Four outstanding Georgia football players who earned helmet stickers after the Ducks game

Georgia football gave no mercy to the Oregon Ducks as the Dawgs won 49-3 in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. This matchup was one of the most anticipated ones building up to the season, but instead, it was a dominant blowout for the Dawgs.

Head coach Kirby Smart and his coaching staff prepared their team for Oregon and came out swinging. Georgia played with purpose and like a team proving that it is still a force in college football.

Sure, it was Week 1 of the season, and a lot of these expectations need to stay in check until the Dawgs win some more games, but it was still incredible to see them beat the No.11 team by 46 points.

Multiple players stepped up and stood out against the Ducks, so like last season, we will give out helmet stickers each week. This year we’ve added an MVP title to the week, so sometimes it may feel like a player gets left out on this list, but rest assured, he could likely be the week’s MVP. Sometimes it’ll be all offense or all defense. Other times it could be someone from each side of the ball or a coach.

Georgia football saw these four players shine against Oregon, earning the first helmet stickers of 2022.

This week, a mixture of players earned stickers because it was a total team win. The defense did give up 313 total offensive yards, but still, there were some bright spots worthy of praise. Two interceptions and a couple of tackles for loss — it wasn’t too crazy, but they held Oregon to three points, so it was a solid performance.

Georgia’s offense put up a whopping 571 yards, averaging 9.2 yards per play. Not to mention, the Dawgs scored on its first seven drives with touchdowns. Georgia also finished 9-of-10 on third-down conversions, and that stop from Oregon didn’t come until the backups came in during the fourth quarter.

There wasn’t much Georgia couldn’t do on Saturday, and it was so much fun to watch. Here are this week’s helmet sticker winners.

Kenny McIntosh

Georgia saw Kenny McIntosh record his best game in the Red and Black on Saturday, and it wasn’t just from his running abilities. McIntosh led the team in receiving yards with nine catches for 117 yards. He also saw five carries for 18 yards and one score. McIntosh’s longest catch was for 38 yards, and most of his yardage came after the catch, which should tell you how good he was with the ball in his hands on Saturday.

Saturday’s performance is just the start for McIntosh. He was incredible on Saturday, showing how much his hard work impacted his game. There is a reason McIntosh got so much praise from the staff during spring and fall camps — he has transformed his game.

Kendall Milton

The second helmet sticker goes to Kendall Milton, who led the team in rushing, but also in touchdowns scored. He was the only player to score twice— once on the ground and once through the air.

He rushed eight times for 50 yards and one score, averaging 6.3 yards a touch. His longest run was 12 yards, and it was great to see Milton put his head down and tote the rock. That yards-per-touch number is imposing because it helped set up the offense to convert on a short second down play or convert a third down to keep the drive alive.

Milton’s one catch was his 18-yard touchdown, so that was also a highlight moment for him on the day. This game will surely boost his confidence moving forward, and like McIntosh, things are just getting started for Milton.

Christopher Smith

Georgia football senior leader Christopher Smith had a great ball game against the Ducks. He recorded six tackles, including four solo ones, one interception and one tackle for loss. His interception almost mimicked the one he recorded against Clemson last season — outside it going all the way for a touchdown. Smith jumped the gap and snagged the ball on a full sprint.

His leadership was evident on Saturday, and he helped out the younger guys when they needed it. Smith gets better the longer he is at Georgia, and it’s such a momentum boost to see him back in the Red and Black for one more season. What a way to start his final season than with a massive interception.

Malaki Starks

The final player on this list is true freshman Malaki Starks. He was the player that delivered the first blow of the season with his superhero-like interception in the first quarter. Starks snagged that ball like a receiver, making sure the Oregon player never had a chance.

Georgia’s coaches have bragged about him a lot this offseason, and it immediately showed against the Ducks.

Starks led the Dawgs with eight tackles, including five solo ones. He was a massive asset for Georgia, and this performance should warrant more snaps in his future.

The whole Georgia football team should earn a helmet sticker because they played so well together, but these four provided pivotal moments that truly determined the game’s outcome.