MVDs: Auburn Edition

You don’t waltz into the Loveliest Little Penal Colony on the Plains and waltz out with a 24 point victory without a total team effort. But even then, some Georgia Bulldogs are bound to distinguish themselves above and beyond their fellows. They are the MVDs, your Most Valuable ‘Dawgs from Georgia’s 34-10 win over the Auburn Tigers.

Offense: Stetson Bennett. Sure the Mailman’s 231 passing yards and 2 touchdowns were nice. But it was his 6 rushes for 41 yards, including a key 30 yard 3rd down scamper late in the 3rd quarter that really added a new challenge for the Auburn defense.

Defense: Dan Jackson. “Dangerous Dan” played extended snaps with the injury to Christopher Smith, II and responded by leading the team with six tackles. More than that he kept tabs on Tiger receivers downfield through a series of madcap Bo Nix scrambles that could have turned into big plays. It was a quietly effective effort that he may need to repeat in the coming weeks if Smith isn’t 100% and as Tykee Smith builds up to a full workload.

Special teams: William Lawrence Muschamp. This one was tougher than usual, folks. Jack Podlesny hit all 4 extra points, but missed a field goal that really could have pushed the lead and delivered some momentum. Jake Camarda punted three times and uncharacteristically only landed one inside the 20. No Bulldog punt or kickoff return kicked off a scoring drive.

So why are we spotlighting the interim special teams coordinator in a game where the special teams was nothing special? Mainly because nothing extraordinarily bad happened, either. In fact Georgia’s special teams execution in their first true hostile road environment in twenty-three months was one thing that worried me just a touch going into this one. But to a man they never made a momentum-killing error and did enough to preserve a decisive win. That earns an attaboy from me for Agent Muschamp.

As always feel free to drop your choices in the comments. And...

Go ‘Dawgs!!!