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Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart tells the students section to calm down during the fourth quarter of an NCAA football game, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Georgia held off Florida 24-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Georgia's Defense is Better Than You Think

Originally posted on Georgia Bulldogs on SI
By Jonathan Williams | Last updated Nov 4, 2025 9:36 AM ET

The Georgia Bulldogs are better on defense than you think.

Heading into the last four weeks of the season, Georgia sits with just one loss and is in a prime position to make the college football playoff for the second year in a row. Despite their record, Georgia has faced some criticism this year, specifically for how the defense has played at times. However, the Bulldogs' defense is probably better than what you think they are.

For several years, Georgia was the gold standard of defense. Teams were averaging fewer than 15 points per game at one point in time for the Bulldogs, and this season, that hasn't been the case. Georgia has a young defense but is still loaded with talent across the board. Now ten weeks into the season, Georgia's defense has put up better numbers than it seems.

The Bulldogs rank 25th for scoring defense with an average of 19.6 points allowed per game, and 17 power four schools rank ahead of them. They rank seventh in the conference for points allowed. The Bulldogs rank 21st in total defense with an average of 309.4 yards allowed per game. They rank third in the conference and 16th amongst power four opponents. Against the run, Georgia ranks 15th, allowing an average of 94.13 rushing yards per game. That ranks fifth in the conference and 12th amongst power four teams.

So just to recap that, is Georgia a top 10 defense in the country right now? Statistically no. But they are still considered one of the best defenses in the entire country, holistically.

Georgia's Good on Defense Outweighs the Bad

Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Now, let's get into some of the bad. Georgia ranks 65th in the country for passing yards allowed per game, as teams are averaging 215.3 yards per game. That ranks 9th in the conference. The Bulldogs also rank 76th in the country for opponent 3rd down conversion rate, as teams are converting 39.25% of the time.

Not to make excuses for Georgia, but let's add some context to those numbers. Of the offenses Georgia has faced this season in conference play, they have played the top three passing offenses: Tennessee, Alabama and Ole Miss. All three of those teams also rank top 20 in passing offense in the entire country. So yes, Georgia has been giving it up through the air this season, but they've played three teams that are the best at doing just that.

Let's get back into some of the good. Georgia ranks 13th in the country for opponent red zone conversion rate, as teams are scoring just 72% of the time when they get into that area of the field. Of the 22 red zone trips opponents have had vs Georgia, 13 have resulted in touchdowns and three have resulted in field goals. That means six of those trips have resulted in zero points for the opponent. The only team that ranks better than Georgia in that department in the conference is Alabama. There are only six power four teams that rank ahead of the Dawgs.

The final stat that I will provide on this Georgia defense is the amount of explosives they allow on defense. They rank 21st in the country for 20+ yard plays allowed (25), which ranks 2nd in the conference, they rank 13th in the country for 30+ yard plays allowed (10,) which ranks 3rd in the conference, and they rank 18th in the country for 40+ yard plays allowed (5,) which ranks third in the conference.

So, is Georgia dominating on defense like they have in previous seasons? No. But all things considered, they are still one of the top-end defenses in the entire country. That's worth noting, especially when you add in that they are one of the youngest defenses in the conference as well.

This article first appeared on Georgia Bulldogs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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