Sloppy And Stumbling Home, Georgia Could Use A Good Detox After Another Shaky Performance

The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party was as sloppy as a keg party on Jacksonville Beach on Saturday afternoon, and Georgia stumbled out with its dignity and SEC title hopes intact with a 34-20 win over rival Florida. 

That’s the most important thing. However, there are still massive issues facing the Bulldogs that, at some point, might come back to haunt them before the College Football Playoff.

Most notably, quarterback Carson Beck.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Carson Beck #15 of the Georgia Bulldogs is sacked by Derek Wingo #15 of the Florida Gators during the first half of a game at EverBank Stadium on November 2, 2024. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

The senior was once touted as a Heisman Trophy front-runner, but the Jacksonville-native threw three picks on Saturday and has tossed 11 over the last five games. Simply put, he has become more of a liability than a strength.

What’s more, the rushing attack has been average at best, and mediocre at worst. Freshman Nate Frazier was the star on Saturday with 82 yards, but most of that production came after starter Trevor Etienne was injured in the first half. Even with a healthy Etienne, the Dawgs entered the game 14th in the SEC in rushing.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Arian Smith #11 of the Georgia Bulldogs runs with the ball during the first half of a game against the Florida Gators at EverBank Stadium on November 2, 2024. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

In a season full of flawed teams, Georgia has found a way to navigate its way to November in the SEC title hunt with a stellar front seven … and that’s pretty much it.

Coach Kirby Smart has been on the brink of solidifying a Bulldog dynasty after winning back-to-back national titles in 2021 and 2022, and running the table in the 2023 regular season before losing the SEC Championship Game. This team isn’t like those teams though. These Bulldogs consistently find ways to "play-down" to the competition.

Florida is a big rival, and there is the old adage that you can "throw the records out" in rivalry games. 

However, this Florida team had already lost starting quarterback Graham Mertz for the season. It then lost highly-touted freshman DJ Lagway in the first half in what looked like a brutal hamstring injury. Yet, third-stringer Aidan Warner - a Yale transfer who walked on in the spring - somehow managed to keep the Gators in the game until an interception with 3:47 left ended a potential game-tying drive.

Georgia is on thin ice.

It has a road trip to Ole Miss looming next week and a home-tilt with Tennessee the following week.

Can the Bulldogs take care of business? They'll likely have to pick things up on the ground and somehow find a way to get Beck’s head screwed on straight.

That seems a little easier said than done.