Georgia vs Appalachian State: 3 things we learned

3. No shutout, no problem for a still-stout Georgia defense

Appalachian State quarterback Taylor Lamb ran for a 20-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. A late field goal added another three points for the visitors. The scores prevented Georgia from notching its first shutout in a season opener since 2003. But it was still a top-notch performance by the Bulldogs against a veteran Mountaineers offense.

The big performance came in the trenches, as Georgia held one of the top rushing offenses of 2016 to half its average of last season. Last year, Jalin Moore led the Sun Belt with nearly 108 rushing yards per game. As a team, Appalachian State averaged over 250 yards per game in 2016. Against the Bulldogs to begin the new year, Moore posted just 38 yards on 13 carries. Take away his 22-yard gain on the last play of the first half, though, and he averaged just 1.3 yards per carry on his other dozen touches.

Taylor Lamb was able to get some yardage. In addition to his 20-yard run for the Mountaineers’ only score, Lamb also hit on a 32-yard run in the first quarter. That play, though, was negated on the next snap by a 22-yard sack. Whenever it looked like Appalachian State might gain some momentum, the Bulldogs were there to clamp down. As a whole, the Mountaineers were held under 150 rushing yards.

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It was an all-around solid effort by one of the most veteran defensive units in the SEC. Kirby Smart and the defensive staff have assembled a strong unit in Athens. Even as they ponder what to do with their options on offense, the Bulldogs are going to continue to remain in games this year thanks to their strong play without the football.