Georgia has been a third-down success,
ATHENS, Ga. — It was a very brief narrative.
After Georgia’s 36-16 loss at LSU on Oct. 13, both Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart and quarterback Jake Fromm began fielding questions about the team’s struggles on third down. The Bulldogs were only 5-of-14 on third-down conversions against the Tigers, one of many miserable numbers Georgia produced that afternoon.
Since then, however, the Bulldogs are a stellar 23-of-40 on thirddown opportunities (57.5 percent), a statistic that has aided their double-digit dumpings of Florida (3617), Kentucky (34-17) and Auburn (27-10).
“Third downs are huge,” Smart said after Saturday night’s win over Auburn. “They keep drives alive, and what they really do is keep the defensive line getting pounded. When you pound it and pound it and pound it over and over, it’s what we talk about with chopping wood. We’ve got good route-runners and we’ve got good pass-protectors, and we’ve got quarterbacks who can make plays on third down.
“That was the difference in this game. They were 3-of-11, and we were 8-of-14.”
Georgia, which completed the Southeastern Conference portion of its schedule Saturday and improved to 9-1 overall, will host UMass this weekend in the first meeting between the Bulldogs and Minutemen. UMass is 4-7 and will be playing its season finale.
The Bulldogs had been more erratic than horrific on third down before this three-game surge that has them seventh nationally in the category at 49.6 percent (60-of-121) and second in the league behind Alabama’s 53.9-percent clip. Georgia converted eight of 14 such opportunities during its 38-12 win over Tennessee on Sept. 29 but was just 3-of-12 the previous Saturday in the 43-29 victory at Missouri.
Against Auburn, every thirddown conversion by the Bulldogs seemed to really pack a punch.
The Tigers had taken a 7-3 lead late in the first quarter and had Georgia in a third-and-8 at its 27-yard line, but Fromm calmly dropped back, found nothing up the field and dumped a pass to D’Andre Swift on the left sideline that resulted in a 25-yard gain to the Auburn 48. In the second quarter, Swift took a direct snap at midfield and gained 15 yards to the Auburn 35, extending a drive that ended with a Fromm 14-yard touchdown pass on thirdand-4 to Tyler Simmons.
Even a failed conversion in the final minute of the half, when a third-and-7 pass from Fromm to Swift gained 4 to Auburn’s 38, enabled Smart and his staff to go for a fourth-and-3 that resulted in a 38-yard score from Fromm to Terry Godwin.
“We’re calling really good plays, and we’re really focusing on the preparation during the week,” Fromm said. “Guys are getting open, and the pass protection has been good. Guys have been making plays, and that makes my job easy. I just try to get the ball to them and let them make plays.”
Georgia converted a pair of third downs on its 14-play, 75-yard drive at Kentucky that ended in Swift’s 20-yard touchdown run, and backup quarterback Justin Fields had a 9-yard carry on third-and-9 in the fourth quarter when the Bulldogs were up 31-17 and looking to drain the clock.
The Bulldogs scored all four of their touchdowns against Florida on third-down plays, including Fromm finding Jeremiah Holloman for a 16-yard score on third-and-13 in the first quarter and connecting with Godwin from 24 yards out in the fourth quarter on third-and-9.
“Jake is making good decisions with the ball on his third-down plays,” Smart said. “He’s getting good protection, and that’s the biggest difference to me. The pocket has not melted down.
“When we run the right route and we protect, we’re pretty good at getting guys open and throwing the ball and catching the ball.”
Big games coming
Georgia on Monday announced home-and-home series with Texas in 2028-29 and with Clemson in 2029-30. The Bulldogs will host Texas in their 2029 opener and play two weeks later at Clemson.
“When you come to the University of Georgia, you want to play against the best,” Smart said Monday during his weekly news conference. “I’ve always believed in playing Power Five opponents, and our fan base will follow us anywhere. We proved that last year, and we’ve proven that over the history of time.
“Georgia people will travel, and they want great games.”
Georgia and Clemson already are scheduled to play in the 2024 Chickfil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta.
Odds and ends
Smart said Monday that offensive linemen Kendall Baker (knee) and Cade Mays (shoulder) were day-to-day before adding, “We may be looking at both of those guys having work to do to get back.” … Freshman outside linebacker Brenton Cox did not play against Auburn due to an ankle sprain, but Smart expects him back this week. … Two defensive linemen, David Marshall (foot) and DaQuan Hawkins-Muckle (undisclosed), will remain sidelined this Saturday.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423757-6524.