ATHENS — The Georgia football defense was in lockdown mode long enough for the Bulldogs’ offense to get into gear on Saturday night.

The No. 6-ranked Bulldogs (8-1, 5-1 SEC) beat Missouri, 27-0, on Saturday night between the hedges of Sanford Stadium.

It’s the first time since the 1981 season that Georgia recorded three shutouts in a season.

Freshman receiver George Pickens caught touchdown passes on Georgia’s first drive of the game and first drive of the fourth quarter, the first two-touchdown performance of his young career.

Jake Fromm was 13-of-29 passing for 173 yards with 2 TD and had a 16-yard scramble for a first down.

Georgia’s defense has recorded 25 scoreless quarters, the most in the nation. The Bulldogs also remain the only team in the Division l, Division ll or Division lll ranks not to allow a rushing touchdown all season.

Missouri (5-4, 2-3) managed just 198 total yards while Georgia had 339 yards.

Stock Up

George Pickens finished with 5 catches for 67 yards. Pickens would have had a third TD catch, a 68-yarder, but there was an illegal formation called on UGA for having five men in the backfield. Pickens was supposed to be on the line of scrimmage because the tight end was off the line in the formation.

Monty Rice came up with a tackle-for-loss on Missouri’s second-and-goal from the UGA 2, preserving the Bulldogs’ streak of games not allowing a rushing TD.

Richard LeCounte’s interception and 71-yard return in the second quarter stemmed a Missouri drive and set up a Georgia field goal.

Linebacker Tae Crowder led the Bulldogs with 7 tackles.

D’Andre Swift broke off a 47-yard run to set the tone at the start of the third quarter. It was Swift’s longest run of the season.

Dominick Blaylock had punt returns of 18 and 16 yards.

Lawrence Cager was the leading receiver when he left the game at halftime after aggravating the separated shoulder he suffered earlier this season. Cager had 6 catches for 93 yards including two third-down conversion catches.

Kearis Jackson had a nice 14-yard reception on third down, converting for a first down. It was Jackson’s first catch since returning from the broken hand he suffered in the season-opening game against Vanderbilt.

Freshman defensive back Tyrique Stevenson enjoyed his most productive night with two pass breakups and two tackles.

Stock Even

Rodrigo Blankenship had field goal makes of 20, 48 and 47 before missing a 43-yard attempt in the third quarter and then making a 29-yard field goal.

Jake Fromm was steady much of the game, but he under-threw Eli Wolf in the end zone on what would have been a touchdown pass. UGA kicked a field goal.

Stock Down

Matt Landers had a catch but didn’t secure the ball, and it was stripped away, ruled as an incompletion.