University of Georgia Athletics
In Review: Dogs Get It Done At Vandy
September 13, 2015 | Football
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By John Frierson
UGAAA Staff Writer
The Georgia football team wasn't perfect Saturday and the No. 10-ranked Bulldogs' 31-14 win at Vanderbilt wasn't always pretty, but a Southeastern Conference road win seldom comes easy. And better to leave Nashville with a 17-point win and room for improvement than to leave with a defeat.
What follows is a quick review of the Dogs' performance, as well as a look at how the teams on Georgia's schedule fared this week:
Big Play
We're going to cheat here and include a pair of plays that essentially bookended the win for the Dogs. The first was Isaiah McKenzie's punt return and the second is linebacker Jake Ganus' interception in the end zone late in the game. One got the Dogs going and the other ended any shot of a Vandy rally.
McKenzie, the speedy wideout who returned two punts (and three kicks total) for touchdowns as a freshman last season, sat out the season opener last week with an iffy hamstring. His first attempt at a return Saturday went nowhere and Reggie Davis was deep for the fair catch on Vandy's second punt.
Vanderbilt also had to punt on its third drive and McKenzie was there to field it at the Bulldog 23-yard line. He had to back up about 10 yards to field the punt and then turned right, immediately breaking an arm tackle (and just maybe getting some help from a block in the back that wasn't called).
McKenzie then went up the right side for about 20 yards before veering left to open territory, where it was pretty much just him and linebacker Chuks Amaechi for the last 40 yards. CBS announcer Gary Danielson might have put it best during the broadcast: "When he gets in space, he's scary."
Vanderbilt, down 24-14 and with the ball at the Georgia 8, was also a little scary -- or at least worrying. That was when Ganus made his biggest play yet in a Bulldog uniform.
The UAB transfer picked off a pass in the far right edge of the end zone from Vandy's Johnny McCrary. The pass was tipped by safety Dominick Sanders and Ganus just pulled the ball in and got a foot down before falling out of bounds. That play pretty much sealed the win, but Sanders' 88-yard interception return for a touchdown a few minutes later made sure the Dogs started 1-0 in the SEC.
Big Playmaker
It would be easy to go for another twofer here with running back Nick Chubb (189 yards on just 19 carries) and linebacker Jordan Jenkins. They were both superb, but since Chubb was the guy last week and likely will be again a few times more during the season, we're going with Jenkins.
The oft-smiling senior, who had plenty of reason to do so Saturday, probably should have been given one of Vandy's one-off gray uniforms after the game considering how much time he spent in the Commodores' backfield. Jenkins had a career-high 11 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks.
Jenkins' first two tackles were behind the line of scrimmage and it was clear from the start that the Commodores weren't going to be able to handle him. Especially not with Leonard Floyd lined up on the other side of the Dogs' front line part of the time. Jenkins was dominant, he was disruptive -- he was everything you want your outside linebacker and edge pass rusher to be.
What Did We Learn
We learned that Georgia's special teams have quick-strike potential, as McKenzie so dynamically displayed, but we also learned that there is a great deal of work to be done. The Dogs got away with going 1-for-3 on field goals (Marshall Morgan connected from 20 yards and missed on attempts of 37 and 43) and with failing to field a pooch kickoff after Vandy scored to make it 24-14.
In a play reminiscent of what happened last season against Georgia Tech, Vandy recovered the ball, got the gift of an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and suddenly had the ball at the UGA 8, knocking on the door of making it a one-possession game. Fortunately for the Dogs, Ganus was in the end zone at the right place at the right time.
What's Next
The Bulldogs began SEC play Saturday by beating the Commodores for the 19th time in 21 games. This week, Georgia welcomes what has been a much more vexing opponent in the past decade in South Carolina. The Dogs have lost four of their last five to the Gamecocks
How'd They Do
9/5 ULM (1-1)
This week: The Warhawks, who fell in Athens last week, 51-14, picked up their first win of the season Saturday with a dominating 47-0 rout of Nicholls State, an FCS program. ULM racked up 593 yards of offense and cruised from the start.
Up next: ULM is off this week before playing at No. 2 Alabama on Sept. 26.
9/12 At Vanderbilt (0-2)
This week: The Commodores' defense kept Vandy in the game, despite Chubb rushing for 189 yards, but Georgia had a punt return for a touchdown and an interception returned all the way in the Dogs' 31-14 win. On the positive side for Vandy, it gained 231 of its 400 yards in the fourth quarter. On the negative side, McCrary has thrown five interceptions already this season, including three in the end zone.
Up next: Vandy should be able to pick up win No. 1 this week when in-state FCS program Austin Peay pays a visit to Vanderbilt Stadium.
9/19 South Carolina (1-1)
This week: The Gamecocks lost their SEC opener, 26-22, to Kentucky, which had lost 22 straight road games. South Carolina may have also lost its starting quarterback for the season. Connor Mitch suffered a separated shoulder in the second quarter and didn't return. Brandon Wilds ran well for the Gamecocks, gaining 106 yards on 16 carries. and South Carolina out-gained Kentucky 256-92 in the second half.
Up next: South Carolina and coach Steve Spurrier, longtime thorns in the Bulldogs' side, return the Athens for what is annually a key SEC East battle. Perry Orth filled in solidly against UK after Mitch was injured and he'll have a week to prepare for the Bulldogs' defense.
9/26 Southern (1-1)
This week: The Jaguars opened Southwest Athletic Conference play with a Thursday night drilling of Mississippi Valley State. Southern's Willie Quinn returned a punt for a touchdown, a kickoff for a touchdown and completed an 89-yard touchdown pass in the 50-13 rout.
Up next: Southern hits the road this week to face rival Jackson State.
10/3 Alabama (2-0)
This week: The Crimson Tide had no trouble against Middle Tennessee, winning 37-10. The Tide defense forced four turnovers and the secondary broke up six passes, while the offense, despite a slow first quarter, amassed 532 yards of offense. Derrick Henry rushed for 96 yards and three touchdowns to pace a ground attack that finished with 220 yards.
Up next: One of the biggest SEC games of the season will be played at Bryant-Denny Stadium this week when No. 17 Ole Miss takes on the Tide. These two played one of the games of the year in 2014, when the Rebels upset 'Bama in Oxford, 23-17 (much to the delight of Katy Perry), and this year's edition should be equally compelling.
10/10 At Tennessee (1-1)
This week: The No. 23-ranked Vols appeared to be rolling along OK when they led No. 19 Oklahoma 17-3 early in the fourth quarter, in front of a sold-out crowd at Neyland Stadium. Then the Sooners came alive in the final 10 minutes of regulation. Oklahoma scored twice to force overtime and beat the Vols 31-24 in double OT, denying UT what would have been a marquee win in the Butch Jones era.
Up next: There shouldn't be any such drama this week when Western Carolina, an FCS program from the Southern Conference, comes to town.
10/17 Missouri (2-0)
This week: On the road at Arkansas State, No. 21 Mizzou was in trouble. Down 17-10 at the half to a scrappy ASU bunch, the Tigers got three touchdown passes from Maty Mauk and defensively linebacker Kentrell Brothers had 16 tackles (for the second week in a row) and two interceptions. Maize pulled out a 27-20 comeback win, which was the Tigers' 11th straight on the road.
Up next: Mizzou is back at Memorial Stadium this week to face Connecticut in a non-conference matchup before playing six straight SEC games.
10/31 Florida (2-0)
This week: In a rematch of January's Birmingham Bowl, Florida held off East Carolina 31-24. The Gators needed a late interception to stop the Pirates earlier this year and it was a late fumble recovery that sealed the Florida win this time. Will Grier got the start at quarterback for the Gators and had two TD passes and an interception, but it was Treon Harris that played in the fourth quarter, leading Florida to the go-ahead score.
Up next: Florida hits the road for its SEC opener on Saturday, at Kentucky. The teams played a thriller last season, with the Gators winning 36-30 in triple overtime for their 28th straight victory in the series.
11/7 Kentucky (2-0)
This week: Most of the Wildcats weren't even in high school yet the last time Kentucky had won a road game. That was five years ago. But Kentucky snapped that 22-game road skid with a 26-22 victory at South Carolina, holding off the Gamecocks after leading 24-7 at the half. When South Carolina went for two to try to tie the game at 24 midway through the fourth quarter, Kentucky's Denzil Ware recovered a fumble and returned it 98 yards for two points for the Wildcats.
Up next: Kentucky snapped one long streak last week, so will this be the year the Wildcats snap a 28-game losing streak to the Gators? They'll get their chance at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday.
11/14 At Auburn (2-0)
This week: Sixth-ranked Auburn needed a touchdown with 39 seconds left just to force overtime. In the extra frame, the Tigers for a short touchdown run from Peyton Barber and then denied a feisty Jacksonville State squad to prevail 27-20. The Gamecocks, usually among the top FCS teams in the country, won at Ole Miss in 2010. They led 10-6 at the half and 20-13 late in the fourth quarter before Auburn rallied.
Up next: Auburn will play its first road and SEC game in hostile territory when it heads to LSU, which earned a quality road win at Mississippi State on Saturday.
11/21 Georgia Southern (1-1)
This week: A week after being shut out at West Virginia, the Eagles returned to Paulson Stadium and steamrolled Western Michigan 43-17. Georgia Southern's option attack resulted in 413 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Up next: The Eagles will face a former Southern Conference foe Saturday when The Citadel comes to town. Georgia Southern left the SoCon (and the FCS) for the Sun Belt following the 2013-14 academic year.
11/28 At Georgia Tech (2-0)
This week: The No. 15 Yellow Jackets enjoyed their second blowout in as many games this season, hammering Tulane 65-10 at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Tech scored 69 in their opening rout of Alcorn State and kept rolling against the Green Wave. Tech rushed for 439 yards and quarterback Justin Thomas completed 7 of 9 passes for 97 yards and two TDs.
Up next: Tech will face a much tougher task Saturday when it travels to face No. 8 Notre Dame, in South Bend, Ind.
John Frierson is a staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can follow him on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
