ATHENS, Ga. - Georgia's defense has allowed five touchdowns in five games so far this season.
None of those scores have occurred on the ground.
The Bulldogs lead the Southeastern Conference and rank fifth nationally in rushing defense, allowing just 59.6 yards a game, and Georgia is the only FBS program yet to allow a rushing score. That unique accomplishment is one the third-ranked Bulldogs (5-0, 2-0) hope to continue in Saturday's game against visiting South Carolina (2-3, 1-2), which kicks off at noon and will be televised by ESPN.
"We don't really think about it," Bulldogs senior nose tackle Michael Barnett said this week. "We just think about doing our job and playing the next play. If we do what we're supposed to do, good things like that will happen."
Good things have been happening for Georgia defenders, with the Bulldogs yielding a stingy 10.8 points per game. A portion of that average transpired when Georgia backup quarterback Stetson Bennett had an interception returned for a touchdown against Murray State on Sept. 7, and the Racers also struck for a 60-yard touchdown pass.
Last Saturday night at Tennessee, the Bulldogs allowed a 73-yard aerial score from Brian Mauer to Marquez Callaway, with the three other defensive touchdowns given up by Georgia so far coming on a 12-yard pass in Knoxville and on 1- and 4-yard passes against Notre Dame on Sept. 21.
"It's always a point of pride, and I think every defense in the country would tell you they don't want to allow people to run the ball in," Georgia coach Kirby Smart said, "but I don't want them to throw it in, either. It's not like you can say you want to give up a bunch of passing TDs and no rushing TDs. We want to keep people out of our end zone altogether, and we've been able to do that at a decent rate, but we've got a defense that has to continue to get better.
"We have to tackle better. We have to force more turnovers, and we have to get more three-and-outs. We're proud of the fact we haven't given up a rushing touchdown, but we have been giving up scores from further out."
Georgia's most recent rushing touchdown allowed was to Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger early in the fourth quarter of January's Sugar Bowl.
South Carolina coach Will Muschamp will look to break that streak this weekend, but he knows it won't be easy. His Gamecocks did not have a rushing score in last year's 41-17 loss to the Bulldogs in Columbia, nor did they in their 24-10 setback two years ago inside Sanford Stadium.
Rico Dowdle's 1-yard run in the fourth quarter of the 2016 game was South Carolina's most recent rushing touchdown against Georgia.
"Up front, they're able to establish a new line of scrimmage a lot in what they do," Muschamp said, "and the quality depth they have speaks volumes to the success they've had. They're really deep in the front seven, so they roll and play a bunch of guys. They're big up front, and they're active. They go in and out of three and four down.
"Their linebackers are very active, and they are a really good tackling team. They play with great effort to the ball."
Defensive success is about all 11 players on the field, and Muschamp believes Georgia's secondary may be the biggest reason the Bulldogs have yet to allow a rushing score.
"Both of their safeties erase a lot of things for them as far as the ball getting to the second level and getting the ball carrier down," he said. "You see a lot of communication from those guys, and I've been impressed with those two guys - (Richard) LeCounte and (J.R.) Reed."
Dowdle was a freshman when he scored against Georgia. He's now a senior who has averaged 6.6 yards per carry this season and rushed for 102 yards against both Alabama and Kentucky.
Georgia has a streak that won't go on forever, though Bulldogs defenders don't want to think that way.
"We've been doing a good job of pursuing to the ball," Reed said, "and those guys up front have done a great job."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524. Follow him on Twitter @DavidSPaschall.