Georgia football didn’t have much trouble improving to 3-0 on the season, recording a blowout win over Middle Tennessee in Athens.
The No. 3 team in the country looked more like the No. 1 team in the land on Saturday afternoon as the Georgia Bulldogs had no problem dispatching the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders.
The Blue Raiders are no pushovers, but the Bulldogs aren’t messing around these days. Georgia put up 42 points in the first half and it held the Blue Raiders to just seven.
While the outcome was never in doubt, the Bulldogs still had to play the entire second half and not act like they were losing interest — not the easiest scenario for elite teams.
What’d we learn from the Bulldogs’ blowout win over Middle Tennessee?
3. Run defense could use some improvement
If there was one area that the team could have been considered a weak spot, it would have to have been the run defense.
Georgia’s defense didn’t look bad, by any means, but through the first half, the Bulldogs were allowing nearly 5.0 yards per carry and they finished the game, allowing a total of 158 yards and over 4.0 per carry.
Let’s face it, this type of run defense isn’t going to cut it against teams like LSU, Auburn and Alabama — assuming they face off in the SEC title game.
Both sides of the ball in the trenches are strong for the Bulldogs, but the defensive side could have clogged holes better in Week 3.
2. Run game is electric, deep
When you’re running behind a line like Georgia has, it’s easy to look good, but the Georgia running backs look better than just “good” — they look elite.
Actually, Georgia’s backs don’t just look elite, they are elite.
Going down the depth chart, there’s not a running back who wouldn’t be able to start at most programs in college football.
Elijah Holyfield led the way, rushing eight times for 100 yards. With guys like D’Andre Swift, James Cook and Brian Herrien behind him, this backfield has the depth to contend with anyone in the nation. The Bulldogs finished with a total of 264 yards on the ground.
You’d be hard-pressed to name a better and deeper backfield in all of college football. Not many backfields would have Swift looking like the No. 2 option.
Oh yeah, and Justin Fields can run with the ball, too.
1. Georgia has the best quarterback situation in the nation
At halftime of the Georgia vs. Middle Tennessee game, ESPN analyst and former UCLA head coach Jim Mora was talking about Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins and Tate Martell combining to form the best one-two quarterback punch in the nation. He claimed the Buckeyes had the best quarterback situation in the land, and it got me thinking.
Do the Buckeyes have the best quarterback duo in the nation? It’s possible, but they have a tough uphill battle to face, going up against the Bulldogs.
Georgia has Jake Fromm who is arguably a top-10 quarterback in the nation as well as true freshman Justin Fields who may just be the best backup quarterback in recent memory. He might be the best up-and-coming passer in college football.
Both were impressive against Middle Tennessee.
Fromm played just one half, completing 10-of-12 passes for 128 yards and three touchdowns while Fields played part of the first half and the third quarter, completing 6-of-8 passes for 71 yards and one touchdown.
The future is bright in Athens.