ATHENS, Ga. - Georgia's defense this season has feasted on the lackluster likes of Southern University, Louisiana-Monroe and a Vanderbilt team coming off a home loss to Western Kentucky.
Even the biggest challenge to date, South Carolina, arrived at Sanford Stadium with a former walk-on as the starting quarterback.
The level of competition changes sharply Saturday, when No. 13 Alabama comes to town to face the No. 8 Bulldogs. The Crimson Tide have plenty of all-conference candidates in their offensive arsenal, most notably tailback Derrick Henry, tight end O.J. Howard, left tackle Cam Robinson and center Ryan Kelly.
"Any time you play a team like this, it comes down to who can be more physical," Georgia senior inside linebacker Jake Ganus said. "They've got some great running backs and a great offensive line. They've got a great everybody."
Saturday could be the barometer of all barometers for Georgia's second defense under coordinator Jeremy Pruitt. Last year's version was superior to Todd Grantham's fourth and final defense in 2013, and this season's unit has been better than a year ago, when six seniors were in the starting lineup.
The Bulldogs have only three senior defensive starters this year - Ganus, nose tackle Chris Mayes and outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins - with Ganus in his first season after playing three years at UAB.
"There is a little more familiarity of exactly what we want," Pruitt said, "but we had a good group of seniors last year who bought in and tried to kind of help us along. The guys we've got back learned from those guys and are now helping the young guys."
Georgia is allowing just 13.5 points per game this season after yielding 20.7 last year, and its average of 107.2 rushing yards allowed is well below last season's 166.8-yard clip. This year's pass defense (166.0 yards per game) is down slightly from a year ago (170.4), but the Bulldogs lead the league in pass-efficiency defense.
Are the Bulldogs vastly improved in Pruitt's second year, or has it been more about the schedule to this point? And what about Alabama being the gauge to answer this?
"The one thing we're trying to focus on is Georgia, because that's what we can control," Pruitt said. "That's been the focus each week. We've got to do a better job of communicating out there, and we've got to do a better job of recognizing formations and getting aligned a little better.
"We need to play a litle more consistently. We are doing some good things, but we've got to continue to improve."
Ganus has no reference point to answer such questions, since he was in Conference USA last season, but Georgia's two other senior defensive starters like what they've seen so far.
"I definitely think we're jelling as a unit," Mayes said. "We've got more younger guys who need to get a grasp of the game, but they're coming along for us and playing well. I definitely think we have more energy, and I think we're more physical and meaner."
Said Jenkins: "We've got guys now who have bought in and are not selfish people. We have a stronger leadership base, and we don't have just the coaches holding us to a higher standard but some of the players as well, and that has pushed us so far."
Georgia has yielded 73 points in its last two meetings against Alabama, when the Crimson Tide established a straightforward running game the Bulldogs couldn't combat. Alabama still has that potential this time around, but Pruitt has noticed some different characteristics to this year's Tide.
"It looks like they're doing a little bit of the things that hurt us in the past defensively when I coached there," Pruitt said. "They're running run-pass options, and they do a really good job in their screen game. They've got playmakers on the outside, and they're getting their quarterback out on the perimeter for some easy throws."
Although versatile Bulldogs junior linebacker Leonard Floyd may be the best defender for either team Saturday and could have the biggest impact of all, Georgia's hopes of stopping the Crimson Tide start with Pruitt and his preparation. Once Saturday's game kicks off, that responsibility will shift to Ganus, who will try to contain the Tide up the middle.
It's quite the challenge for Georgia in Pruitt's second season, as well as for Ganus, a former two-star quarterback prospect who will be competing in a sea of five stars.
"When I was talking about going to Georgia, I had people tell me that I might be able to play on special teams," Ganus said. "My goal the whole time was to play and start and do everything that I thought I could do. My ultimate goal was to come in and help this team win."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.