The Georgia Bulldogs were the top dog around for a long time, especially when they won back-to-back championships in 2021 and 2022, but then the Bulldogs were dethroned in 2023 and couldn't get back to the top in 2024 either. The Bulldogs have gone through their fair share of struggles in the last two seasons, which almost seems funny to say, as some teams would love to have had the success UGA has had in the last two seasons.
However, for Georgia, anything less than a National Championship is a disappointing season. Now the Bulldogs have gone two straight seasons without a championship, and fans, players, and coaches are itching to get back to the top.
Looking at the Bulldogs over the last two seasons, specifically last season, there are some key statistics that Georgia has to improve on in order to get back to where they want to be in 2025. So here are five key areas Georgia has to work on in the 2025 season in order to get back to the mountaintop.
Rushing offense efficiency
In the two seasons, Georgia won the National Championship in 2021 and 2022, the Bulldogs had a great rushing attack, where they averaged 191 and 205 rushing yards in both of those seasons. However, in 2024, UGA only averaged 134 rushing yards per game, ranking 92nd in college football and 13th in the SEC.
With Trevor Etienne now in the NFL, young running back Nate Frazier, who rushed for 671 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns last season as Georgia's second-leading rusher, is set to take over. With a full offseason of work at the RB1, Frazier has the ability to bring back the Bulldogs' rushing attack, something they will need with a new quarterback leading the way in 2025 as well.
Third-down conversion rate
In the 2024 season, Georgia's third-down conversion rate took a big nose dive from the season before. In 2023, UGA's third-down conversion rate was 55.2% where whereas it dropped over 15% in 2025 to 39.2% on third-down conversions. Not being able to convert on third down kills drives, especially depending on field position and how long a fourth-down conversion would be.
Georgia led the country in 2023 with their conversion rate, but their drop in 2024 seriously hurt them offensively and even played a role in some of their losses in 2024. Being able to extend drives on third down is huge for a team offensively, as it tires out the opposing defense and keeps your own defense resting on the sideline.
Red zone efficiency
Finishing drives with some sort of points is so crucial, especially in the SEC. In the SEC, almost every weekend is a playoff game, with the level of talent each team brings into the game. In 2024, Georgia scored on just 72.73% of their red zone trips, being they left points on the board nearly 30% of the time when they reached the end zone.
Capitalizing in the red zone is so crucial, even if it means walking away with just three points from a field goal. This is both play execution adn play calling from players and coaches. Players need to be able to execute plays, but if the play call is too vanilla, and leaves yards to be gained on each down, then it makes it hard to execute on certain plays. This is one of the biggest stats Georgia will need to improve.
Turnover margin
In Kirby Smart's time as Georgia's head coach, his team has never had 20 or more turnovers, and in 2024, the Bulldogs committed 20 turnovers, marking the most in the Smart era. In Georgia's three losses during the season, turnovers were a crucial part of the game that resulted in the losses. Georgia finished the season with a 1-turnover margin, which means the defense wasn't causing them either.
Taking care of the football is so crucial, and in Georgia's three losses against Alabama, Ole Miss, and Notre Dame, the Bulldogs gave the ball away nine times and only got the ball back twice. Cleaning up this stat could be a huge game-changer for Georgia next season.
Rush defense performance
This almost seems like a silly stat to improve on, but when looking at the numbers, Georgia's rush defense has taken a larger step back from recent seasons. In the 2024 season, Georgia allowed 113 rushing yards per game, ranking them 20th in the country, but in years past, teams have never been able to run effectively against the Bulldogs, but now it seems a little easier to.
From 2019 to 2022, Georgia was ranked in the top two when it came to rushing defense, so being able to bring back the dominance of that defense will be huge for the Bulldogs heading into the 2025 season.