Sep 23, 2017; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart reacts to a play during the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the first half at Sanford Stadium. Photo Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
ATHENS, Ga. — Seven games into the season, fourth-ranked Georgia continues to show that it’s a team to be reckoned with in the SEC.
The rest of the country is also taking notice.
Not only does Saturday night’s 53-28 rout of Missouri keep Georgia (7-0, 4-0) undefeated in conference play, but they’re a team to keep an eye on as a possible playoff team at the end of the year.
“All that’s great, but in our mind we’re 0-0 and we’ve got to keep chopping; we’re ranked zero,” Georgia sophomore safety J.R. Reed said. “In our mind, we’ve got plenty we still need to do.”
Obviously, Georgia coach Kirby Smart knows there’s plenty of work left to do.
After their upcoming bye week, the Bulldogs don’t return to action until Oct. 28 when Georgia travels to EverBank Field for its annual rivalry game against Florida.
“It’s not bye week, it’s work week,” said Smart, whose team rolled up 696 total yards against Missouri, the second most in school history.
As the final numbers indicate, it was certainly a good evening to pad stats for the Bulldogs, who were tied with the Tigers at 21 before scoring the next 26 points.
Freshman quarterback Jake Fromm completed 18 of 26 passes for a career-high 326 yards and one touchdown.
“I feel like with Jake — in the locker room he’s on my row — and he’s always talking and always happy,” defensive lineman John Atkins said of Fromm, who also scored on a 4-yard run. “I’ve never seen pressure get to him. That’s one thing I can say about him.”
Fromm had a lot of help.
Georgia rushed for 372 yards. Sony Michel ran for 86 yards and two scores, freshman D’Andre Swift totaled 94 and Nick Chubb added 70. Wide receiver Mecole Hardman scored twice — on a 35-yard run and a 59-yard pass.
Rodrigo Blankenship kicked three field goals.
“They’re a really good team,” Missouri coach Barry Odom said. “That’s what I want Mizzou to be, from a game-day atmosphere, to a roster, to all of the above. That’s my vision on where we are going. It’s going to take time, but absolutely, that can be done.”
Drew Lock accounted for all of the points for Missouri (1-5, 0-4), completing 15 of 25 passes for 253 yards and four touchdowns. Emanuel Hall caught two 63-yard touchdown passes for the Tigers.
“We like to be balanced out every single game, but sometimes it’s going to fall on the passing game,” Lock said. “You have to find ways to adjust.”
Georgia led 34-21 at the half, which saw both teams combine for 607 total yards, including 407 by the Bulldogs.
After forcing a Missouri punt to open the game, the Bulldogs drove 91 yards on seven plays, with Hardman scoring from 35 yards on a reverse before a mistake by Fromm enabled the Tigers to tie the score.
Credit a brilliant interception by Mizzou linebacker Cale Garrett, who rumbled 13 yards to the 5. Two plays later, Lock pitched a 3-yard shovel pass to tight end Albert Okwuegbunam with 6:50 left in the first.
Fromm threw an 18-yard touchdown to Riley Ridley and Michel had a 36-yard rushing touchdown.
Meanwhile, Lock kept the Tigers right in it, throwing two touchdowns to Hall before a 37-yard field goal by Blankenship put the Bulldogs up 24-21 with 7:01 left in the second quarter.
Later in the quarter, an interception by Dominick Sanders set up Georgia’s fourth touchdown, a 4-yard run by Fromm. He was 16 of 21 for 250 yards in the first half.
Blankenship’s second field goal, a 43-yarder, provided the Bulldogs their 13-point halftime cushion.
“I was a little disappointed in some of the things we didn’t do well. Just can’t do that to beat really good teams,” Smart said. “We did some poor things tonight that’s going to get us beat in the future.”
NOTES: Georgia honored some of its former greats, including NFL Hall of Famer Terrell Davis, Champ Bailey and current NFL stars Thomas Davis (Carolina) and Geno Atkins (Cincinnati). … The Bulldogs played the game without starting DL Trenton Thompson (MCL) and middle linebacker Natrez Patrick (suspension). … Missouri’s 21 first-half points were the most scored against Georgia this year.
