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It wasn’t always pretty, but Georgia ultimately cruised to a 35-21 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette to earn its third consecutive win.
The Bulldogs came out on a windy Saturday afternoon dressed in black uniforms and made several explosive plays early on to build a 14-0 lead. From there, it was a little too even for Georgia fans’ liking after giving up two late touchdowns, but Kirby Smart’s team did plenty enough early to carry momentum into rivalry week.
What I liked
Fast start in all phases: The Bulldogs struggled against Nicholls State earlier this season, but wasted no time imposing their will in this one. Reggie Davis took the opening kickoff 45 yards to give Georgia great starting field position. Isaiah McKenzie capitalized on the first offensive play, receiving a pitch from Jacob Eason on a well-designed play and running away from defenders for a 55-yard score.
Following their best game of the season, the Bulldogs’ defense picked up right where they left off. Deandre Baker picked off Louisiana-Lafayette quarterback Anthony Jennings’ first pass attempt of the day.
On Georgia’s first punt return of the afternoon, McKenzie once again made magic happen. The junior receiver made several defenders missed and cruised to the end zone for an 82-yard touchdown return. His five punt return touchdowns are a school record and tied for the third-most in SEC history.
Nick Chubb’s nice outing: This season has been up and down for Nick Chubb, but he crossed the 100-yard threshold Saturday for the first time since Georgia’s victory at South Carolina. He scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to give the Bulldogs a 28-7 lead in the third quarter and then followed that up with a big 49-yard touchdown catch-and-run in the fourth quarter to push that lead to 35-7. He finished with 108 yards.
Jacob Eason’s game management is improving: Although his numbers still don’t jump off the page, Eason looks much more comfortable controlling football games. He’s still prone to taking deep shots down the field at times, but he’s learned how to make high-percentage throws and string together completions. Eason only missed one of his final nine passes and finished 13-of-19 for 165 yards with 2 touchdowns and one interception.
What I didn’t like
Letdown in the second quarter: After Georgia’s hot start, it took its foot off the gas pedal. Eason had a ball tipped and intercepted early in the quarter, and the offense became ultra-conservative afterwards.
The Bulldogs ran the ball on seven straight plays after the interception and the only effective run was a 32-yard gain by Chubb. This has been a problem at times for Georgia, and the run-heavy approach was met by a chorus of boos at times from the home crowd.
Defensively, Georgia allowed Louisiana-Lafayette to maintain possession of the ball and run some clock. The Ragin’ Cajuns hit a big 64-yard pass toward the end of the quarter and Anthony Jennings ran the ball in for a touchdown on the following play.
Third-down defense: Georgia’s defense was brilliant on third down against Auburn, but that was not the case in this one. The Ragin’ Cajuns converted five of their first six third-down attempts of the game and gained a first down on over half of their attempts on Saturday. Several of the conversions came on third-and-long opportunities. It’s safe to say Smart will not be pleased with this effort.
Who’s the man: Isaiah McKenzie helped Georgia get off to a blistering start. The “Human Joystick” took a pitch on the game’s first play and zoomed for a 55-yard score. He then returned a punt for an 82-yard touchdown the next time he touched the ball. McKenzie finished with 82 total yards and a touchdown on offense and set the school record for punt return touchdowns.
Key play: McKenzie’s 55-yard touchdown run was nice, but his 82-yard punt return really helped Georgia jump out to a big lead. That play swung the momentum in a big way and carried the Bulldogs through a sloppy second quarter.
What’s next: The Bulldogs (7-4) will look to close out the season with a four-game win streak against rival Georgia Tech in Athens next weekend.
William McFadden covers the University of Georgia for Saturday Down South. For news on everything happening between the hedges, follow him on Twitter @willmcfadden.
