By the Numbers: A final look back at Georgia’s season, peek ahead to 2018

Just how good was Rodrigo Blankenship? Where did Nick Chubb and Sony Michel’s brilliant careers end up? What were the final stat rankings for Georgia on offense and defense? Here’s a final numerical look back on the Georgia football season, and a sneak peek ahead to the next one.

Leading numbers

6

Georgia games in which the first team to score did not win the game: The National Championship Game, the Rose Bowl, the SEC Championship Game, the first Auburn game, Kentucky and Notre Dame.

3.5

The final line on the National Championship Game. Therefore the final outcome – and the fact Alabama didn’t have to kick an extra point – was either a bad beat if you had Alabama and the points, or a nice consolation if you took Georgia to cover.

2

Field goals by Rodrigo Blankenship of 50-plus yards in the College Football Playoffs. That had not been done since the playoff began in 2014 – and, in fact, the longest field goal in a playoff game had been from 47 yards.

4,769

Nick Chubb’s final career rushing yardage, second in school and SEC history to Herschel Walker (5,259).

3,638

Sony Michel’s final career rushing yardage, third in Georgia history.

45

Aaron Davis’ career starts, tying him with Nate Taylor for the most ever by a walk-on non-kicker at Georgia. Davis has been on scholarship the past few season but came to campus in 2013 without a scholarship.

53

Dominick Sanders’ career starts, tying kicker Blair Walsh for the most in school history. The only game he didn’t start in his four-year career came in his junior season, and that was because he was suspended for the first half because of targeting in the previous game.

15

Games played by Georgia this season, the most in program history and the most of any team at the FBS level.

4

Times this season that Georgia shut out a team in the first half: Alabama, Florida, Tennessee and Appalachian State.

9

Times this season Georgia held a team scoreless in the first quarter.

137

Roquan Smith’s tackles this season, including a career-high 13 against Alabama.

67

Blankenship’s touchbacks this season, the most in Georgia history and third-most in the country this season.

2

Georgia’s final rank in the AP and coaches polls, tying for its highest finish in the AP poll since after the 2007 season, and the highest in the coaches poll since finishing No. 1 after the 1980 season. (The coaches had the Bulldogs at No. 3 after the 2007 season.)

+5

Georgia’s victories compared to last season, the highest such jump since 2001-02, which also saw the Bulldogs go from 8 to 13 wins.

Georgia final stat rankings

20th

Scoring offense: 35.4 points per game.

32nd

Total offense: 453.3 yards per game.

12th

Offensive yards per play: 6.7. (That was No. 3 in the SEC, behind Missouri and Ole Miss.)

Ninth

Rushing offense: 258.4 yards per game. (Four of the teams ahead of Georgia are option teams, and Georgia was first among SEC teams.)

106th

Passing offense: 176.9 yards per game. But …

11th

Yards per passing attempt: 8.7.

Sixth

Total defense: 294.9 yards per game.

Sixth

Scoring defense: 16.4 points per game.

20th

Rushing defense: 126 yards per game.

Eighth

Passing defense: 168.9 yards per game.

A few individual stat rankings

Eighth

Jake Fromm’s final national rank in QB efficiency rating (160.09), tied with Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett, and second in the SEC behind only Missouri’s Drew Lock.

Eighth

Mecole Hardman’s national rank in punt return average: 11.78 yards per return.

Ninth

Cameron Nizialek’s national rank in punting: 45.0 yards per punt.

Seventh

Blankenship’s national rank in field goal percentage: 87 percent.

Fourth

Blankenship’s national rank in kickoff yard average: 64.29.

Seventh

Roquan Smith’s national rank in tackles: 137.

And finally …

+4

Georgia’s final turnover margin.

10

Georgia starters in the National Championship Game who are seniors: LT Isaiah Wynn, TB Nick Chubb, TB Sony Michel, WR Javon Wims, NT John Atkins, CB Malkom Parrish, OLB Davin Bellamy, ILB Reggie Carter, S Dominick Sanders, CB Aaron Davis.

6

Other Georgia players who appeared in the game and are seniors: OLB Lorenzo Carter, P Brice Ramsey, FB Christian Payne, OT Aulden Bynum, TE Jeb Blazevich, P Cameron Nizialek.

5

Georgia underclassmen who have yet to declare whether they will return: ILB Roquan Smith, CB Deandre Baker, DT Trenton Thompson, C Lamont Gaillard and WR Terry Godwin. (All but Thompson started in the championship game, and Thompson played extensively.)

7

Georgia home games next season: Austin Peay (Sept. 1), Middle Tennessee (Sept. 15), Tennessee (Sept. 29), Vanderbilt (Oct. 6), Auburn (Nov. 10), Massachusetts (Nov. 17), Georgia Tech (24)

4

Georgia true road games: at South Carolina (Sept. 8), at Missouri (Sept. 22), at LSU (Oct. 13), at Kentucky (Nov. 3.)

2

Georgia opponents in 2018 who are ranked in the final Top 25 AP poll of the 2017 season: Auburn (10) and LSU (18).