By the numbers: Georgia’s McKenzie on pace for historic season

A weekly updated look at noteworthy Georgia team and individual stats and rankings, along with the upcoming opponent’s vital statistics, and more.

GEORGIA’S SUDDEN AIR ATTACK

305

Receiving yards this year for Isaiah McKenzie, putting him on pace for the most single-season receiving yards in school history. (He would have 1,220 in a 12-game season, and Terrence Edwards with 1,004 is the only other player ever to surpass 1,000 yards.)

2nd

McKenzie’s rank in the SEC in receiving yards.

2nd

McKenzie’s SEC rank in all-purpose yards, trailing only Vanderbilt’s Ralph Webb. McKenzie has 305 receiving, 56 rushing, 71 yards on punt returns and 24 on kickoff returns.

McKenzie’s plays of 10 or longer this season, tied for the most in the SEC with Arkansas’ Rawleigh Williams.

Pass attempts by Jacob Eason, the most by a Georgia quarterback since 2000, when Cory Phillips was 36-for-62 against Georgia Tech.

308

Passing yards for Jacob Eason, the most for a Georgia quarterback since Greyson Lambert’s 330-yard game last year, and the team’s only 300-yard passing performance since then.

Catches by fullback Christian Payne on Saturday, more than he’d had in his career entering the game. (He had four last year.)

Catches by tight ends Saturday: Three by Isaac Nauta and one by Jeb Blazevich, each of whom had yet to catch a pass this year. Entering the game Georgia only had two catches by tight ends, both by Charlie Woerner.

Number of Bulldogs who caught a pass Saturday.

GEORGIA’S POINTS OF CONCERN

Rushing yards by Nick Chubb, the least he’s had since (other than when he got hurt at Tennessee last year) the fourth game of the 2014 season.

Yards gained by Jacob Eason’s third-down scramble, which was Georgia’s longest run of the game until late in the third quarter.

Georgia’s turnover margin this season, tied for the best in the SEC.

Turnovers forced by Georgia this season, the most in the SEC and tied for the sixth-most nationally.

Points by Georgia’s offense this year off of turnovers. The defense has forced eight turnovers, scoring off one of them – Lorenzo Carter’s fumble return against Nicholls State. The other seven times the offense has failed to score, including five times at Missouri.

100

Percent of games this season in which Georgia has trailed in the second half. It was down 10 against North Carolina and came back to win, briefly trailed Nicholls State by one, and of course trailed Missouri by six for most of the second half.

Tackles-for-loss by Georgia’s defense. It only had one, by sophomore defensive lineman Justin Young.

Tackles-for-loss by Missouri, equaling the total by Nicholls State.

Sacks by Georgia this season, tied for the second-least in the SEC, more than only Vanderbilt. Florida leads the SEC with 16 sacks.

Sacks allowed by Georgia this season, tied for the most in the SEC with Kentucky and Auburn.

61.2

Georgia’s kickoff average, third-worst in the SEC. Its touchback percentage of 25.5 ranks second-worst in the SEC.

Average yardage on the four field-goal attempts William Ham has missed this season (42, 53, 38, 23).

Average yardage on the three field goals Ham has made (29, 23, 26).

DEFENSIVELY SPEAKING

Interceptions by Quincy Mauger at Missouri’s Faurot Field. Now a senior, the safety had two in the 2014 game, and two more Saturday.

Turnovers for Juwuan Briscoe, who recovered two fumbles and had one interception.

Tackles by sophomore inside linebacker Natrez Patrick on Saturday, the team’s most by four tackles. (Chuks Amaechi and John Atkins each had four.)

143

Missouri’s passing yards the entire game last year in the Georgia game.

164

Missouri’s total yards last year vs. Georgia.

322

Missouri’s passing yards in the first half Saturday.

Missouri’s passing yards in the second half.

EARLY RANKINGS

6th

Jacob Eason’s rank in the SEC in passing yards per game, at 214.3. He’s fifth in yards-per-attempt (7.4) and tied for sixth in touchdown passes (five.)

8th

Georgia’s SEC rank in rushing offense, at 185.7 per game.

3rd

Georgia’s SEC rank in pass defense, yielding 214.3 yards per game. Florida (87.3) and Tennessee (214.3) are the top two.

3rd

Chubb’s SEC rank in all-purpose yards (365 rushing and 12 receiving)

OLE MISS STATS

2nd

Passing offense rank in SEC, 325.3 yards per game, behind only Missouri.

13th

Rushing offense rank in SEC, at 115.7 yards per game, ahead of only South Carolina, and one spot behind Missouri.

4th

Passing offense rank in SEC, at 216.3 yards per game, one spot behind Georgia.

13th

Rushing defense rank in SEC, yielding 242.7 per game, barely ahead of Kentucky.

Sacks allowed by Ole Miss in three games.

160.8

Chad Kelly’s QB rating, averaging 317.7 passing yards, with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions, and a completion percentage of 62.6.

THIS AND THAT

Number of Georgia players who saw action in the first half Saturday. That’s out of 70 on the travel roster.

Points scored by Incarnate Word on Nicholls State on Saturday. Nicholls State scored 35 to improve to 1-1.

Points managed by James Madison, an FCS team, against North Carolina on Saturday. (The Tar Heels won 56-28, to improve to 2-1. But Illinois, the team the Tar Heels beat in Week 2, fell 34-10 at home to Western Michigan.)

3-0

Kirby Smart’s start as head coach, making him the first Georgia coach to start 3-0 since 1938, when Joel Hunt did so. (For Hunt, who had replaced Harry Mehre, it was his only year as coach, as he finished 5-4-1, and was replaced by Wally Butts.)

Combined margin of victory for Georgia in Smart’s first three games.