2022 UGA Looks to Keep Momentum Against Auburn

[Sarge]

:georgia:

-- Athens, GA

 

Georgia and their defense looks to continue their progress under the direction of Coach Sarge against the upcoming tilt with Auburn. Not only are the Bulldogs starting conference play this week, but it's against a bitter rival with a mascot identity crisis. Will Outman in his second start of the year continued to be up and down, but with little other options at the QB position it seems likely the offense will live and die off of his play.

 

The Dawgs only managed two scores for the entirety of the game and were blanked on offense in the second half but it proved to be enough against a heavily underrated SMU team. Where Outman and the skill players disappointed for the last 30 minutes of regulation, the defense exploded - in the best way possible. Georgia's defensive line set a program record, putting up 9 sacks as a unit against a usually stout SMU offensive line. The secondary kept the Mustang Air Raid grounded and out of the endzone, only surrendering a field goal while DT Casey Shaffer lead the party with 3.5 sacks. DE Jordan Yancey recorded 2.5 sacks, line veteran Jon Gore recorded 2 himself while the athletic freak that is DE Tony Edmonds topped it off with 1.

 

On offense, two costly turnovers by the Redshirt Sophomore Outman absolutely killed any moment the offense was attempting to build but he may have been pressing a bit too much due to all the drops. Stud TE Deonte Canaan, usually sure handed ended up with only one reception over 6 targets while do it all back Lerentee Castillo finished with 152 all purpose yards and one TD.

 

Coach Sarge hopes to take the lessons learned from the matchup against the Mustangs and apply it against a similar Auburn offense in another game between the hedges.

 

If the Bulldogs win, they'll have doubled their win total from the '21 season in 3 games. Will they pose any threat in the East, or was the SMU performance a fluke?