Georgia football: The most pro-UGA stat to pay attention to with LSU

DawgNation has four staffers who cover Georgia football from every angle: Beat, live streams, photos, podcasts, recruiting, etc. The “Cover 4” concept is: 1) Present a topic; 2) Offer a reasoned response; 3) Share a brisk statement on that opinion. 4) Pepper the page with photos for the big picture. For this edition, we discuss a the biggest pro-Georgia stats that stick out for Saturday’s SEC championship between LSU and UGA.

DawgNation continues with the “Cover 4” concept. The focus is always a timely look with each of our guys manning the secondary on a pertinent topic.

The quick in-and-out game remains. It is designed to come out quicker than former Bulldog Nick Chubb scored his third touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens earlier this year.

The latest “Cover 4” question is of the fill-in-the-blank variety:

The most pro-Georgia stat to pay attention to versus LSU is …

Brandon Adams: LSU is tied for 31st in average yards per rush allowed (3.68)

Brandon Adams likes the plan to lean on that run game against LSU. (Curtis Compton/AJC)/Dawgnation)

The “why” from “DawgNation Daily” here: “It’s known that LSU doesn’t have a great defense (The Tigers are just 29th in Football Outsiders’ defensive FEI). Yet LSU is particularly vulnerable against the run despite only facing two top-25 rushing offenses.”

Mike Griffith: Kirby Smart is 7-3 vs. Top 10 teams.

Mike Griffith feels that Kirby Smart has been there and done that in big games. Not even counting his time at Alabama. (Jeff Sentell/DawgNation)/Dawgnation)

The “why” from “On the Beat” here: “The Georgia head coach is a masterful game-planner, which is exactly what this game will require for the banged-up Bulldogs to have a chance. Alabama was a 12-point favorite last season and no one had stayed within 3 touchdowns of the Tide prior to UGA in the SEC title game — a game the Bulldogs easily could have won.“

Connor Riley: Redzone defense

Connor Riley points to the fact that the UGA defenders are especially stingy inside the 20. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)/Dawgnation)

The “why” from “Good Day UGA” here: “Georgia has given up the fewest points in the red zone in the country this year. Auburn was able to limit LSU in this area, which was why that game was only a 3-point margin. If Georgia can get stops in that part of the field, it’s going to really have a chance in this game.“

Jeff Sentell: The Georgia defense has allowed a grand total of six points this season in the third quarter.

Georgia’s defense has not allowed a third-quarter touchdown in its 12 games so far this season. (Jeff Sentell/DawgNation)/Dawgnation)

The Intel here: “Stick close for the first half. Chop and chop. Wear LSU down hammering at their front. Get George Pickens back in the third quarter. Then make a move. UGA has given up six points in the third quarter through 12 games. Murray State got three of those against reserves. It means the 10 Power 5 teams on the schedule got one field goal in those 10 quarters after halftime against the Georgia D. I had a stat in my mind about a minimum of 40 rush attempts until Mr. Riley brought that one up during a recent DawgNation broadcast.”