Post Game Notes

UGA Sports Communications

Pouring On The Points: The Dawgs scored 38 points in the opening half and won the contest versus Austin Peay 45-0. It was the first season-opening shutout since 2003 when the Dawgs blanked Clemson 30-0 on the road. Today marked the 42nd time in school history that Georgia opened a season winning via a shutout. Georgia’s 45-point win in a season opener was the best since 2010 when it beat University of Louisiana Lafayette by 48, posting a 55-7 decision.

Sophomore Jake Fromm, freshman Justin Fields and freshman Matthew Downing spread the ball to 11 different receivers from their QB spot. Fromm connected with junior WR Riley Ridley and junior WR Mecole Hardman for touchdowns, including his 59-yard strike to Hardman late in the second quarter, and finished 12-for-16 for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Fields made his debut and finished 7-for-8 for 63 yards and a touchdown and added three carries for 33 yards. Downing was 2-for-3 for four yards.

Preseason All-American PK Rodrigo Blankenship booted a 34-yard field goal at the 10:42 mark in the first period to put the Dawgs up 3-0. Also of note, freshman P Jake Camarda was the holder on Blankenship’s field goal and extra points and senior Nick Moore was the snapper.

Fromm connected with Ridley with 3:27 left in the first quarter to improve the lead to 10-0 with the first touchdown of the year. Ridley’s first touchdown catch of the season was the fifth of his career.

Getting Defensive: The Dawg defense posted a shutout, limiting Austin Peay to 152 total yards (91 rushing, 61 passing) on 50 plays. Before today, Georgia’s last shutout came on Sept. 30, 2017 when it beat Tennessee 41-0 in Knoxville. In the first half today, the Govs tallied 81 yards and just four first downs. Georgia last held an opponent scoreless through two quarters was in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game versus Alabama. The Dawgs accomplished the feat four times last year. The 38-0 advantage at the end of the first half was Georgia’s biggest lead through two quarters since taking a 45-0 lead over Troy in 2014.

The Governors reached the Red Zone once in the first half Saturday, advancing to the Georgia 20 yard line. On that possession, APSU PK Logan Birchfield missed a 37-yard field goal to end the drive. Junior S J.R. Reed led the Dawgs with six stops.

First = Career Long: On redshirt sophomore TB Demetris Robertson’s first career carry (and only one of the day) for the Dawgs, he took it a career-long 72 yards for a touchdown to make it 24-0 with 10:29 left in the first half. A Savannah, native, Robertson transferred to UGA from California during the off-season. This was the longest rush for the Dawgs since Sony Michel went 75 yards versus Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl Game victory last season. Robertson’s previous career long was 34 yards versus Weber State in 2017.

New Look At TB: Sophomore TB D’Andre Swift had eight carries for 43 yards and a touchdown. He also caught a career-high four passes for 33 yards. Junior TB Brian Herrien had his first career kickoff return, a 24 yarder in the opening frame. Herrien had a career high three catches for a career-high 20 yards. Georgia’s third option at running back, junior TB Elijah Holyfield, completed the game with five carries for 24 yards and his third career touchdown on a 17-yard scamper. Freshman James Cook tallied 66 yards on six carries.

Starters: The Dawgs had six first-time starters combined on offense and defense, including one true freshman, and true freshman Jake Camarda start as punter. Redshirt freshman OT Isaiah Wilson, junior WR Tyler Simmons and senior WR Ahkil Crumpton ran out for Georgia’s first play on offense. On defense, senior OLB D’Andre Walker, freshman DB Tyson Campbell and sophomore OLB Walter Grant started the game. Walker had played in 41 games during his first three years without a start. A total of 16 newcomers played for the Dawgs in the opening half, including 11 true freshmen and three transfers Jay Hayes, Demetris Robertson and Devonte Wyatt.

Turnovers: Georgia is even on turnover margin. Governors’ QB Jeremiah Oatsvall lost the ball and D’Andre Walker recovered it on the APSU 8 yard line. Swift scored on the next play. The Governors jumped on an errant snap in the third quarter to their one fumble return.