5 things about Georgia football against ‘really physical’ LSU

Is Georgia football in for its first four quarter game of the season?

The No. 2-ranked Bulldogs (6-0 4-0 SEC) have won all of their games by two touchdowns or more, and no team has managed to stay within single digits of Georgia in the second halves of games this season.

WATCH: LSU coach Ed Orgeron says physical football ‘in our DNA’ 

That could change here at No. 13 LSU (5-1, 2-1) at 3:30 p.m. this afternoon.

“They have a big offensive line, they have big fullbacks, they have big tight ends, they have big backs,” Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart said this week. “They have big people, and that’s the way LSU is built.”

“They have some signs of being the old, really physical LSU, come downhill, hit you right in the mouth,” Smart said. “We’re a physical football team, but we’ve got to play physical., (and) I haven’t seen this team play with physicality, at least defensively, that it needs to.

“As far as questions about our defense or our defensive line, they’ll be answered this week. They better knuckle up, because it’s going to be a physical, tough, hard-nosed football game.”

Georgia players ares embracing the challenge.

“I like that (Smart) said that, he’s basically putting the game in our hands, and we just need to come out and be physical,” senior defensive end Jonathan Ledbetter said. “It’s going to be a tough game, it’s definitely going to be a four-quarter game.

“We’ve had some physical games, but we haven’t been battle-tested, and I think we’re actually excited to have a situation where that’s going to happen.”

Dinged-up D-Line

The Bulldogs could be down three defensive linemen for the game.

Junior end David Marshall (foot) and senior nose guard DaQuan Hawkins-Muckle (undisclosed) are out for the game, and sophomore nose guard Devonte Wyatt (lower body) is doubtful.

Georgia got a spark from nose guard Jordan Davis in its 41-13 win over Vanderbilt last Saturday. Davis, a freshman from Charlotte, N.C, stepped up in places of Wyatt and made a fourth down stop at the Bulldogs’ 14.

“But of all our kids that I’m most proud of, he’s worked the hardest to get where he is,” Smart said. “Where a lot of guys as freshman got to come in and they were 2 on the depth chart, or 3 or they got to play, or they played on special teams, this kid has grinded.”

Smart said sophomore Malik Herring and Notre Dame graduate transfer Jay Hayes will be called upon to get the 15 to 20 snaps Marshall was playing each game.

Georgia offense

The Bulldogs have had a chameleon-like identity on offense, changing from game to game and even series to series, depending on the matchups and game circumstances.

The Georgia quarterback situation has remained fluid, with Smart sticking with sophomore Jake Fromm as the starter, and using talented freshman Justin Fields in relief.