Georgia
Vanderbilt
ATHENS, Ga. (10/01/2026) — The Georgia Bulldogs controlled Thursday night's SEC matchup at Sanford Stadium and beat the Vanderbilt Commodores 38-14. Georgia outgained Vanderbilt 471-293 and won the first-down battle 26-13. Gunner Stockton led the Bulldogs with 295 yards and three touchdowns, and Georgia never let Vanderbilt find a rhythm on offense.
The midweek SEC win gives Georgia another conference result and extra time to prepare before its next game. Vanderbilt now has to regroup after a road trip in which it was outgained by 178 yards.
How It Happened
Georgia moved the ball well both through the air and on the ground. The Bulldogs completed 25 of 32 passes for 295 yards and added 176 rushing yards. With 471 total yards, Georgia kept the Vanderbilt defense from settling into a single plan.
The Bulldogs also kept drives alive. They converted seven third downs and held the ball for 32:48, which limited Vanderbilt's possessions and wore down the Commodores' defense over four quarters.
Vanderbilt had some offensive success. The Commodores threw for 208 yards on 14-of-25 passing, and Blaze Berlowitz led the way with 190 yards. Sedrick Alexander scored a touchdown, and Brock Taylor made both extra points. Vanderbilt converted five third downs but finished with only 85 rushing yards, so it struggled to sustain drives the way Georgia did.
Both defenses got to the quarterback. Justin Williams recorded a sack for Georgia, and CJ Heard had one for Vanderbilt.
Turning Point
The game turned on a steady difference in efficiency rather than one big play. Georgia had twice as many first downs as Vanderbilt, 26 to 13, which kept the Bulldogs' offense on the field and the Commodores' offense off it.
Vanderbilt's 85 rushing yards were the key gap. Without a consistent running game, the Commodores relied on the passing game to create offense and could not match Georgia's balance. Georgia ran for 176 yards to go with its passing output and could pick its matchups. Vanderbilt also committed one turnover, which cost it a possession in a game where it was already behind on time of possession.
The final margin was 24 points. Georgia's touchdowns and Peyton Woodring's eight points kept the scoreboard moving, and Vanderbilt did not generate enough offense to keep pace.
Star of the Game
Gunner Stockton, Georgia
Stockton was the most productive player on the field. He accounted for 295 yards and three touchdowns and was at the center of a Georgia offense that completed 78 percent of its passes. The Bulldogs went 25-of-32 through the air, and that efficiency helped them build and protect their lead.
Peyton Woodring also played a big role with eight points. Justin Williams' sack helped a Georgia defense that held Vanderbilt to 293 total yards.
For Vanderbilt, Blaze Berlowitz's 190 yards was the team's best individual output, and Sedrick Alexander added a touchdown.
What It Means
For the Georgia Bulldogs, this was a complete performance against an SEC opponent. Georgia gained more than 470 yards, controlled the clock and showed balance between the run and the pass, which are qualities that matter in conference play. The Thursday kickoff also gives Georgia a longer week to recover and prepare.
For the Vanderbilt Commodores, the loss shows what they need to work on. The passing game produced more than 200 yards, but 85 rushing yards and 13 first downs were not enough to compete with Georgia's offense. Building a more consistent ground game and staying on the field longer will be priorities as Vanderbilt continues SEC play.
Georgia finished with the edge in total yards, first downs, rushing yards, passing yards and time of possession on its way to a 38-14 win at Sanford Stadium.
