Georgia football report card: Grading position groups after 42-7 win over Ole Miss

The University of Georgia’s (UGA) No. 2 Bulldogs defeated No. 10 Ole Miss Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, and sports editor Layla Nicholson has graded each position group's performance.

Quarterback

Gunner Stockton delivered another strong performance Saturday, throwing for 186 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. Stockton completed nine of his 15 pass attempts and connected with Talyn Taylor for three of his four scores. The two connected for touchdowns of 58, 6 and 65 yards, with the final score coming just over a minute after Ole Miss found the end zone in the fourth quarter. Stockton also showed his ability to make plays outside the pocket, scrambling for a 15-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter and extending the play before finding Taylor for his third quarter score. Stockton’s ability to make plays through the air and on the ground made him difficult for the Rebels to contain. With four passing touchdowns and no turnovers, there is not much to criticize about his performance.

Grade: A+

Running backs

Georgia’s rushing attack helped establish control early and never let up, as the backs combined for 233 yards on 35 carries. Nate Frazier led the group with 107 yards on 16 carries, opening the game with a 46-yard run that immediately put the Bulldogs in scoring position. Dwight Phillips Jr. added 66 yards on 11 carries, while Bo Walker contributed 42 yards on six attempts. The production was not limited to Georgia’s top options, as Jaden Reddell, Nick Peal and Sacovie White-Helton also contributed to the rushing attack. The Bulldogs averaged 6.1 yards per carry and consistently found room against the Ole Miss defense. With multiple backs getting in work throughout the game, Georgia showed the depth and versatility that has made its running back room so difficult to defend all season.

Grade: A+

Wide receivers

Talyn Taylor had a career night in Oxford, emerging as Stockton’s favorite target in the passing game. He finished with four receptions for 140 yards and three scores, two of which from long range. His 58-yard touchdown in the first quarter gave Georgia a 14-0 lead, and his 65-yard reception in the fourth quarter answered Ole Miss’s only touchdown of the night. Taylor made it almost impossible for the Rebels to keep up across the field. Even still, his performance alone made the wide receiver group a major factor in the win.

Grade: A

Tight ends

Georgia’s tight ends continued to contribute to an offense that found success on both the ground and through the air. Ethan Barbour caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Stockton in the second quarter, while Jaden Reddell finished with two receptions for 25 yards. Reddell also contributed 18 rushing yards, including a 19-yard run that helped set up Taylor’s first touchdown. Lawson Luckie added an 11-yard reception. The group was not the primary focus of Georgia’s passing game, but its contributions helped keep the offense balanced and gave Stockton more weapons when he needed them.

Grade: A-

Offensive line

Georgia’s offensive line helped pave the way for one of the Bulldogs’ strongest rushing performances of the season. The group created enough space for the Bulldogs to total 295 yards. The line also helped Georgia control possession for about 34 minutes, limiting the amount of time Ole Miss had to find an offensive rhythm. Stockton was sacked just once, and the Bulldogs finished with 481 total yards of offense. Stockton always seemed to have enough time to find open receivers. Against a ranked SEC opponent on the road, the offensive line gave Georgia the physical advantage it needed to come up with the win.

Grade: A

Defensive line

Georgia’s defensive front made life difficult for quarterback Trinidad Chambliss throughout the night, helping to limit Ole Miss to 252 total yards. The Rebels finished with just 66 rushing yards on 31 attempts, averaging 2.1 yards per carry. Georgia also recorded five sacks for 40 yards in losses, consistently forcing Chambliss to rush his throws before he could get comfortable in the pocket. The pressure came from multiple players and positions, including freshman Khamari Brooks, who recorded a sack. Although Ole Miss was without leading running back Kewan Lacy, Georgia’s physicality and ability to get into the backfield stood out. The Bulldogs held an offense averaging 37.1 points per game to just seven.

Grade: A

Linebackers

Georgia’s linebackers once again led the defensive performance, with Chris Cole and Raylen Wilson putting together standout games. Cole led the Bulldogs with nine tackles, including 1.5 sacks. Wilson added seven tackles, helping Georgia maintain consistent pressure throughout the game. Cole’s ability to get into the backfield was especially important against Chambliss, who struggled to find time and space to make plays. The pair’s physicality helped set the tone for a defense that held Ole Miss scoreless through three quarters and forced the Rebels into difficult situations all night.

Grade: A+

Defensive backs

Georgia’s secondary helped complete a dominant defensive performance by limiting Ole Miss’s passing attack. Chambliss finished with 170 passing yards on 18-of-34 attempts, throwing an interception and recording zero touchdowns. KJ Bolden came up with the pick late in the first half, ending an Ole Miss scoring opportunity and returning the ball 26 yards. Rasean Dinkins also made one of the biggest plays of the night, forcing and recovering a Chambliss fumble on a sack before returning it 17 yards. Dinkins finished with five tackles and a sack. Demello Jones added five tackles and a pass breakup, while Ellis Robinson IV recorded four tackles and a pass breakup. The secondary clearly played an important role in keeping the Rebels from finding any offensive success throughout the night.

Grade: A

Special teams

Georgia’s special teams had a mostly steady night, but Peyton Woodring’s missed field goal keeps the group from earning a higher grade. Woodring converted all six of his extra-point attempts, but missed a 49-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.  The Bulldogs have come to expect reliability from Woodring, but he has not looked like his usual self when it comes to field goal attempts this season. Drew Miller averaged 44.3 yards on three punts, placing two inside the 20-yard line. Georgia also avoided allowing any significant return plays, although Sacovie White-Helton finished with two punt returns for minus-3 yards. The Bulldogs did not need much from their special teams unit in the 42-7 win, but the missed field goal was one of the few hiccups in an otherwise strong night.

Grade: B-

Resources

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