Defense / ST notes: Michigan gashed by Georgia's big plays, run game
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Georgia fifth-year senior quarterback Stetson Bennett threw two interceptions in a loss to Alabama in the SEC title game, but — like his team — bounced back with a vengeance in a 34-11 Orange Bowl victory over Michigan.
Bennett completed 21 of his 31 passes for 310 yards — his second-highest yardage total of his season — and three touchdowns, while adding 32 yards on the ground. He was hot right out of the gate, tossing the game’s first touchdown and leading the Bulldogs to a 17-0 edge.
“They did a very good job early in the game — first half especially — of extending drives,” Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said. “They were able to bleed out yards on the perimeter with some of the bubbles and swing routes. Then hit the big play.
“They got the swing route early to [freshman tight end Brock] Bowers [for 35 yards on Georgia’s first drive] — that was big.”
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The deep ball was on, too, with Bennett completing three of his four passes that traveled 20 or more yards in the air for 145 yards according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). He got the ball out quickly and was pressured on just seven of his 26 dropbacks.
Big plays were a theme for Georgia as a whole. Michigan’s defense allowed 10 gains of 15-plus yards — seven of them being passes. That included two passes that went for more than 50 yards, and both of them saw a Michigan linebacker as the primary man in coverage — second-year freshman Jaylen Harrell on one and freshman Junior Colson on another. Running back James Cook caught two big passes — a 53-yarder and a 39-yard touchdown.
Georgia didn’t turn it over and allowed zero sacks, playing a clean game. The Wolverines’ defense didn’t cause the havoc it normally does.
The Bulldogs’ trick play — a halfback pass from running back Kenny McIntosh to wideout Adonai Mitchell — even worked, showing just how little resistance the Wolverines provided.
Michigan Fails To Stop The Run
The Bulldogs were successful on the ground, rushing for 190 yards — the third-most Michigan has allowed in a game this season — and gaining 5.4 yards per attempt.
Georgia averaged 6.1 yards to go per third-down attempt, and converted on 10 of 16 tries. The Bulldogs had four or less yards to go on nine of those plays, converting eight times.
“They were able to bleed out yards and pick up first downs,” Harbaugh said. “I thought they were really effective, and they must’ve had eight or nine third-and-shorts. They were able to convert and keep the chains moving, and [we] couldn’t get them out of that rhythm early.”
Miscellaneous Michigan Football Defense / Special Teams Notes
• Redshirt junior linebacker Josh Ross led Michigan with 11 tackles. Second-year freshman defensive tackle Kris Jenkins was second on the team with a career-high seven stops.
• Georgia’s average of 5.4 yards per carry marks the first time Michigan allowed 5.0 or more this season.
• Michigan did not record a sack for the first time this season. The previous time that stat was true for the Maize and Blue was in a 2020 loss to Indiana.
• Georgia piled up 328 passing yards, marking the second time Michigan has yielded 300 or more yards through the air in 2021, with Ohio State (394) being the other instance.
• The last time before Friday that Michigan allowed an opponent to pass for four touchdowns was against Ohio State in 2019.
• The Wolverines had just one pass breakup (sophomore safety Daxton Hill).
• Hill (undisclosed reason) did not travel with the team to South Florida but joined the Wolverines one day before the Orange Bowl. He was a “game-time decision,” per Harbaugh, but started and took 37 snaps (ninth-most on Michigan defense).
• Four different Bulldog rushers totaled 30 or more yards on the ground.
• Michigan registered just two quarterback hurries (redshirt junior defensive tackle Jess Speight and redshirt sophomore cornerback Vincent Gray).
• Second-year freshman wideout A.J. Henning returned one punt for 16 yards.
• Junior kicker Jake Moody nailed a 36-yard field goal, marking his 23rd made kick on 25 attempts this season.
• Michigan redshirt junior punter Brad Robbins booted it away twice for 89 yards, with a long of 47 yards.
