Saturday, September 21

Athens, Ga.

8:00 p.m.

University of Georgia

Notre Dame

Tickets

Notes: Bulldogs and Irish Clash in Prime Time

September 16, 2019 | Football

The Georgia Bulldogs vs. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Game & Broadcast Info

Kickoff: Saturday, September 21 - 8:00 p.m. ET
Location: Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium (92,746) - Athens, Ga.
2019 Records: Georgia 3-0 (1-0 SEC), Notre Dame 2-0 (0-0 IND)
2018 Records: Georgia 11-3 (7-1 SEC), Notre Dame 12-1 (0-0 IND))
History: Georgia vs. Notre Dame All-Time Series Results
Rankings: Georgia #3, Notre Dame #7
TV: CBS - Brad Nessler (PxP), Gary Danielson (analyst), Jamie Erdahl (sidelines)
Video Stream: CBSSports.com
Radio: WSB AM 750 - Bulldog Network | Affiliates | Scott Howard (PxP), Eric Zeier (Color), Chuck Dowdle (sideline)
Audio Stream: georgiadogs.com | TuneIn
Satellite: SiriusXM: 84/84/84
Web Stats: Live Stats
Twitter: #NDvsUGA
ReBroadcast: SEC Network: TBA

Complete Game Notes

Georgia	2019 Averages	Notre Dame
49.3	Scoring Offense	50.5
7.7	Scoring Defense	15.5
+1	Turnover Margin	+6
565.3	Total Offense	507.0
286.7	Rushing Offense	193.5
278.7	Passing Offense	313.5
17.1	Punt Returns	5.0
19.5	Kickoff Returns	26.7

Gate Adjustment

Gate 1 is student only. UGA advises fans use Gate 10. Also try to avoid game 2 and consider Gates 3, 4a, or 4.

Bulldogs Welcome Notre Dame To Athens

In one of the most anticipated games in the history of Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium, third-ranked Georgia (3-0) plays host to seventh-ranked Notre Dame (2-0) on CBS at 8 p.m. It will be the latest kickoff here since Labor Day 1985 when Georgia played host to Alabama on ABC at 8:15 p.m. Saturday's matchup will mark the 21st time in history that the Bulldogs have had ESPN GameDay on site for their game. Georgia is 6-14 in those contests, including 3-2 over its last five appearances. Both the Bulldogs and the Irish are coming off blowout home victories as Georgia blanked Arkansas State 55-0 last Saturday while the Fighting Irish crushed New Mexico 66-14. An additional 500 seats will be added to Sanford Stadium on Saturday, bringing this week's capacity crowd to 93,246. Temporary bleachers will be added in the plaza area under the scoreboard. Saturday's matchup features two of the storied programs in the land. Notre Dame is in its 133rd year of football and ranks fifth all-time in the FBS with 899 victories. The Bulldogs, now in their 126th season, have tallied 822 wins.

Georgia owns a 2-0 edge in the series with Notre Dame. The first victory over the Fighting Irish remains one of the most celebrated wins in the program's history as the Bulldogs posted a 17-10 decision in the Sugar Bowl to capture the 1980 national title. In 2017, Georgia traveled to Notre Dame for the first time and won a 20-19 thriller. A total of 24 current Bulldogs saw action in the 2017 triumph at Notre Dame, including four who started and three of them were true freshmen. On offense, QB Jake Fromm and then RT Andrew Thomas started as freshmen while graduate DB J.R. Reed and junior DB Richard LeCounte drew starting assignments.

The Last Time Regarding Top 10 Matchups

The last time Georgia played host to a top 10 matchup came in 2013 when ninth-ranked Georgia outlasted sixth-ranked LSU 44-41. The last time Georgia had a top 10 non-conference matchup in Athens came in 1966 when seventh-ranked Georgia beat fifth-ranked Georgia Tech 23-14. The Bulldogs are 6-4 all-time in top-10 matchups at Sanford Stadium (chart on pg. 13 ).

The last time Georgia won a top 10 contest came in 2018 in Lexington when the sixthranked Bulldog clinched the SEC East with a 34-17 victory over ninth-ranked Kentucky.

Inside The Numbers

Along with it being a top 10 matchup, both offenses rank in the top 10 nationally in Scoring. Notre Dame checks in at seventh, averaging 50.5 points/game, while the Bulldogs are ranked ninth at 49.3. In Scoring Defense, Georgia ranks third at 7.7 points/game and Notre Dame is tied for 29th at 15.5. The Irish are tied for the national lead in Red Zone Offense going 8-for-8 with seven touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Bulldog defense ranks fourth nationally in Red Zone Defense. Opponents have scored no touchdowns in the four trips, settling for a pair of field goals and turning the ball over twice versus UGA. Notre Dame also leads the nation in Turnover Margin at +6 through its first two contests.

Did You Know?

Georgia has won 15 straight games at home dating back to 2017. That is tied for the third-longest home winning streak in school history. The record is 24 from 1980-83 followed by a 17-game stretch from 2001-04.

Bulldog Graduates

Georgia has seven players on this year's roster who have already earned their undergraduate degrees. The graduates include: WR Lawrence Cager (Miami-Business Management), TE Eli Wolf (Tennessee- Business Marketing), DB J.R. Reed (UGA-Communication Studies), QB Jes Sutherland (Samford-Business Management/Marketing), LS Steven Nixon (Mercer-Business Management), DT Michael Barnett (UGACommunication Studies) and PK Rodrigo Blankenship (UGA-Journalism). These Bulldogs get to wear the SEC graduate patch on their uniforms.

Head Coach Kirby Smart

Personal
Full Name: Kirby Paul Smart
Birthdate: December 23, 1975
Birthplace: Montgomery, Alabama
Family: Wife: Mary Beth; Children: twins Weston and Julia (Feb. 8, 2008), and Andrew (May 25, 2012)
High School: Bainbridge (Ga.)
College: BBA Georgia '98; MS Arkansas State State '03

Coaching Experience
1999 Georgia Admin. Asst.
2000 Valdosta State Defensive Backs
2001 Valdosta State Def. Coord.
2002-03 FSU Grad. Assistant
2004 Arkansas State Defensive Backs
2005 Georgia Running Backs
2006 Miami Dolphins Safeties
2007 Alabama Asst. HC/DBs
2008-13, '15 Alabama Def. Coord./ILBs
2014 Alabama Asst. HC/Safeties
2016-current Georgia Head Coach

Playing Experience
Georgia (1995-98): Four-year letterman as defensive back. First team All-SEC in '98; 13 career interceptions; four-time member of SEC Academic Honor Roll.
Bainbridge H.S. (1991-93): Three-year letterman in football, basketball, and baseball; first team Class AAAA All-State as a senior; 16 career interceptions.
High School Coach: Sonny Smart (father)

When Georgia looked for a head coach after the 2015 season, the arrows pointed to Kirby Smart, longtime Alabama defensive coordinator and former UGA player and assistant. The 2017 Associated Press SEC Coach of the Year has not disappointed.

In his first year leading the Dogs in 2016, Georgia extended its school record to 20 consecutive bowl appearances and had five fourth-quarter comebacks including wins over No. 8 Auburn and No. 22 UNC.

In 2017, Smart directed UGA to a 13-2 record, an SEC title, a win at The Rose Bowl Game during the CFP semifinal and a spot in the National Championship. He was named the Maxwell Football Club's George Munger National Coach of the Year. Before 2017, the Bulldogs last SEC title was 2005.

The 2019 season saw the Bulldogs go 11-3 and earn a second straight trip to the SEC Championship Game and a berth to the Sugar Bowl.

He has also made an immediate impact in recruiting, posting the nation's top-ranked class in 2018, the second-ranked class in 2019 and the third-ranked class in 2017. In addition to coaching, Smart oversees the Kirby Smart Family Foundation, which is focused on being champions in the community by supporting and giving back to needy children and families.

Smart officially came home to Georgia on Dec. 6, 2015. But he still had unfinished business at Alabama, which was chasing a national title. He juggled two jobs for a month until January 11, 2016, when the Tide won its fourth national championship in a seven-year span. Twelve hours later, he was at work in Athens.

Coach Smart's Record
Year	W	L	Pct.	SEC
2016	8	5	.615	4-4
2017	13	2	.866	7-1
2018	11	3	.786	7-1
2019	3	0	1.000	1-0
Total	35	10	.778	20-8

Did You Know?
Kirby Smart is one of 11 head coaches at schools from Power 5 conferences that are coaching at their alma maters.

The complete list:
Paul Chryst (Wisconsin), Barry Odom (Missouri), Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern), David Shaw (Stanford), Scott Frost (Nebraska), Kirby Smart (GEORGIA), Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State), Jonathan Smith (Oregon State), Jim Harbaugh (Michigan), Tom Allen (Indiana), Matt Luke (Ole Miss)

Top Ind. Single-Game Performances Under Smart
Rushing Yards: 222, Nick Chubb vs. #22 UNC (9/3/16)
Rushing TDs: 3, Sony Michel vs. UK (11/18/17); vs. #2 Oklahoma (1/1/18)
Longest Rush: 83-TD, D'Andre Swift @ #9 UK (11/3/18)
Passing Yards: 346, Jacob Eason vs. VU (10/15/16)
Passing TDs: 4, Jake Fromm vs. GT (11/25/18)
Receiving TDs: 2, Isaiah McKenzie @ Missouri (9/17/16); Terry Godwin vs. Samford (9/16/17); Jeremiah Holloman vs. #9 Florida (10/27/18); Riley Ridley vs. GT (11/2518)
Longest Pass/TD Pass: 80-TD, Fromm to Mecole Hardman vs. BAMA (1/8/18)
Tackles: 13, Roquan Smith vs. GT (11/26/16); SECCG (12/2/17); CFPNC (1/1/18)
Sacks: 3, Trenton Thompson vs. TCU (12/30/16)
TFL: 3, Thompson vs. Nicholls (9/10/16)

Quick Facts

Clinched the 2018 SEC East title with the team's second straight 6-0 mark in the division.
2017 Georgia Munger National Coach of the Year finalist, leading UGA to a 13-2 record, a Rose Bowl Game victory and an appearance the CFP National Championship Game.
The Bulldogs' No. 2 AP ranking in 2017 was the team's top AP ranking since week three of the 2008 season when Georgia was No. 2.
Advanced to 2017 & 2018 SECCG.
Went 6-0 in the division in 2017 and 2018 for the first time since the SEC split into divisions in 1992.
Seven fourth-quarter comebacks, including wins over #8 AU (2016), #22 UNC in Atlanta (2016), @ #24 Notre Dame (2017), vs. #2 Oklahoma in 2018 Rose Bowl Game.
Led UGA to its first win over a ranked team in a season opener away from Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium in school history, posting a 33-24 win over #22 UNC during the 2016 Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Classic

11 Defense/Special Teams Scores
2016: Safety vs. #22 UNC; Lorenzo Carter 24-yd fumble recovery for TD vs. Nicholls; Terry Godwin 43-yd KOR for TD @ SC; Maurice Smith 34-yd INT return for TD vs. #8 AU; Isaiah McKenzie 82-yd PR for TD vs. ULL
2017: J.R. Reed 3-yd fumble recovery for TD vs. Florida
2018: Juwan Taylor 1-yd INT return for TD @ USC; Mecole Hardman 70-yd PR for TD vs. MTSU; Tyson Campbell 64-yd fumble recovery for TD & Eric Stokes 8-yd blocked punt for TD @ Missouri
2019: J.R. Reed 14-yd PR for TD vs. Murray St.

7 Victories When Tied Or Trailing Late
Year	Opponent	Start of 4th Qtr.	Final
2016	%#22 UNC	Trailed 24-23	33-24
2016	@ MIZZ	Trailed 27-21	28-27
2016	@ UK	Trailed 21-16	27-24
2016	#8 AUB	Tied 7-7	13-7
2016	^TCU	Trailed 23-21	31-23
2017	#24 UND	17-16, trailed 19-17 with 10:21 left	20-19
2018	$ #2 Oklahoma 31-31	trailed 45-38 with 0:55 left	54-48 2ot

%Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic; ^Liberty Bowl; $Rose Bowl Game

Bulldogs Verus Top 10 Teams In the Smart Era

Georgia is 5-3 against top 10 teams in the Kirby Smart era with just one of those games in Athens. Two have been on the road and five have come at neutral sites. Ninth-ranked Auburn is the last team to come to Sanford Stadium as a top 10 team and the unranked Bulldogs upset them 13-7 in 2016.

Nov. 12, 2016 NR Georgia d. #9 Auburn 13-7 in Athens
Nov. 11, 2017 #10 Auburn d. #2 Georgia 40-17 in Auburn
Dec. 2, 2017 #6 Georgia d. #4 Auburn 28-7 in Atlanta, SEC Championship Game
Jan. 1, 2018 #3 Georgia d. #2 Oklahoma 54-48 {2OT} in Pasadena, CFP Semifinal - Rose Bowl Game
Jan. 8, 2018 #4 Alabama d. #3 Georgia 26-23 {OT} in Atlanta, National Championship Game
Oct. 27, 2018 #7 Georgia d. #9 Florida 36-17 in Jacksonville
Nov. 3, 2018 #6 Georgia d. #9 Kentucky 34-17 in Lexington
Dec. 1, 2018 #1 Alabama d. #4 Georgia 35-28 in Atlanta, SEC Championship Game

Fromm Returns

Jake Fromm is 26-5 as a starter, including 8-5 versus Top 25 teams. He has started an FBS best 31 straight games for QBs.

Currently 42-for-56 (75%) for 601 yards and five touchdowns during victories at Vanderbilt and versus Murray State and Arkansas State.

Posted the school's second best single season Completion Percentage at 67.3 in 2018, which also was second in the SEC and 12th nationally.

The Warner Robins, Ga., native finished last year ranked fifth in the country in Passing Efficiency at 171.2, which ranked second in school history. In 2019, he currently stands at 194.6.

In his career, Fromm has led his team to two comebacks when trailing at the half. One of Georgia's signature wins came with his 2018 Rose Bowl Game performance after the Bulldogs trailed #2 Oklahoma 31-17 at the half and rallied to a 54-48 win in double overtime. Georgia trailed 45-38 with 3:22 remaining in the game before Fromm directed a game-tying drive.

Fromm's first career start came in 2017 at #24 Notre Dame. Trailing 19-17 with 6:47 left in the contest, Fromm directed a nine play, 63-yard drive to set up the go-ahead field goal. He was 3-for-4 for 45 yards during the drive.

Currently, the No. 2 QB is RSo. Stetson Bennett, who is in his second stint with the Bulldogs after re-enrolling in UGA in January. Bennett was on the 2017 Bulldog squad that went 13-2 and he was named the Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year. He spent 2018 at Jones County JC in Mississippi. In the last two games, Bennett is 18-for-23 (78.3%) for 233 yards with two touchdowns and one pick.

Jake Fromm (UGA Career)
2017	Att	Cmp	TD	Int	Yds	Sk	Eff.
ASU (W)	15	10	1	0	143	0	168.7
@ #24 ND (W)	29	16	1	1	141	2	100.5
SU (W)	13	8	3	0	165	0	244.3
#17 MSU (W)	12	9	2	0	201	0	270.7
@ UT (W)	15	7	1	1	84	2	102.4
@ VU (W)	11	7	2	0	102	1	201.5
MU (W)	26	18	2	1	326	1	192.2
vs. UF (W)	4	7	1	1	101	0	196.9
USC (W)	22	16	2	0	196	1	177.6
@ #10 AUB (L)	28	13	1	0	184	4	113.4
UK (W)	14	9	1	1	123	1	147.4
@ GT (W)	16	12	2	0	224	0	233.8
SECCG -#2 AU (W)	22	16	2	0	183	2	172.6
ROSE - #2 OU (W)	29	20	2	0	210	2	152.6
CFP NC - #4 UA (L)	32	16	1	2	232	4	108.7
2017 TOTAL	291	181	24	7	2,615	20	160.1
2018	Att	Cmp	TD	Int	Yds	Sk	Eff.
APSU (W)	16	12	2	0	157	0	198.7
@ #24 USC (W)	18	15	1	1	194	2	181.1
MTSU (W)	12	10	3	0	128	2	255.4
@ MIZZ (W)	23	13	3	1	260	0	185.8
TENN (W)	22	16	0	0	185	3	143.3
VU (W)	23	17	3	0	276	0	217.8
@ #13 LSU (L)	34	16	1	2	209	3	96.6
vs. #9 ^UF (W)	24	17	3	0	240	1	196.1
vs. #9 UK (W)	20	14	1	0	113	0	134.0
#24 AU (W)	20	13	2	1	193	0	169.1
UMASS (W)	5	5	1	0	106	0	344.1
GT (W)	16	13	4	0	175	0	255.6
SECCG #1 BAMA (L)	39	25	3	0	01	2	154.3
SUGAR - #15 TEX (L)	34	20	3	1	212	2	134.4
2018 TOTAL	306	206	30	6	2,749	15	171.2
2019	Att	Cmp	TD	Int	Yds	Sk	Eff.
@VU (W)	23	15	1	0	156	0	136.5
MUR (W)	11	10	1	0	166	1	247.7
ASU (W)	22	17	3	0	279	0	228.8
2019 TOTAL	56	42	5	0	601	1	194.6
CAREER TOTAL	653	429	59	13	5,965	36	168.3

Balanced Backfield

Georgia is the only FBS team to have four different players go over 1,000 yards rushing the past two seasons. One of those from 2018 returns in Jr. D'Andre Swift, who led the team with 1,049 and 10 touchdowns in 14 games last year with five starts. This season, Swift is averaging 9.4 yards/carry on 31 attempts for 290 yards.

Swift jump-started his third season by carrying the ball 16 times for 147 yards (9.2 avg.) during the win over Vanderbilt.

Along with Swift, Georgia's tailbacks who have shared the load include Sr. Brian Herrien, So. James Cook, RFr. Zamir White and Fr. Kenny McIntosh. Five different Bulldog tailbacks have scored this season with Herrien leading the way thanks to a touchdown in all three games.

McIntosh had a career long 62-yard touchdown run against Arkansas State and has also been active on special teams.

Herrien got his first career start at VU and had 12 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown. White, who missed the 2018 season with an ACL injury and recovery, made his debut with five carries for 51 yards (10.2 avg.) with Bulldog fans chanting his nickname "Zeus" from the stadium seats in Nashville.

Biggest Bulldog Line Ever

Georgia's starting offensive line averages 6 feet, 5 inches and 328.6 pounds, making it the biggest unit in Bulldog history. This unit leads the SEC allowing just one sack this year.

Georgia leads the SEC and ranks eighth nationally at 286.7 yards/game.

The Bulldogs return four of five starters, including All- American LT Andrew Thomas and Freshman All-American RT Isaiah Wilson and Cade Mays, who lined up at guard and tackle last season. The aforementioned trio is also joined by juniors Solomon Kindley and Ben Cleveland and sophomore Trey Hill, who all had starts in 2018. Hill has started the first three games at C.

Thomas was named the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week following Georgia's dominating win over Vanderbilt.

Wilson has been sidelined the last two games due to a lower leg injury. Sophomore Jamaree Salyer started at RT against MSU while Mays started there against Arkansas State. Mays has seen action at both guard and tackle this year.

New Faces At WR, TE

With Georgia's most experienced receivers from last season now pursuing a career in the NFL (Mecole Hardman - Kansas City Chiefs, Riley Ridley - Chicago Bears, Terry Godwin - free agent), the top returner among the wideouts is senior Tyler Simmons. This season, he is also fourth in the SEC in punt returns, averaging 19.6 yards/return (seven for 137).

Georgia's leading receivers this year are a pair of freshmen in George Pickens (9-162-1) and Dominick Blaylock (7-160- 2). Blaylock had his first career 100-yard game as he had four catches for 112 yards and a score in the win over Arkansas State. Pickens had a team high five catches for 84 yards versus ASU after notching his first career touchdown against Murray State.

Jake Fromm completed passes to eight different Bulldogs in the VU game. Jr. Demetris Robertson had a team high three catches for 23 yards. His first catch as a Bulldog against the Commodores was a 3-yard touchdown to give Georgia an early 7-0 advantage. Robertson also had two rushes for 29 yards. Against Murray State, he had three catches for 21 yards and another score.

Senior Charlie Woerner has appeared in 41 games at TE, starting seven, and has 25 catches for 278 yards in his career. Graduate transfer TE Eli Wolf (Tennessee) has six catches for 90 yards this season, including four for 73 against Murray State.

A Glance At The 2019 Defense

Georgia leads the SEC and ranks third nationally in Scoring Defense, allowing just 7.7 points/game. The Bulldogs have allowed just 23 points on the year (two TDs, three FGs).

Georgia also leads the SEC and ranks fifth nationally in Rushing Defense at 60.7 yards/game and has yet to allow a rushing touchdown.

The defense has posted eight scoreless quarters, including a shutout last time out against Arkansas State 55-0. For the third consecutive week, the Bulldogs held their opponent to less than 300 total yards after the Red Wolves finished with 220 yards.

For the first time since 1995, Georgia opened a season versus an SEC opponent and the Bulldogs posted a 30-6 road win over Vanderbilt. The Commodores managed a pair of field goals in the first half and were blanked in the final two periods.

While Georgia did accumulate six sacks against MSU, Racer QB Preston Rice was an efficient 20-for-25 for 216 yards and a score in the loss.

The Bulldogs followed up that performance with four sacks in the win over ASU. Georgia's 12 sacks ranks second in the SEC.

The Bulldogs return seven defensive starters, including the top three tacklers in Jr. DB Richard LeCounte, graduate DB J.R. Reed and Jr. ILB Monty Rice.

Up Front

In Georgia's SEC opener, the Commodores gained just 116 yards on the ground on 30 attempts and held All-SEC runner Ke'Shawn Vaughn to 74 yards on 15 carries.

The personnel up front this season includes primarily Jordan Davis, Michael Barnett, Tyler Clark and Devonte Wyatt. Wyatt had three tackles and forced a fumble that eventually led to a field goal at Vanderbilt while Davis had a pair of stops, including a tackle for loss. Clark tied for the team lead with five tackles, including 1.5 sacks, during the victory over ASU.

Reed Leading Defensive Backfield

Georgia's starting secondary this season has featured graduate J.R. Reed and Jr. Richard LeCounte at the safety spots along with So. Tyson Campbell, RSo. Eric Stokes and Jr. Mark Webb. Webb leads the team with 16 stops.

The Bulldogs also have RFr. Divaad Wilson, Fr. Tyrique Stevenson, RSo. Ameer Speed, Jr. DJ Daniel and Sr. Tyrique McGhee as they have earned a number of snaps in the early going.

Webb forced his first fumble of the year and Reed picked it up and returned it 14 yards for a touchdown against Murray State. Redshirt sophomore Latavious Brini and freshman Lewis Cine have notched their first career interceptions this year.

Linebacker Leaders

Led by veteran linebackers Tae Crowder, Monty Rice and Walter Grant, the Bulldogs have welcomed in a younger contingent of So. Channing Tindall, So. Adam Anderson, RSo. Robert Beal, JUCO transfer Jermaine Johnson and Fr. Nolan Smith and Nakobe Dean along with So. Quay Walker.

Beal matched the team lead with five stops against Arkansas State while Johnson and Walker each had a sack.

Johnson earned his first career start against Murray State and responded with four tackles, including a TFL. While Rice and Walker had four stops apiece against MSU, Smith had a trio of tackles that included 1.5 sacks. Tindall also had three stops and a sack in the second contest of 2019.

Rice and RFr. Azeez Ojulari were among the leading tacklers for the Bulldogs in their season-opening win over Vanderbilt. Rice tied for the team lead with seven stops while Ojulari added six tackles during his first career start. Ojulari was limited to three games in 2018, including the 2019 Sugar Bowl, after recovering from a knee injury during his senior year at Marietta HS.

Blankenship One Of The Best

All-American candidate PK Rodrigo Blankenship has tallied 34 points on the year, including tying his career high with nine PATs versus Murray State. His 34 pts. ranks third in the SEC among kickers with 5-for-5 on FGs and 19-for-19 on PATs.

Finished 2018 with the SEC's third-highest point total for a PK at 122 points on the year (19 FGs, 65 PATs). He was a Lou Groza Award semifinalist for the second straight year.

Highlighted by a 50 yarder at Vanderbilt in this year's season opener, he was named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Honored as one of 11 players nationwide named to the 2018 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.

Has connected on a school record 173 consecutive PATs. His 173 ranks second in SEC history for consecutive PATs. The SEC record is 198 (Daniel Carlson, Auburn, 2014-17).

Georgia is also second nationally with 264 consecutive PATs. The last miss came on Oct. 4, 2014.

Second in NCAA with 82 touchbacks out of 96 KOs in 2018. This topped his own school record of 67 from 2017. Blankenship has 18 touchbacks in 23 kickoffs this season. A few times this season Blankenship has not kicked it out of the end zone so the coverage team could get work.

Set a Rose Bowl Game record by drilling a career-long 55- yard field goal during the 2OT win over #2 Oklahoma. His performance included a 38-yard FG in overtime.

Career Highs For Blankenship
Points: 17 (MU17; 4FG, 5PAT)
PATs: 9 (2x, MUR19, UMASS18)
FG Att: 5 (MU18)
FG Made: 4 (UK16, MU17)
FG Long: 55 (OU18)
KO: 10 (MU17)
KO Yards: 635 (MU17)

Blankenship Kicking Stats

Year	PAT	FG	LG	TP
2016	26x26	14-18	49	68
2017	63x63	20-23	55	123
2018	65x65	19-23	53	122
2019	19x19	5-5	50	34
Total	173x173	58-69	55	347

Field Goal Breakdown

Year	1-19	20-29	30-39	40-49	50-99
2016	0-0	7-7	3-4	4-6	0-1
2017	0-0	8-8	6-6	4-7	2-2
2018	2-2	7-7	2-4	7-8	1-1
2019	0-0	1-1	2-2	1-1	1-1
Total	2-2	23-23	13-16	16-23	4-5

Special Teams

Sophomore P Jake Camarda ranks second in the SEC with a 50.0 avg. He has punted seven times on the year, including a career long of 65 at Vanderbilt.

Placed three within the 20-yard line.

Against Arkansas State, Camarda had a 48.7 avg. on three punts, including a 61 yarder. As a freshman in 2018, he averaged 42.6 yards on 43 punts and had 10 inside the 20 with a long of 63 against Austin Peay. For his career, he has five punts of 60 or more yards.

The Bulldogs are using two snappers. Graduate transfer Steven Nixon and RFr. Payne Walker are sharing duties during their first year of action.

First-Time Starters In 2019

The Bulldogs have had nine first-time starters through their first three games.

@VU: 4 (Azeez Ojulari, Kearis Jackson, John FitzPatrick, Brian Herrien)
MUR: 4 (Jamaree Salyer, Matt Landers, James Cook, Jermaine Johnson)
ASU: 1 (Lawrence Cager)

The True Freshman Experience

During the opener, six true freshmen played for the Bulldogs. In the home opener, another 13 true freshmen got their first snaps versus Murray State.

@VU: Solomon Kindley, Jake Fromm, J.R. Reed
MUR: Andrew Thomas, Charlie Woerner, Monty Rice
ASU: Michael Barnett, Tyler Simmons, Walter Grant