Bulldogs Roll Past Arkansas In SEC Opener

Saturday, September 19

Fayetteville, Ark.

12:00 p.m.

University of Georgia

3-0 , 1-0

Arkansas

1-2 , 0-1

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Georgia	7	14	10	14	45
Arkansas	0	3	0	14	17

September 19, 2026 | Football

Box Score Postgame Notes Game Stats

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The No. 2-ranked Georgia football team ran wild in its SEC opener against Arkansas on Saturday afternoon at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The Bulldogs piled up 254 rushing yards, and Chauncey Bowens scored three touchdowns on the ground in the 45-17 win.

Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton was efficient passing and explosive running, finishing the game 10 of 13 for 147 yards and a touchdown through the air, while also rushing for a career-high 97 yards, highlighted by a career-long 62-yard run in the second quarter. Nate Frazier rushed for 75 yards on 14 carries and scored his fifth rushing touchdown of the season, while Bowens had 39 yards and three scores on 11 attempts. The Bulldogs finished with 464 yards of offense and averaged 7.4 yards per play.

The Georgia defense held Arkansas to 300 yards of offense, much of that coming after the Bulldogs had a big lead. Georgia also held the Razorbacks to 17 yards rushing on 20 attempts. Seven Bulldogs had at least four tackles, led by six each from Demello Jones and Joseph Jonah-Ajonye. Georgia (3-0, 1-0 SEC) also had three sacks, including two by linebacker Raylen Wilson, and six tackles for loss.

Arkansas (1-2, 0-1) got the ball to start the game and drove to the Bulldog 38-yard line. On fourth-and-5, the Bulldogs' Khalil Barnes broke up a pass to get the turnover on downs. Georgia made the most of the good field position, driving 62 yards on five plays for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead with 6:53 left in the first quarter. Stockton hit Lawson Luckie for a 33-yard gain to the Arkansas 21 on third down, and Frazier later scored on a 5-yard run.

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With the help of a pair of Arkansas pass interference penalties on third downs inside the Razorback 20, Georgia took a 14-0 lead on Bowens' 2-yard touchdown run with 8:45 to go in the first half. The 10-play drive included a 22-yard run by Stockton and a 19-yarder from Frazier.

After giving up a 37-yard pass play on the ensuing drive, Georgia's defense clamped down and forced another punt. Quintavious Johnson got a 5-yard tackle for loss on a pass play, and Justin Williams followed that with a sack for a loss of 7 on third down. The Bulldogs began their next drive at the UGA 7, and after a couple of short runs, Stockton took off for a 62-yard gain to the Arkansas 11. Two plays later, Bowens ran the ball in from the 5 for a 21-0 lead with 36 seconds left in the half.

Arkansas kicked a 41-yard field goal with two seconds left in the half to cut the lead to 21-3. At the break, Georgia had a 227-146 advantage in total offense, including 164 yards rushing to the Hogs' 11. Through three games, the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 105-12 in the first half.

Georgia got the ball to start the third quarter and continued to run the ball effectively. Frazier began the drive with a 12-yard rush, followed by a 25-yarder from Stockton. The quarterback later had a 13-yard run as well. The Bulldogs ultimately had to settle for a 38-yard Peyton Woodring field goal, his first of the season, pushing their lead to 24-3 with 9:02 remaining in the period.

The Bulldog defense got the ball right back thanks to a Wilson strip and sack that was recovered by Jordan Hall at the Arkansas 32. Bowens began the drive with a 6-yard run and ended it with a 1-yard touchdown, his third score of the game, making it 31-3 with 3:35 left in the third. Stockton connected with Sacovie White-Helton three times on the drive, for 3, 11 and 5 yards.

Georgia's Maurice Hayes blocked Gavin Rush's punt on Arkansas' next drive, and the Bulldogs took over at the Razorback 49. Georgia wasn't able to capitalize on the block, however. The Bulldogs did find the end zone again on their next drive. With 12:42 left in the game, Stockton hit Craig Dandridge Jr. for a 61-yard touchdown up the left side, making it 38-3.

Arkansas' Sutton Smith scored on a 5-yard run with 8:30 remaining, cutting the Bulldog lead to 38-10. Ryan Puglisi took over at quarterback for Georgia after that, and led the Bulldogs to their sixth touchdown of the game. He found Luckie for 24 yards on third-and-7 at the Razorback 26, and then hit Luckie in the back of the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown and a 45-10 lead with 2:31 to play.

The Razorbacks got into the end zone with 40 seconds left on a 2-yard pass from KJ Jackson to Ty Lockwood, making the final score 45-17.

The win was Georgia's 30th in a row on the road against unranked opponents and 51st straight against unranked teams overall. Up next for the Bulldogs is No. 24 Oklahoma next week at Sanford Stadium.