Georgia Claims a 27-8 Rivalry Win Over Florida
Coming out of its bye week, No. 3 Georgia began its home stretch with a 27-8 victory over No. 17 Florida, according to reporting from cbssports.com. A three-score victory in a rivalry matchup is always welcome, though the Bulldogs’ offensive display wasn’t quite as stellar as the final score might imply.
Georgia totaled just 318 yards of offense against a Florida defense that has been leaky all season. To be fair, some of that was due to the defense itself. The Bulldogs forced four turnovers, with one resulting in a scoop-and-score and two more resulting in short fields that Georgia converted into 10 points.
Passing Game Struggles Persist Despite Victory
The biggest question about the Dawgs’ offense after this win is the passing game. As the run game gradually gained momentum, Georgia was able to wear down the Gators during the final two quarters. Meanwhile, signal-caller Gunner Stockton struggled to generate much momentum against one of the conference’s weakest defensive backfields.
Prior to kickoff, the Gators sat at 13th in the SEC and 121st in the country for passing yards surrendered per contest, yielding an average of 255.0. The Gators also ranked 112th in EPA per dropback at 0.23 and 126th in passing success rate at 50.7%. Despite those numbers, Stockton finished the game with just 101 passing yards on 13-of-23 passing. The Bulldogs relied heavily on freshman Craig Dandridge as their top pass-catcher, who accumulated 39 yards, with the vast majority coming on a 32-yard reception that stood as the team’s longest throw of the afternoon.
Speaking to ESPN reporter Holly Rowe after the final whistle, Kirby Smart praised Stockton for his toughness and readiness to tuck and run, while conceding that the passing attack must improve.
“We missed some throws,” Smart said. “We left some points out there. We gotta get better.”
Stockton has turned in some big games this season, throwing for 295 yards and three touchdowns against Vanderbilt while making difficult throws in a road win over Alabama. Still, the lack of production against Florida marks a red flag. Even when the production is there, Stockton has been prone to mistakes, such as his three turnovers in the loss to Auburn.
Upcoming SEC Quarterback Tests
Over the next three weeks, Georgia will face quarterbacks capable of scoring points against strong defenses. Ole Miss and Trinidad Chambliss are up first, followed by Missouri with Austin Simmons, and South Carolina featuring LaNorris Sellers waiting behind them.
It is entirely possible that one or more of those opposing signal-callers will push the Bulldogs into a much higher-scoring affair. While the defense has held talented quarterbacks in check previously—such as Keelon Russell—the ultimate goal for the Bulldogs is a national championship. Miami, Notre Dame, LSU, and Ohio State feature potent offenses capable of putting up crooked numbers, meaning the passing attack must eventually make big plays when the moment arrives.
