No. 1 Georgia defeated Florida 42-20 to improve to 8-0 on the season. Following the game, assistant sports editor John James graded each position group’s performance.

Quarterbacks

Stetson Bennett wasn’t at his best against Florida, completing only half of his 38 passing attempts during the game. He threw for 316 yards and a pair of touchdowns, though two interceptions hampered his performance. His decision-making was sometimes questionable, and at other times, he flatly missed open receivers. On his second interception of the day, he overlooked a wide-open Brock Bowers, opting instead to throw into double coverage. A significant chunk of his yardage came on one throw to Bowers, where the tight end bailed out his quarterback with an excellent catch and run. Bennett has shown he can play well enough to lead this offense, but against Florida, he didn’t play up to his standard.

Grade: C+

Running Backs

The running backs were the most consistent element of Georgia’s offense on Saturday, combining for 237 yards on a day in which Florida simply couldn’t stop the run. Daijun Edwards and Kenny McIntosh combined for four touchdowns, more than making up for Kendall Milton’s absence. Branson Robinson entered the game in the second half, imposing his will on an exhausted Gators defense. Ball security was the only concern for the backfield during the game; McIntosh fumbled during the third quarter, allowing Florida to capitalize on the mistake and claw back into the game.

Grade: B+

Receivers

Brock Bowers was the standout from Georgia’s receiving corps, racking up 154 yards and a touchdown against the Gators. He made multiple jaw-dropping catches, looking like the best player on the field whenever his name was called. There wasn’t much to be said about the other receivers in the game; Ladd McConkey and Darnell Washington were Georgia’s second and third-leading receivers, though both players dropped uncontested deep throws that should have been easy completions. Georgia’s receiver depth has been a strength this season; seven receivers caught a catch against Florida, which is a lower number than the Bulldogs are accustomed to. That’s something to monitor in the future.

Grade: B

Offensive Line

The offensive line had a clean game versus the Gators, keeping Bennett upright for the entire afternoon and controlling the line of scrimmage. The team didn’t allow a single sack against Florida, but the efforts in the rushing game were even more impressive. Georgia averaged six yards per carry during the game, consistently earning positive yardage on the ground and keeping Georgia in a comfortable position on offense. The offensive line has struggled at times this season, but it performed admirably in an important spot and helped Georgia secure a pivotal win over its rival.

Grade: A

Defensive Line

The defensive line was dominant on Saturday, asserting itself against an outmatched Florida unit and wearing down the Gators’ line throughout the game. Florida averaged only 2.9 yards per carry against Georgia, unable to get anything going on the ground. The defensive line also had a pair of sacks, coming from Mykel Williams and Chaz Chambliss. Williams is one of three Bulldogs with multiple sacks this year, and has been impressing in his first season with the team. The low point of the night for the defensive line was Bear Alexander’s unnecessary roughness penalty in the third quarter. It led to Florida’s first touchdown of the game, and sparked the Gators’ 17-point quarter.

Grade: A-

Linebackers

It was a mixed bag for Georgia’s linebackers against Florida. Smael Mondon and Jamon Dumas-Johnson each had seven tackles, tying for the team’s second-highest total, so they definitely were involved for much of the game. At the same time, there were a lot of missed tackles throughout the afternoon, and it seemed like Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson shrugged off Georgia defenders at will on Saturday. Still, Richardson was limited to only 19 yards on the ground, meaning that Georgia’s linebackers held their own against the Gators.

Grade: B+

Secondary

It was an up-and-down outing for Georgia’s secondary against Florida. The unit’s struggles were incredibly evident; Georgia allowed six passing plays of over 15 yards and was repeatedly gashed by Florida’s attack through the air. One of those plays, a 78-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, cut Georgia’s lead to a single possession and nearly heralded a total collapse from the Bulldogs. It wasn’t all dire for Georgia’s defensive backs; Richardson completed less than half of his passing attempts, and over a quarter of his yardage came from that 78-yard score. Outside of a few lapses, the unit played well; it’s just that those lapses were crucial to the story of the game.

Grade: B

Special Teams

There wasn’t much to say about the special teams performance in this one. Jack Podlesny continued his efficient season, converting all seven of his extra point attempts, though he didn’t attempt a field goal. Brett Thorson punted three times in the game, pinning Florida inside their own 20-yard line with two of those kicks. If there was a weak point to Georgia’s special teams, it was on kickoffs. Ladd McConkey averaged only 15 yards on his three kickoff returns, whereas the Gators averaged over 30 yards on their kickoff returns. Special teams aren’t going to be the deciding factor of many football games, but it’s definitely something that Georgia prioritizes. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the unit improve next week against Tennessee.

Grade: B