Dawgs Host Arkansas

 

 12 p.m. ET
Athens, Georgia
Sanford Stadium (92,746)
Fun 101 FM (101.1)

 

Overall: 2-0 / SEC: 0-0                                               Overall: 1-1 / SEC: 0-1

THE COACHES

Bobby Petrino is in his third season at Arkansas with a record of 15-12 (.556) and eighth overall with a record of 59-31 (.656). The Razorbacks’ offensive coordinator is Garrick McGee and the defensive coordinator is Willie Robinson.

Mark Richt is in his 10th season at Georgia and overall with a record of 91-28 (.765). The Dawgs’ offensive coordinator is Mike Bobo and Todd Grantham serves as the defensive coordinator.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN ARKANSAS HAS THE BALL

Ryan Mallett leads the SEC and is tied for sixth nationally with 351.0 yards of total
offense per game. His 350.5 passing yards per game are most in the SEC, 127 yards ahead of the second-place thrower, and fifth in the NCAA, while his 701 total passing yards lead the conference and are fourth in the nation. Greg Childs set new career highs for single-game receptions and receiving yards and tied his career high for touchdown catches against ULM. He secured 12 grabs, which was one off the program record and tied for third-highest single-game total in school history, for 146 yards and two scores.

Junior OLB Justin Houston’s progression as one the SEC’s dominant pass rushers continued against the Gamecocks. He exploded for a career-high 10 tackles, including two sacks, and forced a fumble. In the 2010 opener versus UL, he picked up where he left off the season before by recording a sack and two tackles. Junior DeAngelo Tyson has started at nose for Georgia the first two games as the team showcases its new 3-4 defense. The Dawg cornerbacks and safeties recorded three INTs and allowed just eight completions versus UL.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN GEORGIA HAS THE BALL

UA has allowed 10 points in its first two games, marking the first time since 1999 and
only the third time since 1970 that the team has held its first two opponents to 10 combined points or less. The Razorbacks have let their opponents run just 23 plays on the Arkansas side of the field. Jerry Franklin and Jerico Nelson led the team with eight tackles vs. ULM, marking the second straight game in 2010 that a linebacker recorded the highest tackle total on the team. Ross Rasner, who is tied for the SEC lead and for fifth nationally in tackles for loss, led the team in that category against ULM with 3.0.

Redshirt freshman QB Aaron Murray started his first game for the Bulldogs and led them to a 55-7 win over Louisiana in the 2010 opener. He finished with four TDs (3 passing, 1 rushing). Against South Carolina, finished with an efficient 14-for-21 passing mark for 192 yards after hitting seven different receivers. The five Dawg offensive line returning starters have combined to start an SEC-leading 137 games in their careers. Kris Durham has started the first two games this year and is the team’s leading receiver with 159 yards and a touchdown.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Freshman Zach Hocker opened his collegiate career with a perfect 6-for-6 night on PATs vs. Tennessee Tech. His six made point-after-touchdowns were the fourth-most in the SEC over opening weekend. He made his first field goal attempt when he knocked home a 26 yarder vs. ULM in addition to another perfect night, this time 4-for-4, on PATs. Alex Tejada opened the year with four touchbacks, including three straight, against Tennessee Tech. Last year, it took nine games and 54 kickoffs for the Razorbacks to record a touchback.

So far in 2010, Drew Butler has averaged 44.9 yards on 11 punts, three that went for
50+. Blair Walsh connected on two FGs, one from 52 yards and the other from 48 yards, in the 2010 season opener. The 52 yarder tied for the second-longest of his career. Walsh was also 7-for-7 in PATs versus UL and is now 99-for-99 in his career. Against South Carolina, Walsh drilled another pair of FGs and is now 4-for-4 on the year.

SERIES/GAME NOTES

Record: UGA, 9-3
The Dawgs own a 9-3 edge over the Razorbacks, including winning the last six meetings... The Dawgs are 3-0 all-time in Athens and 5-0 overall in the series under head coach Mark Richt... In Richt’s second season at the helm in 2002, Georgia captured the SEC Championship with a 30-3 victory over Arkansas in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. This was the Dawgs’ first conference title in 20 years. The first four meetings in the series actually came in four different bowl games: 1969 Sugar Bowl (UA 16-2); 1976 Cotton Bowl (UA 31-10); 1987 Liberty Bowl (UGA 20-17); and 1991 Independence Bowl (UGA 24-15).

Broadcast

Georgia

Radio: Fun 101 FM (101.1) Pre-Game starts at 8:00 am / XM: 199 / Sirius: 220

Arkansas

Radio:  XM: 143 / Sirius: 122

LIVE TV: ESPN

Dave Pasch, play-by-play; Chris Spielman, analyst; Bob Griese, analyst; Heather Cox, sidelines