It does not take an expert to say that the Georgia Bulldogs' defense does not look the same as it has in the past. To be fair, it is hard to stack up to some of the most legendary defenses in college football history, especially when nine starters leave for the NFL. However, that does not excuse some of the issues Georgia has faced this season.
Specifically, the pass rush has almost been non-existent. Though this has been a glaring issue, fans should note that the linebackers have done a fairly decent job at getting to the quarterback. The real problem is the pass rush coming from the defensive line.
Defensive line severely lacks pass rush
Georgia's defense has totaled seven sacks in 2025, ranking second in the SEC. Pretty impressive, right? However, only one of those sacks has come from a defensive lineman or defensive end. That one sack also came from redshirt freshman Nnamdi Ogboko in a blowout game. Christen Miller, Jordan Hall, Elijah Griffin, and more have yet to record a single sack this season.
From Jordan Davis to Jalen Carter, big guys up front created pressure on the QB's they faced and forced poor decisions downfield. So far this season, Georgia has had to rush linebackers to even think about pressuring the quarterback. That creates a massive strain on a young and inexperienced secondary, hence why there have been so many big plays allowed downfield this season.
Georgia needs to find some answers for their defensive line troubles and fast. They have fared well so far stopping the run, but they have struggled tremendously against passing offenses. Even Alabama, who is typically a run-first team, was able to pick apart the Georgia defense.
With quarterbacks left on the schedule like Arch Manning and teams like Mississippi State, Georgia can't afford to rush linebackers to get pressure. So if Georgia wants to repeat as SEC Champions, this key metric needs to be fixed as soon as possible.