Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm calls signals during the Bulldogs' home game against Middle Tennessee State on Saturday.Georgia's 49-7 pummeling of Middle Tennessee State on Saturday afternoon was sandwiched between its more publicized 41-17 drubbing of South Carolina on Sept. 8 and this week's trip to Missouri.
The Missouri journey will represent the first of seven consecutive Southeastern Conference games in an eight-week stretch for coach Kirby Smart's Bulldogs, so there was the potential of a letdown against the Blue Raiders of Conference USA. Then again, Georgia hasn't seemed much for taking things for granted during a 3-0 start in which it has scored 135 points and allowed just 24.
"I wanted them to get better, and I felt like we had a good week of work," Smart said after the game. "That was my concern going into this past week. Would we get better, or would we be looking past this game? I was proud of the way they worked, because we had some really physical practices Tuesday and Wednesday.
"We didn't have to press their buttons. They all did the work, and I was pleased with what they did."
Georgia's latest resounding win resulted in the Bulldogs slipping past Clemson on Sunday to the No. 2 spot in the Associated Press poll behind Alabama.
The Bulldogs racked up 382 first-half yards on 37 plays for an average of 10.3 yards per play. Quarterback Jake Fromm completed 10 of 12 first-half passes for 128 yards and three touchdowns, while running backup Elijah Holyfield had eight first-half carries for 100 yards.
Neither Fromm nor Holyfield played in the second half after Georgia had established a 42-7 lead.
"It was awesome, and it was good to play to a standard," Fromm said. "Our coaches have been talking all week about playing to a standard and that it doesn't matter the opponent. We play how we need to play, and for the most part, I think everybody did that today."
Fromm did admit it was the "sloppiest we've been this year" when reflecting on Georgia's seven penalties and getting sacked twice. Georgia was flagged seven times and yielded two sacks combined during the first two games.
Missouri improved to 3-0 Saturday night with a 40-37 win at Purdue that was clinched by Tucker McCann's 25-yard field goal as time expired. Tigers quarterback Drew Lock threw for 375 yards and three touchdowns, but Boilermakers counterpart David Blough racked up 572 passing yards, the most by one quarterback ever against a Mizzou defense.
Georgia pulled out a 28-27 thriller two years ago at Missouri and defeated the Tigers 53-28 last season in a game that was 21-21 midway through the second quarter.
"I feel like any opponent we play, we're going to bring our standard to the field," Bulldogs junior receiver Mecole Hardman said. "We're going to play our brand of ball and go from there."
Hardman had a 5-yard touchdown catch and a 70-yard punt return for a score against the Blue Raiders (1-2), giving him four touchdowns through the first three games. Hardman's 24 points are second on the team to redshirt junior kicker Rodrigo Blankenship, who has 27.
Might a Heisman Trophy longshot be emerging?
"I don't pay attention to all that hype," Hardman said. "We're going to go out and practice, and we're going to go out and play. Like I said, we're playing to a standard."
Said Smart: "I'm all for our players getting all the notoriety they can, but that's not my objective."
Odds and ends
Terry Godwin injured one of his shins Saturday, but Smart said the senior receiver could have gone back in the game. Blankenship is 23-for-23 this season on having his kickoffs go for touchbacks. The average halftime score of a Georgia game this season is 33-6.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.