Barry Odom mentioned both after the game and again on Monday that he felt his team played better first and second down defense in a 53-28 loss to Georgia. Third down was the issue.
On the surface, this is definitely true. It's indisputable third down was an issue. The Bulldogs were 13-for-18 on third down and Missouri ranks 128th out of 130 teams in getting the opponent off the field. The Tigers are allowing a first down on 53.02% percent of third down plays they face on defense.
But we wanted to go a little more in depth and break down the numbers. Was Mizzou better on early downs? Let's take a look.
                          FIRST DOWN
Georgia ran 29 plays on first down. The Bulldogs ran the ball on 25 of them. The average gain was 8.56 yards per carry.
To be fair, Georgia had touchdown runs of 35 and 36 yards, as well as a 71-yard gallop on first and ten. Only four times did UGA run the ball on first and ten and get another first down. On those four runs, UGA averaged 39 yards per carry. On the other 21 first down runs, the Tigers limited them to 2.66 per carry.
When Georgia threw the ball on first down, it completed one of four passes. That one was a 19-yard touchdown.
So, overall, yes the defense was pretty good on first down. In fact it was very good. Except for five plays. Of course, those five plays accounted for 177 yards and 20 points (and set up another touchdown).
                         SECOND DOWN
Georgia ran a total of 24 second down plays in the game. The average distance on those plays was 9.17 yards. In other words, when the Bulldogs did not get a first down on first down, they averaged less than a yard per play. Truly boom or bust.
Of the 24 second down plays, 15 were runs and nine were passes. When Georgia threw the ball on second down, it completed six of eight passes, but had just one gain of ten yards or more and did not score a touchdown. Missouri's lone sack also came on a second down passing attempt.
However, one of the defensive problems--and there were plenty--in this game came when Georgia ran the ball on second down. They did so 15 times for 121 yards, an average of 8.06 per carry. The Bulldogs picked up six first downs and scored a touchdown on second down running plays. They had six runs of ten yards or more on second down.
                         THIRD DOWN
The average third down to go distance for Georgia was 7.05 yards. Again, this discounts the 11 times UGA picked up a first down without ever getting to third down, but if the Tigers got there (and they did so 18 times), they were in a favorable defensive position. And then the wheels came off.
First, let's just look at run versus pass on third down. Georgia ran it six times for 58 yards and five first downs on third down. The Bulldogs threw 11 times on third down. They completed eight of them for eight first downs and two touchdowns. Jake Fromm's one interception did come on third down. But of the eight third down completions, none was shorter than 12 yards. He had six completions of at least 20 yards, three of 30 or more and two of 50 or more on third down passes.
Now let's get a little more situational. Third down and three yards or less is considered third and short. Georgia faced that situation four times. It converted all four. Third and four to seven yards to go we consider fourth and medium. Georgia was in that spot six times. It got five first downs. So when UGA had third and less than eight yards to go, it converted nine out of ten times. In third and long (anything eight yards or more), Georgia still converted 50%, going 4-for-8.
Coming into the game, Georgia was 39-for-84 on third down this season, a conversion rate of 46.4%. That would rank 22nd in the country, which is very good. But after the performance against the Tigers, UGA's conversion percentage is up to 50.98, putting the Bulldogs fifth in the country.
                       CONCLUSIONS
What Odom said, technically, was correct. Missouri was better on first and second down. They still weren't good. The Bulldogs picked up 11 first downs on first or second down plays. They had five touchdowns on first or second down and 11 plays of ten yards or longer. Third down defense is most certainly an Achilles' heel for these Tigers, but getting to third down hasn't been all that easy either.
