McCurley: Three observations from Georgia's win over Oregon
McCurley: Three observations from Georgia's win over Oregon
ATLANTA — No. 3 Georgia defeated No. 11 Oregon 49-3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday.
Here are three observations from the Bulldogs’ season-opening victory over the Ducks.
Georgia’s defense is still elite
Despite losing eight starters to the 2022 NFL Draft, the Bulldogs are still elite on defense.
The best player from that 2021 generational Georgia defense was defensive tackle, Jalen Carter. He returned as a junior in 2022 and played lights out on Saturday against Oregon. Despite not lighting up the stat sheet, Carter made a difference on the defensive line. The Ducks’ offensive front double-teamed him most of the contest, which led to Nazir Stackhouse, MJ Sherman and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins making plays.
The Bulldogs were able to pressure Oregon quarterback Bo Nix early in the first quarter, which set the tone. He looked erratic in the pocket all game long, but he did a great job of not getting sacked.Nix did throw two key interceptions in the first two quarters. Freshman cornerback Malaki Starks made an athletic grab late in the opening period for his pick, while veteran Georgia safety Christopher Smith got his on the next drive.
Georgia’s biggest question on its defense would be the inside linebackers group, but the trio of Xavian Sorey, Trezmen Marshall and Smael Mondon played extremely well. They helped limit the Ducks to 343 yards of total offense and to only score three points.
Bennett’s decision-making has gotten better
Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett needs no introduction. He’s performed well under pressure in big-time games and he continued to do so on Saturday against Oregon.
The former walk-on has his flaws, but he showed very little of them in the season opener.
There were several times throughout the contest when Bennett displayed a lot of patience in the pocket. He would look to his second and third options down the field instead of forcing throws to his first target. Bennett also did a great job of escaping pressure and getting rid of the ball. There was only one instance where he made a bone-headed throw into a tight window, although it was caught in traffic by wide receiver AD Mitchell.
Bennett finished the game by completing 25-of-31 passes for 368 yards and two touchdowns. He also had two rush attempts for eight yards and a score against the Ducks.
McIntosh is primed for a big year
Two words: Kenny McIntosh.
McIntosh was easily the player of the game for Georgia on offense.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound senior got his chance as the No. 1 running back. McIntosh’s versatility is well-known and it was on full display Saturday in Mercedes-Benz. He hauled in a team-high nine receptions for a team-high 117 yards. McIntosh also rushed for 18 yards and a score.
He caught every target that came his way from Bennett. He piled up 109 yards after the catch, which was also a team-high. His longest catch went for 39 yards and it was a play in which Bennett hit him out of the backfield. McIntosh averaged 13 yards per reception.
His elite speed combined with his ability to make defenders miss helped power the Bulldogs’ offense. They moved the ball on a consistent basis in the first half, scoring 28 points. McIntosh hauled in six of his eight passes for 80 yards in the opening two quarters.