Tag: Georgia Bulldogs

Jan 9, 2023; Inglewood, CA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Devin Willock (77) against the TCU Horned Frogs during the CFP national championship game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia OL Devin Willock, recruiting staffer die in crash

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and a recruiting staff member were killed in a single-car accident in Athens early Sunday morning, the school’s athletic department announced.

Two other members of the football program also were injured and are listed in stable condition.

Willock, 20, played in 12 games during the 2021 national championship season. The New Jersey native played in all 15 games (two starts) on the offensive line during the 2022 title-winning campaign.

Recruiting staff member Chandler LeCroy also was killed. She was 24.

“We are all heartbroken and devastated with the loss of Devin Willock and Chandler LeCroy,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said in a statement. “Devin was an outstanding young man in every way. He was always smiling, was a great teammate and a joy to coach. Chandler was a valuable member of our football staff and brought an incredible attitude and energy every single day. We grieve with their families for this tragic loss and will support them in every way possible.”

The accident came one day after Georgia celebrated its second consecutive national championship with a parade.

“The entire Georgia family is devastated by the tragic loss of football student-athlete Devin Willock and football staff member Chandler LeCroy,” the university statement said. “Two other members of the football program were injured in the accident. They are both in stable condition, and we will continue to monitor their status with medical personnel.

“Devin and Chandler were two special people who meant so much to the University of Georgia, our football program and our athletic department. We ask that everyone keep their families in your prayers during this very difficult time.”

Per the Athens-Clarke County Police, the accident involving a 2021 Ford Expedition occurred around 2:45 a.m. ET on Sunday. Police said the initial investigation indicated that the car left the road and struck two power poles and several trees.

Willock died at the scene, per police. LeCroy, who was driving, was transported to a local hospital by ambulance and died as a result of the injuries.

“The UGA Athletic Association will work with our medical team as well as our mental health and performance personnel to make sure we are providing the best support possible for our staff and student-athletes who are processing this grief,” the university said in a statement. “We can provide no further comment at this time but ask that everyone continue to keep those involved in your prayers.”

–Field Level Media

Dec 31, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs tight end Darnell Washington (0) looks on from the sideline after exiting the game with an injury against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the third quarter of the 2022 Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia TE Darnell Washington (ankle) iffy for CFP final

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Georgia tight end Darnell Washington is questionable for next week’s national championship game against TCU due to a sprained ankle, Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart confirmed.

Washington was injured in the first half of Saturday’s 42-41 victory over Ohio State in a College Football Playoff semifinal at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta. He was on crutches on the sideline during the second half.

“Hard to tell right now. It’s an ankle sprain. I don’t know if it’s high or low,” Smart told reporters after the game. “He tried to go back and couldn’t go back on it. We’ll have to evaluate and see. The good news is he’s got more than a normal week. I know he’ll do everything he can to get back.”

Washington, a 6-foot-7, 270-pound junior, caught one pass for 9 yards against the Buckeyes. He has 27 receptions for 426 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games this season.

Defending champion Georgia (14-0) takes on TCU (13-1) on Jan. 9 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. The Horned Frogs defeated Michigan 51-45 in Saturday’s other CFP semifinal.

–Field Level Media

Nov 26, 2022; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett (13) passes the ball against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the first half at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

No. 1 Georgia focuses on SEC title in matchup with No. 14 LSU

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Georgia almost certainly is going to the College Football Playoff regardless of what happens in the Southeastern Conference championship game on Saturday in Atlanta.

LSU is not going to the CFP regardless of what happens in the SEC Championship Game.

Nonetheless, the No. 1 Bulldogs (12-0, 8-0 SEC), champions of the East Division, and the No. 14 Tigers (9-3, 6-2), champions of the West Division, both have a lot to gain by winning on Saturday — a significant trophy and momentum going into whatever their next destination is.

The situation is very similar to the one Georgia faced last season when it was undefeated and No. 1 as it faced Alabama. The Bulldogs figured to go to the CFP even if they lost. The Crimson Tide needed to win to get in, and they played like it, upsetting the Bulldogs 41-24.

However, Georgia shook off the loss and took care of business in the CFP, beating Michigan in the semifinals and winning a rematch with Alabama for the national championship.

“We’re worried about winning the SEC championship,” Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart said. “That’s the most important thing on our agenda. It’s tough to win an SEC championship. I’ve been part of this league for a long time. I have almost as many national championships as I do SEC championships.”

Georgia has not lost since last season’s SEC championship game. Only one of the Bulldogs’ games this season was decided by a touchdown or less — a 26-22 victory at Missouri on Oct. 1.

A victory on Saturday would give Georgia a chance to accomplish something even last year’s team didn’t — an undefeated national championship season.

“It’s not about last year’s team or a comparison,” Smart said. “It’s about that next step and having an opportunity to put a number on the wall that stays there forever. It’s an SEC championship. I think our players take a lot of pride in that.”

LSU, in its first season under former Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly, was in strong contention for a CFP berth before being upset by unranked Texas A&M 38-23 in its regular-season finale.

“We’ve had certainly some bumps in the road, but we’ve had some great achievements in developing our program here in the first year,” Kelly said. “Our football team has gotten better as the season has gone along.

“This is a great challenge, but one that we’re excited about. We want to be able to represent the SEC West and certainly play to our standard.”

The Tigers, who lost to Florida State in their season opener and to Tennessee on Oct. 1, didn’t play to their season-long standard against the Aggies. LSU’s John Emery Jr. ran for three touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough.

That loss dropped them nine spots in the CFP rankings Tuesday night, though they can still earn a substantial bowl berth by winning Saturday.

“This group has a lot of fight,” Kelly said. “That’s why they’ll go to Atlanta, and they will fight, and they will play hard for four quarters, and they will give everything they have against a very talented Georgia team.”

The Tigers will attempt to slow a Bulldogs passing attack led by quarterback Stetson Bennett (3,151 yards, 16 touchdowns, six interceptions).

–Field Level Media

Nov 26, 2022; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett (13) runs with the ball against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the first quarter at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

No. 1 Georgia stays undefeated, dominates Georgia Tech

Posted on | by Field Level Media

No. 1 Georgia started slowly before pulling away from visiting Georgia Tech for a 37-14 victory on Saturday at Athens, Ga., giving the Bulldogs consecutive undefeated regular seasons for the first time in school history.

Stetson Bennett went just 10-of-18 passing for 140 yards and two touchdowns for the Bulldogs (12-0), who will face No. 5 LSU in the SEC title game on Dec. 3.

Georgia Tech (5-7) missed becoming bowl eligible for the fourth straight season after falling to its in-state rival for the fifth straight year and for the 18th time in the past 21 meetings.

The Bulldogs trailed 7-0 after the Yellow Jackets’ first drive before scoring the game’s next 37 points.

Kenny McIntosh rushed for 86 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries and caught two passes for 96 yards for Georgia, while Brock Bowers had five catches, including a 1-yard touchdown, for 20 yards.

Georgia Tech’s Zach Gibson went 19-of-35 passing for 191 yards, with Nate McCollum catching six passes for 65 yards. Dontae Smith rushed for 34 yards on 10 carries, in addition to throwing a 24-yard touchdown pass to Malachi Carter.

Leading 10-7 at halftime, Georgia extended its lead to 20-7 when Jack Podlesny’s 50-yard field goal was followed by Bennett’s 1-yard touchdown pass to Bowers with 5:51 left in the third quarter.

Jamie Felix fumbled on Georgia Tech’s next play from scrimmage, with Georgia’s Robert Beal Jr. recovering on the Yellow Jackets’ 20-yard line. Podlesny’s 36-yard field goal extended the lead to 23-7 with 4:11 left in the quarter.

McIntosh followed an 83-yard reception with a 2-yard touchdown run to push the lead to 30-7 with 13:45 left in the game.

Kendall Milton’s 44-yard touchdown run made it 37-7 with 11:13 to go before Smith capped the scoring with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Carter on a halfback-option pass with 2:55 left.

Georgia Tech, which lost to Georgia 45-0 last year, took a 7-0 lead on backup quarterback Taisun Phommachanh’s 7-yard touchdown with 10:43 left in the first quarter.

The Bulldogs pulled to within 7-3 on Podlesny’s 30-yard field goal with 18 seconds left in the first quarter.

Georgia took the lead for good on its next possession when Bennett threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint with 7:59 left in the first half.

–Field Level Media

Nov 19, 2022; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett (13) passes the ball against the Kentucky Wildcats during the third quarter at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

No. 1 Georgia out to continue dominance of Georgia Tech

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Top-ranked Georgia will look to secure consecutive undefeated regular seasons for the first time in school history by continuing its dominance over in-state rival Georgia Tech on Saturday in Athens, Ga.

The game, which is nicknamed “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate,” has become as one-sided as any in the nation. Georgia has won the past four meetings by an average of 36.3 points after a 45-0 win last year. The Bulldogs have beaten the Yellow Jackets in 17 of the past 20 meetings.

Georgia (11-0, 8-0 SEC) is coming off a 16-6 victory at Kentucky on Saturday and will play in the SEC title game for the fifth time in the past six years when it faces LSU on Dec. 3.

Georgia Tech (5-6, 4-4 ACC) rallied from a 17-0 second-quarter deficit to pull out a 21-17 upset of then-No. 13 North Carolina (9-2, 6-1 ACC) on Saturday in Chapel Hill, N.C.

The Yellow Jackets, however, must defeat Georgia to become bowl-eligible for the first time since 2018.

Georgia is first nationally in scoring defense (11.09 points per game), third in rushing defense (83.1 yards per game), fifth in total defense (272.1 ypg) and 11th in scoring offense (38.4 points).

Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett has completed 67.8 percent of his passes for 3,011 yards, 14 touchdowns and six interceptions, leading an offense that is seventh in the country in yards per game (496.3).

Tight end Brock Bowers has 41 receptions for 625 yards with four touchdowns, while Ladd McConkey has 46 catches for 606 yards and four touchdowns. Kenny McIntosh has been a threat out of the backfield with 33 receptions for 341 yards and a score, in addition to rushing for 568 yards and seven scores on 111 carries.

The Bulldogs’ Daijun Edwards is averaging 5.1 yards per carry, having rushed for 547 yards and seven touchdowns on 107 carries.

Georgia Tech has gone 4-3 under interim coach Brent Key, who was promoted from assistant head coach and run game coordinator after the school fired Geoff Collins following a loss to Central Florida on Sept. 24 that dropped the Yellow Jackets to 1-3.

Key, however, could be coaching his final game with the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech also fired athletic director Rick Stansbury and hired J Batt, the former executive deputy director of athletics, chief operating officer and chief revenue officer at Alabama.

“I’m worried about Georgia, it’s the No. 1 team in the country,” Key said. “It’s the biggest challenge of my life right now, taking this group over there to Athens at 12 o’clock on Saturday.

“It’s Georgia and Georgia Tech, and that’s why you come to school here, is to play this game, it’s an honor.”

The Yellow Jackets’ two quarterback system of Zach Gibson, who went 13-for-18 passing for 174 yards, and Taisun Phommachanh, who went 2-for-5 passing for 13 yards in addition to rushing for 44 yards and a score on 10 carries, led an offense that amassed 373 yards against the Tar Heels.

The defense held North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, a Heisman Trophy candidate, to 16-for-30 passing for 202 yards and an interception.

“They’re playing really well now. They’re playing really hard now,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “I think (Key) has done a tremendous job at getting these guys to compete.”

–Field Level Media

Nov 19, 2022; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Kenny McIntosh (6) runs the ball during the first quarter against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

No. 1 Georgia grinds to 11-0 with road win over Kentucky

Posted on | by Field Level Media

More efficient than spectacular, top-ranked Georgia closed out a perfect run through its Southeastern Conference schedule Saturday with a 16-6 win over Kentucky in Lexington, Ky.

The Bulldogs (11-0, 8-0) never really pulled away from the Wildcats (6-5, 3-5) but were never really threatened. Georgia scored on all three of its first-half possessions, although all were field goals, and finally tacked on a touchdown with a 9-yard run by Kenny McIntosh at the 6:22 mark of the third quarter.

Kentucky’s only points came when Will Levis threw an 8-yard scoring strike to Barion Brown with 9:52 left in the game. But the Wildcats weren’t able to convert on a 2-point pass that could have brought them within a score.

Kentucky missed on another chance to draw within one possession when a bad snap led to a poor hold with the laces facing the kicker that led Matt Ruffalo to hook a 38-yard field goal wide left with 4:17 remaining.

It was the second straight year that the Bulldogs ran through the SEC undefeated. They won this game with defense and the running game. They outgained the Wildcats 247-89 on the ground, limiting Kentucky’s star back Chris Rodriguez to 51 yards on 17 attempts.

Levis completed 20 of 31 passes for 206 yards and an interception. Brown was his main target with 10 catches for 145 yards.

Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett didn’t have much of an impact, hitting 13 of 19 passes for 116 yards with an interception. But McIntosh took up slack with 143 yards on 19 rushes.

Jack Podlesny accounted for all the first-half points for the Bulldogs, connecting on field goals of 27, 24 and 37 yards. Georgia hogged the ball for just over five minutes on each of its first two drives before squeezing 11 plays and 56 yards into the half’s final 2:03.

The Bulldogs outgained Kentucky 363-295 but were held to fewer than 26 points for the first time this season.

–Field Level Media