GEORGIA BULLDOGS NOTES:
WIN: What’s Important Now Sixth-ranked Georgia (12-1) is making its 27th consecutive bowl appearance, which is the nation’s longest streak and dates to 1997. The Bulldogs will face fifth-ranked Florida State (13-0) in the Capital One Orange Bowl in Miami, Fla. This will be Georgia’s 62nd bowl game (second most of any team in the country), and the Bulldogs are looking to win their seventh consecutive bowl game. Georgia’s all-time record in bowls is 37-21-3. Also, the 2023 Georgia senior class has tied the school mark for victories with a 49-4 record. The 2022 class went 49-5. The Bulldogs hold a 6-4-1 advantage in the series with FSU who enters the bowl game on a 19-game winning streak (second-longest active streak in the FBS). These teams last met in the 2003 Sugar Bowl when Georgia picked up a 26-13 victory in New Orleans to finish 13-1 and No. 3 in the final polls. This will be the Bulldogs’ fifth appearance in the Capital One Orange Bowl where they are 3-1. Georgia won its last appearance here, a 34-11 rout of No. 2 Michigan in a 2021 College Football Playoffsemifinal. The victory over UM started a school record 29-game winning streak. This year, Georgia completed its third straight undefeated regular season to become the first program to do that in the Associated Press poll era that began in 1936. Balance Signals Success The Bulldogs are one of only two teams in the country who are ranked in the top 10 in both Scoring Offense and Scoring Defense. The Bulldogs rank ninth in Scoring Defense at 16.6 ppg and ninth in Scoring Offense at 38.4 ppg. The other team is Notre Dame as they are eighth in both categories (16.6 ppg/39.1 ppg.). Meanwhile, FSU is sixth in Scoring Defense (15.9) and 13th in Scoring Offense (37.0). One of the keys to Georgia’s success is its third down defense. The Bulldogs lead the country with opponents converting just 26 percent of the time. In SEC action, Georgia opponents were a combined 28-for-95 on third downs (29 percent). The Bulldogs are second nationally in converting third downs (55 percent).
We’ve Gone Streaking * The Bulldogs have extended the nation’s longest active bowl streak to 27 consecutive years this season. Georgia has won its last six bowl/CFP appearances. * The Bulldogs are 45-2 in their last 47 games including back-to-back national championships. * Georgia will enter 2024 on a school record streak of 39 consecutive regular season victories that dates to a 31-24 home triumph over Miss. State on Nov. 21, 2020. That’s the longest streak in the FBS. * Georgia will enter 2024 having won a school and SEC record-tying 27 regular season SEC games in a row dating to a 31-24 win over Miss. State on Nov. 21, 2020. * Georgia will enter 2024 with a school record 25-game home winning streak, which leads in FBS. * The Bulldogs have won 15 straight games in an opponent’s home stadium and that leads in FBS.
Piling Up The Points Again * The 2023 Bulldogs: Averaging 38.4 points/game (9th nationally) * Outscored their opponents 499-216, including 263-123 in the opening half * Own a +283 point differential; 66-for-73 in the Red Zone with 48 TDs, 18 FGs * The 2022 Bulldogs: Averaged 41.1 points/game (5th nationally) * Outscored their opponents 616-214, including 341-105 in the opening half * Second consecutive year led the nation in point differential at +402 * 81-for-83 in the Red Zone (98% led nation) with 57 TDs and 24 FGs * The 2021 Bulldogs: Averaged 38.6 points/game (9th nationally) * Outscored their opponents 579-153, including 358-65 in the opening half * Led the nation in point differential at +426 * 59-for-69 in the Red Zone (86% ranked 50th) with 42 TDs and 17 FGs
Offensive Line Answers The Challenge * A Joe Moore Award finalist for the third season in a row. * The Bulldogs are 12-1 and averaging 38.4 points per game. Georgia is averaging 7.12 Yards Per Play and 482.9 Yards Per Game. * Tallied 611 yards of total offense against No. 9 Ole Miss, including 300 yards of rushing (most since registering 615 and 316 versus Missouri in 2020). * Racked up 608 yards of total offense in the rout of No. 20 UK. * Against USC, junior starting RT Amarius Mims went down with an ankle injury and missed the next six games before returning on Nov. 11 against No. 9 Ole Miss. * During that span, senior Xavier Truss moved from LG to RT and redshirt sophomore Dylan Fairchild came in at LG. Fairchild has started the nine of the last 10 games at that spot. RSo. Micah Morris has also seen time at LG. * Junior C Sedrick Van Pran has a team-best 43 consecutive starts. Redshirt sophomore RG Tate Ratledge, who like Truss started 15 contests in 2022, and redshirt freshman LT Earnest Greene make up Georgia’s other OL starters. * The team tragically lost OL Devin Willock (Wil-LOCK) in a car accident this past January. Willock played in all 15 games last year with two starts. To honor him, a different OL will wear Willock’s #77 jersey each game this year. Edwards, Milton Finds Daylight & The End Zone Senior Daijun Edwards leads the rushing attack with 818 yards (5.2 avg.) and 11 touchdowns. His best game came with 146 yards in the win over VU. * Edwards made his first start in the win over USC after appearing in 39 games. Fellow senior Kendall Milton has 686 yards (6.1 avg) and 12 scores. * On senior night against No. 9 Ole Miss, Milton rushed for a career-high 127 yards on nine carries (14.1 avg.) and a career-high two touchdowns. He topped that in the road win over GT, going for a career-high 156 yards on 18 attempts and a pair of scores. He had two scores versus #8 Alabama in the SECCG.
Getting Defensive
Georgia has had 34 players drafted over the past three seasons including 19 on defense and eight of those defenders have gone in the first round. * Ranked ninth nationally in Scoring Defense, allowing just 16.6 ppg. * Has allowed only 93 points in the second half this season for a 7.2 average and allowed a touchdown or less in the second half in seven of 13 contests. * Allowed just 15.3 ppg in its wins over four ranked opponents. * Blanked No. 18 Tennessee in the second half and held the Vols to just 2-of-11 on third downs; snapped UT’s 14-game home winning streak while allowing the Vols just 10 points. UT was averaging 32.0 ppg coming into the contest. * Held No. 9 Ole Miss to just 17 points after the Rebels came in with a 38.8 ppg. Ole Miss managed only a field goal in the second half. * Allowed its first points in the third quarter in week five at Auburn. UGA has outscored opponents 137-19 in the third quarter and 236-93 in the second half. * True freshman ILB CJ Allen started his first game against #9 OM and led the team with nine stops, including a sack, and was named the SEC and Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Week. He has been filling in for Jamon-Dumas Johnson, who sustained a forearm injury versus No. 12 Missouri and has been out. * Dumas-Johnson, a 2022 Butkus Award finalist, had seven stops against No. 12 Missouri before his injury. He has 34 stops on the year. * Junior ILB Smael Mondon was the team leader with 76 stops last year. Mondon shares the team lead this year with 68 stops. Mondon had eight in the past two games against Georgia Tech and #8 Alabama. * Sophomore LB Jalon Walker collected two sacks in the SECCG to give him 5.5 for the year. Walker had four stops, including 1.5 sacks, during the win over No. 12 Missouri. He has seen time at ILB and OLB this year. * Sophomore DL Mykel Williams is part of an experienced front that features seniors Zion Logue, Warren Brinson, Tramel Walthour, Nazir Stackhouse and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins. * Stackhouse collected his first career interception against No. 12 Missouri in the fourth quarter. Despite his 44-yard return being negated because of a chop block call on the Bulldogs, his pick helped set up Peyton Woodring’s final field goal.
Turnover Margin
The Bulldogs are -1 in Turnover Margin. They have 12 interceptions. Last year, the Bulldogs had 12 picks in 15 games. The Bulldogs had a three INT game against Ball State this year. Freshman DB Kyron Jones also took a tipped ball back for an INT score in the 2023 season opener. Did You Know? Georgia recovered its only fumble this year in the 43-20 rout of Florida on Oct. 28.
Going For It
Georgia is third nationally with a 80 percent success rate on 4th Down Conversions this season, going 8-for-10 with three TDs. The scores came on a 4th-and-goal from the 7 against No. 20 UK, a 4th-and-1 from the Gator 2 and a 4th-and-goal from the 1 versus No. 8 UA. Georgia ranks 91st in its 4th Down Conversion Defense as opponents have been successful 57 percent of the time (16-for-28, no TDs). In the Kirby Smart era, the Bulldogs have converted on 4th down 62 percent of the time (62-for-100) with 10 TDs while opponents are converting at a 42 percent rate (79-for-188).
Block That Punt…Block That Kick
Currently, there are four Bulldogs who have blocked a kick/punt: * True freshman DB Joenel Aguero blocked a Florida punt that resulted in a safety this season. * In 2022, DL Nazir Stackhouse blocked a field goal that was returned 96 yards for a touchdown by teammate Chris Smith in the opening quarter of the SEC Championship Game versus No. 14 LSU. * OLB Jalon Walker blocked a punt that resulted in a safety versus Kent State last year. * S Dan Jackson blocked a punt against No. 8 Arkansas in 2021.
FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES NOTES:
NOTES TO KNOW
» No. 4 Florida State will face No. 6 Georgia in the Capital One Orange Bowl, the 11th Orange Bowl appearance for the Seminoles and the third bowl matchup with the Bulldogs. FSU’s 11 Orange Bowl appearances are the most by an ACC team and 3rd-most by any team. » Florida State is making its 50th bowl appearance and has 30 bowl victories all-time. Since 1980, FSU’s 40 seasons with a postseason appearance and 27 seasons with a bowl win are the most in the nation. » Florida State has won 13 games for the third time in program history, joining the 2013 and 2014 teams. FSU is one of four remaining undefeated FBS teams and has the 2nd-longest active winning streak in the country, at 19 games. During its streak, which is also the 2nd-longest in program history and 3rd-longest ever by an ACC program, Florida State has outscored its opponents 734-316. » FSU won its fifth ACC Championship Game and 16th overall ACC title with a 16-6 win over No. 14 Louisville in Charlotte on December 2. FSU set an ACC Championship Game record with 14.0 tackles for loss and 188 total yards allowed while adding 7.0 sacks and 10 pass breakups. Louisville entered the game averaging 33.0 points and 438.6 yards of offense. » FSU is the 1st undefeated team to play in the Orange Bowl without it being a CFP Semifinal or BCS National Championship Game since Nebraska at the conclusion of the 1997 season. » With the win over Louisville, Florida State leads the country with eight wins against Power 5 bowl teams. » Florida State has had 20 different players score a touchdown this season, tied with the 2003 and 2013 teams for the most in a season. FSU’s 23 players to score this year tie a program record, done four previous times, last in 2008. » Since beating Clemson 31-24 on September 23, Florida State has held nine straight opponents to 20 points or fewer, the longest active streak in the nation (by four games) and FSU’s longest since a nine-game streak in 2013. » Florida State has been ranked in the Associated Press top-5 for 14 consecutive weeks, the program’s longest streak since 2013-14 when Florida State was in the top-5 for 27 consecutive polls. » The Seminoles boast one of the nation’s best pass defenses, leading the country in opponent completion percentage (46.8), pass breakups (77) and passes defended (87). FSU’s defense also ranks 2nd nationally in opponent passing efficiency (96.50) and 4th in fewest passing touchdowns allowed (8). » Florida State (46.8%) is the only team in the nation forcing more incompletions than completions allowed. The last time a P5 team held its opponents below 50 percent completions in a season was 2018, when Michigan and LSU posted marks of 49.5 and 49.7 percent, respectively, and the last time FSU held its opponents below 50 percent completions for a season was 2012. » FSU leads the ACC in both scoring offense (37.0, 13th nationally) and scoring defense (15.9, 6th), one of four teams in the country to lead their conference in both categories. » The Noles rank 3rd nationally in total sacks (45), 4th in 3rd-down defense (27.4%) and turnover margin (+0.92), 6th in total tackles for loss (96.0) and 8th in passing yards allowed per game (170.4). » Florida State’s offense leads the ACC in fewest turnovers (5, 1st nationally), fewest interceptions thrown (2, 2nd), fewest fumbles lost (3, 11th), touchdowns scored (61, 10th) and passing efficiency (150.7, 30th). » FSU leads the ACC and ranks 2nd in the country with a kickoff return average of 27.08 yards, and its net punting average of 43.21 yards per punt is 5th nationally.
