No. 3 Georgia secured a 27-8 victory over No. 17 Florida coming off its bye week, but the Bulldogs' offensive output raised questions about their passing attack ahead of a critical stretch. Georgia managed just 318 total yards against a Florida defense that entered the game ranked 13th in the SEC and 121st nationally in passing yards allowed per game (255.0). The Bulldogs' defense forced four turnovers, including a scoop-and-score, and turned two other takeaways into 10 points on short fields.
Quarterback Gunner Stockton completed 13 of 23 passes for only 101 yards. Freshman Craig Dandridge led the receivers with 39 yards, 32 of which came on the longest pass play of the game. Head coach Kirby Smart acknowledged the need for improvement, telling ESPN's Holly Rowe, "We missed some throws. We left some points out there. We gotta get better."
The passing struggles come as Georgia prepares to face a series of high-powered offenses over the next three weeks: Ole Miss with quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, Missouri with Austin Simmons, and South Carolina with LaNorris Sellers. The Bulldogs' defense has excelled this season, but the team's national championship aspirations will likely require a more consistent aerial threat. Stockton has shown flashes, throwing for 295 yards and three touchdowns against Vanderbilt and making key throws in the road win over Alabama, but three turnovers in the loss to Auburn highlight his inconsistency. Georgia's leading receiver, Dandridge, has just 20 catches for 349 yards on the season, and tight end Lawson Luckie leads that group with 12 receptions for 197 yards and two touchdowns.
