The stage was set for another heavyweight class between Georgia and Alabama, but when the dust settled the Bulldogs fell 24-21 to the Crimson Tide. One of the biggest reasons why was UGA's pass rush, or lack thereof, which came back to bite Georgia in the butt again.
Georgia's failure to get home to the quarterback cost them against Alabama
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson had far too much comfort in the pocket all night, and he made Georgia pay for it. Simpson completed 24 of 38 passes for 276 yards, two touchdowns, and a rushing score, posting a quarterback rating of 141.5. Most importantly, he consistently converted on third downs with poise and accuracy.
Alabama went 13-for-19 on third-down conversions, starting the game an almost unthinkable 7-for-7 in the opening quarter. Each time Georgia needed a stop, Simpson calmly delivered whether by threading passes downfield or extending plays when pressure briefly closed in.
Georgia’s defensive front wasn’t completely ineffective. The Bulldogs bottled up Alabama’s run game, holding the Tide to just 117 rushing yards on 3.1 yards per carry. But the tradeoff came throguh the air. The Bulldogs managed only one sack and struggled to distrupt Simpson’s rhythm. Alabama averaged 11.2 yards per completion, showing just how dangerous the Tide were when Simpson had time to work.
Kirby Smart's reaction to Georgia's poor pass rush
Head coach Kirby Smart didn’t mince words when asked about the lack of disruption.
“Well, you've got to affect the quarterback,” Smart shared via 247sports.com. “We've got more packages than the man on the moon to affect the quarterback. But we've got to do it.”
Georgia tried just about everything including blitzes, stunts, personnel changes, but Simpson had an answer every time. His quick decision-making neturalized many of the Bulldogs pressures. In the first half alone, he went 15-for-23 for 192 yards and three total touchdowns.
Smart acknowledged that there’s a balance between dialing up heat and leaving the secondary exposed.
“Teams do get the ball out. They have a stat for how fast the ball comes out, and sometimes the answer to that is don’t rush as many (defenders),” Smart continued. “Then you sit there and say, ‘They’re not getting any pressure. ‘Well, you’ve got more people covering.”
Alabama took advantage of that balance, burning Georgia with well-timed screens and quick throws whenever the Bulldogs leaned too heavily on aggression.
Final snap
Despite the shortcomings, Georgia remained in striking distance until the end. The defense’s physicality and run-stopping ability kept the Bulldogs in the fight, but when it mattered most, the inability to collapse the pocket made the difference.
If Georgia wants to reassert its defensive dominance as the season unfolds, it will need to find a more consistent pass rush. The blueprint for beating this team is now on film, protect the quarterback, get the ball out quickly, and trust that Georgia can’t generate enough pressure to flip the game.
The Bulldogs season is far from derailed, but if they hope to contend for another playoff run, their front seven will need to rediscover the havoc that has defined Georgia defenses under Smart.