DAWG Review #1 Georgia Bulldogs Get the Better of #13 Missouri's Offensive Attack

"Sanford Stadium Pano", Photo Credit: popofatticus via Flickr

The Georgia Bulldogs welcomed the Missouri Tigers to Athens this past weekend. With both teams performing exceptionally well in all facets, it was bound to be a 'great contest' and a 'great contest' it was. Both teams came to play and gave Sanford Stadium a show, so let's look into what happened that gave Georgia the victory.

Game Summary:

The game started slower than a lot of people thought it would, with just one touchdown for each team scored by halftime. The defenses, mainly the Missouri front seven and Georgia secondary, showed out heavily throughout the game, but the first half showed a defensive masterclass overall. Star receiver Luther Burden was injured in the 2nd quarter, which even though he returned, noticeably hurt the Tigers in the first half. With a 10-10 tie going into the half, those who had the Bulldogs winning handily in this were put on notice. Missouri took the lead with their opening drive of the second half after a field goal, however, Georgia would quickly answer with a touchdown that gave them the momentum. The momentum that frankly, the Bulldogs wouldn't lose. They would stop the Tigers on the drive after and then score another touchdown to go up two possessions. The Tigers would score a touchdown to cut the deficit to three, but that's when the Georgia secondary would truly show why they're argued as the best secondary in the country. Brady Cook would throw back-to-back interceptions to allow this Georgia defense to completely shut down this explosive Missouri offense, and Georgia would coast to victory from there. Georgia wins and continues their quest for a three-peat, and Missouri's SEC title hopes, as well as their CFP dreams get seriously hurt with their 2nd loss.

Turning Point of the Game:

It was 27-21 midway through the 4th in this back-and-forth contest. Missouri needed to score here to not only take the lead but also make sure they could shift the momentum back in their favor. Missouri was driving behind their workhorse running back Cody Schrader and a good pass and catch from Luther Burden. Missouri reached midfield, when the worst thing that could happen to the Tigers, happened. On a first-down passing play, Brady Cook was pressured heavily and threw a blooper ball straight into the hands of defensive lineman Nazir Stackhouse, who proceeded to return it to the Missouri 5-yard line. It was called back due to a chop block, but the impact showed. Georgia would kick a field goal and give the ball back to Missouri down 9, but Cook's confidence was visibly shaken. Cook would then throw another gut-wrenching interception to seal the game in favor of the Bulldogs, much akin to the game against LSU that Missouri lost a few weeks earlier.

Georgia Bulldogs - player of the game: Carson Beck

The Georgia offense this game perhaps had the most trouble getting going that they've had all season. No turnovers, but the Missouri defense held its water nicely throughout the game. However, it was this lack of mistakes that kept Georgia ahead and the momentum on their side, and a lot of that can be attributed to first-year quarterback and up-and-comer Carson Beck. Beck went 21/32 for 254 yards and 2 touchdowns with an overall QBR of 84.1. He showed efficiency and got Georgia into the endzone when it mattered most. Overall, we saw Georgia's quarterback of the future show that he can lead this team in big games and win them, much like Stetson Bennett did last year.

Missouri - Player of the Game: Cody Schrader

The Missouri passing game did not have their best outing, far from it. Brady Cook threw 14/30 for 212 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 costly interceptions, having one of his less reputable games in an otherwise awesome season for him. The biggest bright spot for the Tigers came in their run game, which has been highly underrated this year. Lead back Cody Schrader showed just how good of a workhorse he's been for Mizzou, taking 22 carries for 112 yards, 5.1 yards per carry, and a touchdown. This comes against a solid Georgia front seven, who couldn't slow Schrader down. Overall, Schrader deserves to be talked about more as one of the better backs in the nation but has been overshadowed by the Missouri passing game. A strong-willed, physical runner, that can accelerate in open space, Schrader may have a bright NFL future ahead if all goes well...

Conclusion:

Missouri drops their second of the season, but against fellow ranked SEC teams, their resume is still very, very good and frankly, a bit unexpected. Many were calling for Eli Drinkwitz's job last year after an extremely disappointing season where the Tigers finished 6-7 and embarrassingly dropped a bowl game to Wake Forest. However, Drinkwitz has been hot on the recruiting trail, picking up commitments from guys like Williams Nwaneri, the 4th overall player in the class of 2024 and Missouri native. Overall, this loss certainly stings, but Missouri should still hold their heads high and finish the season strong. For Georgia, this is another big win on the quest to three-peating as national champions. They showed that they can close out big-time offenses and produce well in their own right offensively to win big games, and are expected to solidify their spot once again in the College Football Playoff by winning out. Carson Beck has shown that he can lead this Bulldogs squad to another run at Glory, and the defense looks like they haven't missed a step since their dominance last year. The Dawgs will face another tough test when Ole Miss travels to Athens, while the Tigers also welcome a tough foe to Columbia when they face Tennessee. This SEC race is getting incredibly tight with a lot of players jockeying for position, who will come out on top when all is said and done?