Bulldogs-Sooners showdown pits SEC’s top offense, defense – Chattanooga Times Free Press

Bulldogs-Sooners showdown pits SEC’s top offense, defense  Chattanooga Times Free Press

The Georgia Bulldogs lead the nation with 59.3 points per game following opening cakewalks over Tennessee State, Western Kentucky and Arkansas. If they're anywhere close to their average this time next week, that would be impressive. The No. 2 Bulldogs will hold their Southeastern Conference home opener this Saturday afternoon against Oklahoma, which has struggled the past two weekends in a 17-10 loss at Michigan and a 14-6 escape of visiting New Mexico. Yet the Sooners of Brent Venables are as stingy as ever defensively, allowing just 7.7 points per game after leading the league last year by yielding a 15.5-point clip. "They're very fundamentally sound and aggressive and attacking," Georgia coach Kirby Smart said Monday during his weekly news conference.

"They lead the country, or are tops in the country, every year in tackles for a loss and sacks. I don't think people give their coaches and their kids enough credit for how they play. They get off blocks. They strike you. "They play with unbelievable pad level and really an intensity that's unmatched in terms of the way they play. You see it on tape. Brent has always been that way. He did it at Clemson, and he's just a great defensive coach." Saturday's game, which has a 3:30 kickoff on ESPN, will pit the two defensive coordinators