BATON ROUGE, La. — Georgia has the top offensive line in the country, according to the analysts at Pro Football Focus, and that could be the difference at LSU for the Bulldogs.
The No. 2-ranked Georgia program (6-0,4-0 SEC) plays the No. 13 Tigers (5-1, 2-1) at 3:30 p.m. looking to hand coach Ed Orgeron his first back-to-back losses since he took over at LSU.
The Tigers are 6-0 following a loss under Orgeron, but they haven’t faced a team like the Bulldogs.
Georgia left tackle Andrew Thomas, an FWAA Freshman All-American, leads a Georgia offensive line that has provided ample running room for D’Andre Swift and Elijah Holyfield.
From Pro Football Focus:
“With a PFF overall grade of 90.8, Thomas is the highest-graded offensive lineman in the nation, dominating both in pass protection and as a run-blocker. From 105 pass-blocking snaps, he has allowed just two hits and three hurries, with no sacks through five games. His PFF run-blocking grade of 90.5 is the second-highest mark of among all offensive linemen as well.”
Thomas was knocked out of the second game of the season at South Carolina with an ankle injury and missed the Middle Tennessee game.
Thomas is back but now Georgia is missing right guard Ben Cleveland, who suffered a leg injury at Missouri in Week Four.
Still, the Bulldogs consistency across the line has impressed the PFF analysts.
“As good as Thomas is though, it is the consistency across the line that drives their high ranking, with the Bulldogs ranking 15th in the nation with a 93.3 pass-blocking efficiency rating” PFF writes, “and owning the highest PFF run-blocking grade as a unit at 86.7 through six games.”
The game will also feature two of the nation’s top cornerbacks, Georgia’s Deandre Baker and LSU’s Greedy Williams.
Interestingly enough, Pro Football Focus gives LSU’s quarterback a higher grade than Georgia starter Jake Fromm.
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