ATHENS, Ga. — A 38-14 victory in SEC play would normally leave little room for complaint.
Yet Georgia’s win over Vanderbilt on Saturday felt strangely incomplete.
The Bulldogs handled the Commodores comfortably on the scoreboard, produced 471 yards of offense and scored on six of their eight meaningful possessions. But instead of leaving Sanford Stadium feeling as though it had just watched a championship contender hit another gear, Georgia fans were left wondering whether the Bulldogs are ready for what awaits them next.
That answer will come quickly.
Georgia heads to Tuscaloosa next weekend for a showdown with Alabama, and Saturday’s performance against Vanderbilt offered plenty of encouragement while also exposing several areas that could become problematic against the Crimson Tide.
The most encouraging development came from quarterback Gunner Stockton, who continued to demonstrate why he has been among the nation’s most efficient passers.
Stockton completed 25 of 32 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns, repeatedly finding ways to keep Georgia’s offense moving. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo also showed a willingness to challenge Vanderbilt vertically, something that was particularly important against a Commodore defense known for bringing pressure.
Georgia connected on some of those opportunities, although several more big plays were within reach.
That may have contributed to the feeling that the offense wasn’t quite as explosive as the final score suggested.
Still, the numbers tell a different story.
The Bulldogs generated 471 total yards and came away with points on six of their eight substantive drives. One of the other possessions came just before halftime, while the final drive was essentially devoted to running out the clock.
That’s hardly an inefficient afternoon.
Georgia also got a glimpse of what its running back depth could look like moving forward.
Nate Frazier carried the ball only twice for nine yards, but his limited workload was largely the result of Chauncey Bowens taking a hard hit. Bowens eventually returned, but his situation once again underscored a concern that has followed the Bulldogs throughout the season.
Georgia has an extremely talented running back room.
Keeping all of those backs healthy, however, has been another matter.
Frazier would be a valuable addition to the rotation next week in Tuscaloosa. Against Alabama, where controlling the clock and limiting the Crimson Tide’s opportunities could be critical, having a full stable of healthy running backs could make a significant difference.
The same concern extends to the receiving corps.
With Isaiah Canion unavailable, Georgia needed other receivers to step forward. Thomas Blackshear caught three passes for 33 yards before leaving the game with an undisclosed injury. Blackshear was seen on the sideline in the second half wearing a sling around his shoulder, an image that could become significant as the Bulldogs prepare for Alabama.
Stockton spread the ball around, connecting with 10 different receivers.
One player who continues to demand more opportunities is Dwight Phillips.
Phillips led Georgia with five catches for 75 yards and a touchdown. He also appeared to have another touchdown before an instant-replay review overturned the call.
Georgia’s coaching staff has spent much of the fall talking about finding ways to get the ball into Phillips’ hands.
Saturday provided a strong argument for doing exactly that.
Defense Provides a Mixed Review
The final numbers suggest Georgia’s defense played well.
Vanderbilt finished with 293 total yards, went just 5-for-12 on third down and managed only 14 points.
But watching the game, the defense didn’t always feel as dominant as those statistics indicate.
The Bulldogs surrendered several frustrating third-and-long conversions, with breakdowns in coverage allowing Vanderbilt to extend drives that should have ended much earlier.
Those mistakes become much more dangerous against Alabama.
There were also unusual circumstances surrounding Vanderbilt’s quarterback situation.
Jared Curtis was ruled out shortly before kickoff, forcing the Commodores to turn to Blaze Berlowitz. The backup quarterback proved to be more capable than perhaps expected, particularly as a runner. Berlowitz led Vanderbilt in rushing.
Granted, he finished with only 37 rushing yards.
But against a Georgia defense that is preparing for an entirely different level of quarterback threat next week, the performance still offered something worth examining.
Georgia will have to deal with Keelon Russell in Tuscaloosa, and the Bulldogs cannot afford the communication problems that occasionally surfaced against Vanderbilt.
There was, however, a significant improvement after halftime.
Vanderbilt managed just 59 yards of total offense in the second half.
Some of that was a product of Georgia’s offense taking control of the game and entering what could best be described as its “anaconda mode” — slowly squeezing the life out of the opposition while controlling the clock and field position.
But the defensive improvement was also real.
Georgia’s linebackers and secondary played with greater discipline as the game progressed, and the Bulldogs gradually eliminated the running and passing lanes that Vanderbilt had exploited earlier.
The Commodores did make several timely third-down plays, but Georgia ultimately held an offense ranked 14th in the SEC to 70 yards below its season average.
That’s the kind of defensive production Georgia will gladly take.
The question is whether the Bulldogs can produce it with greater consistency.
Now Comes Alabama
If Saturday felt like a tune-up, the Bulldogs are about to find out just how much work remains.
Georgia travels to Tuscaloosa, where the Bulldogs haven’t won since 2007, to face an Alabama team that has suddenly become one of the most dangerous offenses in the country.
The Crimson Tide has shown the ability to score quickly and in bunches, meaning Georgia’s occasional defensive lapses will be magnified considerably.
This is also the kind of matchup in which Kirby Smart’s teams have historically found another level.
Georgia has repeatedly shown an ability to follow an ordinary performance with an extraordinary one when the stakes rise.
That’s what makes next Saturday so intriguing.
The Bulldogs aren’t a finished product.
They have explosive talent at quarterback and receiver, a deep running back room and a defense capable of dominating stretches of games. At the same time, injuries continue to create uncertainty, the secondary has experienced occasional communication breakdowns, and the offense still has another gear it hasn’t consistently reached.
Saturday’s 38-14 victory was convincing.
It just wasn’t definitive.
Georgia is still trying to figure out exactly what kind of team it has.
Against Vanderbilt, the Bulldogs looked good enough to win comfortably.
Against Alabama, they’ll find out whether they’re good enough to take control of the SEC.
The question is no longer whether Georgia can beat the teams it’s supposed to beat.
