Lies. Damned lies. Statistics.

We get it. But in a world where the majority of college football content goes heavy on analysis, perspective and subjective takes (hot and cold), there’s room for something else.

Cold. Hard. Numbers.

It seems a worthy endeavor to check out where the Georgia football team currently ranks in a lot of pertinent national and SEC categories after four games this season.

This post will go heavy on numbers and light on words in order to reflect that. But first, let’s go ahead and get all the “yeah, buts” out of the way.

  • Georgia has played two lesser opponents in Arkansas State and Murray State.
  • So have a lot of the nation’s top 10 teams. 
  • Arkansas State and Murray State (FCS) are a combined 5-5 so far in 2019. 
  • The Bulldogs also played a “down” Vanderbilt team (if there is a thing) as their only conference opponent.
  • The Commodores do not appear to trend statistically among the top 100 teams in the NCAA FBS. 
  • Georgia has faced a consensus Top 10 team at home in Notre Dame. 
  • The best highest-rated offense UGA has seen is Arkansas State (Rank: No. 50)
  • The best highest-rated defense UGA has seen is Notre Dame (Rank: No. 53) 

The truth is, a lot of the nation’s top teams will have some of those warts. LSU has faced a series of teams with total defense national ranks in Georgia Southern (No. 90), Texas (No. 102), Northwestern State (No. 112 in the FCS) and Vanderbilt (No. 125) amid its offensive onslaught.

Oklahoma’s resume of the same defensive speedbumps rankings goes Houston (No. 121), South Dakota State (No. 6 in the FCS rankings), UCLA (No. 127) and Texas Tech (No. 66) so far. Alabama has torn up Duke (No. 42), New Mexico State (No. 128), South Carolina (No. 67) and Ole Miss (No. 97) in 2019.

Ohio State has the nation’s No. 2 defense. It has taken on offensive titans rankings like Florida Atlantic (No. 62), Cincinnati (No. 73), Indiana (No. 70), Miami (OH) (No. 130) and Nebraska (No. 47) this fall. The Buckeyes and their No. 8 offense have seen teams with the following total defense ranking: FAU (No. 86), Cincinnati (No. 23), Indiana (No. 36), Miami (OH) (No. 101) and Nebraska (No. 77) this season.

At the risk of overdoing it, that’s enough context for the following point: The highest-rated teams have yet to face top-tier competition as of yet. 

Where does everybody rank having said all that?

Georgia’s stout offensive line is at the forefront of the national rankings in several categories. (Jeff Sentell/DawgNation)/Dawgnation)

Where Georgia football ranks nationally 

(out of 130 FBS teams)

  • Total offense: 15th (508 ypg)
  • Total defense: 9th (262 ypg)
  • Scoring offense: 11th (42.8 ppg)
  • Scoring defense: 6th (10 ppg)
  • 3rd down conversions (offense): 34th (45 percent)
  • 3rd down conversions (defense): 18th (30 percent)
  • Completion percentage (offense): 2nd (76 percent)
  • First downs gained (offense): 65th (95)
  • First downs allowed (defense): 7th (56)
  • Passing offense: 54th (256 ypg)
  • Passing yards per attempt: 13th (9.56)
  • Passing yards per completion: 52nd (12.63)
  • Passing yards allowed (defense): 46th (205.5)
  • Red zone defense: 17th (.714)
  • Red zone offense: 15th (.950)
  • Rushing yards: 15th (253 ypg)
  • Rushing yards allowed (defense): 5th (57 ypg)
  • Sacks: T-20th (3.0 sacks per game)
  • Sacks allowed: T-1st (1 sack and 0.25 per game)
  • Team passing efficiency: 11th (178.8 rating)
  • Team passing efficiency (defense): 13th (107.2 rating)
  • Tackles for losses: T-65th (6.0 TFLs per game)
  • Tackles for losses allowed: T-5th (3.25 per game)
  • Turnover margin: T-34th (+0.5 per game)
  • Yards per play: 4th (8.04 yards per play

Categories where Georgia ranks inside the top 15: 15

Categories where Georgia ranks outside the top 35: 5

Jake Fromm

  • Ranks No. 6 nationally in completion percentage: 75.6%
  • Ranks No. 5 in the SEC in completion percentage: 75.6%
  • Ranks No. 11 nationally in passing efficiency: (180.5)
  • Ranks No. 4 in the SEC in passing efficiency: (180.5)

D’Andre Swift

  • Ranks No. 8 nationally and No. 1 in the SEC in yards per attempt: 7.92
  • Ranks No. 27 nationally and No. 2 in the SEC in rushing yards per game: 97.0
D’Andre Swift leads the SEC in yards per rushing attempt so far in 2019. (Jeff Sentell/DawgNation)/Dawgnation)

Where Georgia football ranks in the SEC

  • Total yards: 9th (2035 yards)
  • Total offense per game: 3rd (509 ypg)
  • Passing yards: 7th (1023)
  • Passing yards per game: 7th (256 ypg)
  • Rushing yards: 4th (1012)
  • Rushing yards per game: 1st (253 ypg)
  • Scoring offense: 3rd (42.8 ppg)
  • Total defense: 1st (262 ypg)
  • Scoring defense: 2nd (10 ppg)
  • 3rd down conversions (offense): 5th (45 percent)
  • 3rd down conversions allowed (defense): 3rd (30 percent)
  • Completion percentage (offense): 2nd (76 percent)
  • First downs allowed (defense): 2nd (56)
  • Passing yards per attempt: 3rd (9.56)
  • Passing yards per completion: 5th (12.63)
  • Passing yards allowed (defense): 5th (205.5)
  • Red zone defense: 4th (.714)
  • Red zone offense: 2nd (.950)
  • Rushing yards allowed (defense): 1st (57 ypg)
  • Sacks: 2nd (3.0 sacks per game)
  • Sacks allowed: 1st (1 sack and 0.25 per game)
  • Team passing efficiency: 3rd (178.8 rating)
  • Team passing efficiency (defense): 2nd (107.2 rating)
  • Tackles for losses: T-10th (6.0 TFLs per game)
  • Tackles for losses allowed: 1st (3.25 per game)
  • Yards per play: 2nd (8.04 yards per play)

Categories where Georgia ranks inside the top 3: 17

Categories where Georgia ranks outside the top 6: 4

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