Football Atlanta Georgia-Tough Road Ahead

For the first time in four games, Georgia got off to a good start, opening with a six play, 75 yard drive that only took 2:51 as Carson Beck hit Arian Smith to go up 7-0.

In the opener against UT-Martin, the Bulldogs didn't score until the 3:40 mark of the first quarter. Ball State was a similar start. Mikhi Mews returned a punt for a 69 yard score. But, the offense itself had no points of its own until 10:16 in the half before adding a TD.

   In the first SEC game, South Carolina jumped out to a 14-3 lead before UGA got their first touchdown when Daijun Edwards ran it in from seven yards out with 12:20 left in the third quarter.

Against UAB on Saturday, the Dawgs were in the end zone early and often. Brock Bowers had a big night with nine catches for 120 yards and two touchdowns in just a half or so of work. And, Beck continued to improve, passing for 338 yards and three TDs in just three quarters.

The victory extended Georgia's home winning streak to 22 games and was Kirby Smart's 85th win in his first 100 games as head coach.

UGA could be playing better, which is odd to say considering they have outscored their four opponents by a combined score of 166-45. Critics are trying to compare the team to a pair of national championship calibre squads that sent numerous players to the NFL. But, a lot of freshmen have been out there and growing pains are obvious.

The Blazers game was never in doubt. But, the Bulldogs have some cleaning up to do with sloppy play on turnovers that could bite them against a better opponent.

   Those will come consistently as they play seven straight SEC games in the next two months starting with a Saturday trip to Auburn.

   The 3-1 Tigers haven't played very well this season. They got off to three wins over easy opponents in UMass (59-14), California (14-10) and Samford (45-13) before getting handled in a 27-10 loss at Texas A&M on Saturday.

   But, the 87,000 at Jordan-Hare Stadium always make it a difficult venue to play in. "It will be one helluva environment," said Smart. "They do an incredible job with their fan base." UGA is favored by nearly three touchdowns. Auburn's defense may keep it close for awhile, but their lack of a decent running game will keep them off the scoreboard a lot.

   Kickoff is Saturday at 3:30 p.m. as the CBS SEC Game of the Week.

*Football Atlanta - Online* www.FootballAtlanta.com
Bulldogs Score Early And Often in 49-21 Win Over The Blazers - Head To Auburn For First Road Game
QB
By Don Stone - Georgia Football Magazine and Football Atlanta For the first time in four games, Georgia got off to a good start, opening with a six play, 75 yard drive that only took 2:51 as Carson Beck hit Arian Smith to go up 7-0. In the opener against UT-Martin, the Bulldogs didn't score until the 3:40 mark of the first quarter. Ball State was a similar start. Mikhi Mews returned a punt for a 69 yard score. But, the offense itself had no points of its own until 10:16 in the half before adding a TD. In the first SEC game, South Carolina jumped out to a 14-3 lead before UGA got their first touchdown when Daijun Edwards ran it in from seven yards out with 12:20 left in the third quarter. Against UAB on Saturday, the Dawgs were in the end zone early and often. Brock Bowers had a big night with nine catches for 120 yards and two touchdowns in just a half or so of work. And, Beck continued to improve, passing for 338 yards and three TDs in just three quarters. The victory extended Georgia's home winning streak to 22 games and was Kirby Smart's 85th win in his first 100 games as head coach. UGA could be playing better, which is odd to say considering they have outscored their four opponents by a combined score of 166-45. Critics are trying to compare the team to a pair of national championship calibre squads that sent numerous players to the NFL. But, a lot of freshmen have been out there and growing pains are obvious. The Blazers game was never in doubt. But, the Bulldogs have some cleaning up to do with sloppy play on turnovers that could bite them against a better opponent. Those will come consistently as they play seven straight SEC games in the next two months starting with a Saturday trip to Auburn. The 3-1 Tigers haven't played very well this season. They got off to three wins over easy opponents in UMass (59-14), California (14-10) and Samford (45-13) before getting handled in a 27-10 loss at Texas A&M on Saturday. But, the 87,000 at Jordan-Hare Stadium always make it a difficult venue to play in. "It will be one helluva environment," said Smart. "They do an incredible job with their fan base." UGA is favored by nearly three touchdowns. Auburn's defense may keep it close for awhile, but their lack of a decent running game will keep them off the scoreboard a lot. Kickoff is Saturday at 3:30 p.m. as the CBS SEC Game of the Week.
Geo