Georgia Bulldogs look at areas to improve against overmatched Kent State

It was almost like Georgia coach Kirby Smart knew what Sean Lewis was going to say about the top-ranked Bulldogs before the Kent State football coach opened his mouth.

“I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say,” Lewis said. “It’s the greatest collection of talent that’s ever been assembled on a football team because of the work Coach Smart and his staff and the tireless, relentless effort they put into building the program to an elite, elite level, right?”

Smart was quick to reply: “I get it. If I was him, I would be saying the same thing. But I know different.

“So when they upset us, they beat somebody good. I mean, that’s what they’re doing. They believe they got a shot to come in here and beat us and you want to build your opponent up the same way I respect his program.”

Smart knows quite a bit about mind games. But at the end of the day, Georgia (3-0) is an overwhelming favorite against the Golden Flashes (1-2) when the teams meet at 12 p.m. on Saturday in Athens.

While Smart says all the right things about Kent State having a “really good football team,” he knows it’s a tough sell to his Bulldogs. Georgia is favored by 45 points against a team that lost by 25 to unranked Washington and by 30 to then-No. 7 Oklahoma.

“It’s not so much about Kent State, it’s really about, does our team want to grow?,” Smart said. “And this is a week we need to have growth.”

Two areas where the Bulldogs need to take a step forward are running the ball and sacking the quarterback.

Georgia has yet to produce a produce a run of more than 20 yards. Kendall Milton has run for 167 yards on 28 attempts, with his longest a 19-yarder. Daijun Edwards has 80 yards on 14 carries, but none longer than 18. Georgia’s top two running backs and three best linemen from last season are now in the NFL after being drafted last spring.

Defensively, Georgia has allowed just 10 points — the fewest it has yielded through three games in 95 years — and has forced six turnovers. The lone touchdown it surrendered came in the final minute, against reserve players, when South Carolina was trailing 48-0 last week.

But Georgia, which had to replace eight defenders who were selected in last year’s NFL Draft, has just one sack so far this year. The Bulldogs recorded 49 last year, an average of 3.3 per game. Kent State has given up four sacks through three games.

Kent State quarterback Collin Schlee has completed 60 percent of his passes for 508 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. But his stats are skewed considering he threw for 199 yards and two touchdowns on 10-of-12 passing in a 63-10 win over Long Island University last week.

Meantime, Stetson Bennett has been so good he’s yet to take a snap in the fourth quarter this season.

At season’s outset, Bennett was a +3,000 longshot to win the Heisman Trophy, meaning a bettor would win $30 for every dollar wagered. He’s now between +1,500 and plus +2,000, depending on the sportsbook, to win the award.

He’s completed 73.9 percent of his passes for 952 yards and five touchdowns and been masterful leading an offense in which nine players have already found the end zone at least once.

Bennett is the first player to throw for at least 250 yards and have a passing touchdown and rushing touchdown in each of his first three games since Patrick Mahomes did so to open the 2016 season.

Georgia has made 27 trips inside the opposition’s red zone and has come away with 21 touchdowns and six field goals. Nine Bulldogs have at least one touchdown, with Bennett’s three rushing touchdowns and Bowers’ two receiving and one rushing tied for the team lead.

“We have had some great success, and obviously that’s what we are trying to build on,” said receiver Ladd McConkey, who has 10 catches for 162 yards and a touchdown. “When things are working, you roll with it, and I think we have done a great job with it. Getting the players out on the perimeter to do their things whether it’s receivers, tight ends or running backs. I think we have done a good job of dispersing the ball and letting everybody get a piece of the action.”