yards passing, but a good amount of that was when we had called the dogs off and the game was no longer in doubt. We had our typical first defensive drive issues, but when the game was still close, nobody was getting abused. KJ Bolden did have a defensive holding, but smart play because he was absolutely beat on a good double move. Tackling from this group was sharp and I didn’t hear Ellis Robinson’s name a whole lot…and I mean that in a good way. With Demello not playing, Harris got back into the rotation…but didn’t think he did anything to earn playing time over Robinson or Demello when he returns (was the victim of MSU’s longest play from scrimmage)…just one man’s opinion. Again, this was not an opponent who can’t score…they’ve been a very good offensive team in most of their games. Stock looking up for this group.         

Special Teams – B+

• Woodring was his reliable self and knocked down both of his 40+ yard attempts without breaking a sweat. That guy is more reliable than my dog running away from a hard surface to vomit on a rug. Only points I’ll take away from Woodring was the kickoff out of bounds…no bueno. Thorpedo was used sparingly, but downed both of his attempts inside the 20. Sacovie had a nice punt return while Branch didn’t do a lot with his two punt/kick return attempts. No returns allowed for MSU…very solid day.                

Offensive Coaching – A+

• For the second time in three games, gotta give it to Bobo for absolutely dealing on Saturday. He mixed up his pitches beautifully and hit all the right buttons. I think he knew MSU’s defense wasn’t going to scare us too much, but credit to him for dialing up a great game plan to take advantage. He didn’t fall in love with the WR screen…only used the one time that I recall, and it went for a TD. The fake WR screen to Branch and hitting Humphreys up the sideline was a thing of beauty…and should make teams a little wary of selling out on the WR screen in the future. Running off the punt team to go for it on 4^th down (before and after the timeout) worked to perfection without ever having to take a snap…icing on the cake type of stuff. When you’re on the road in the SEC and putting up 41 points and 564 yards with your starters pulled early in the 4th quarter, you’ve done your job.

Defensive Coaching – B+

• Maybe I could be a bigger person and bump them up, but the first drive issues are still problematic for me and there were more than a few 3^rd and long situations when we should have been off the field. We also got some help with MSU shooting themselves in the foot with penalties. Beyond that, great to see us get after the QB more and produce a lot of TFL’s on the day. It seems like the last two games, we’ve made a conscious decision to make teams earn yards on offense, less bend but don’t break philosophy. I’m all for it and I think we’ve been a better team for it. Good challenge this week with a talented Texas team coming to town with an extra week to prepare.

Not Having Anything To Bitch About This Week – A+

• Who doesn’t love to piss and moan a little bit following a week of college football? This week, I find myself unusually calm and serene with everything. Georgia played their most complete game of the year, we’ve got a night game against Texas approaching, we’re in a great position to earn a CFP berth, team seems to be getting better…life feels pretty good this week. Surely, something has to be wrong in the Dawgnation, right? Help me out Refugees!     

Great opportunity coming up this week against Texas, who has backed their way back into the Top 10. Under the lights at Sanford Stadium will be a great atmosphere on Saturday night! Can’t wait to get there!

Go Dawgs!