Belk Bowl 2014: Game Grades, Analysis for Georgia vs. Louisville
The Georgia Bulldogs were able to take down the Louisville Cardinals, 37-14, in the 2014 Belk Bowl. The final box score can be found here thanks to NCAA.com.
The Bulldogs did what they do best, and that’s run the football. But they also played solid defense, and the quarterback play was strong as well. For Louisville, it had its chances to stay in the game and make it competitive, but turnovers and costly plays on defense led to the team’s fourth loss of the season.
However, both teams showed they have the tools to take their game to the next level, and it will be fun to watch these teams in action next season. So here are game grades and analysis for Georgia and Louisville.
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| Passing Offense | B | B- |
| Running Offense | A | A+ |
| Passing Defense | B | B+ |
| Running Defense | B- | A |
| Special Teams | A | A |
| Coaching | A | A |
PASSING OFFENSE
The Bulldogs aren’t normally known for throwing the football. But they were able to make enough plays in the passing game to keep the offense going. Hutson Mason was 10-of-17 for 150 yards and one touchdown, while Brice Ramsey was 4-of-9 for 51 yards and one interception. Mason had to leave the game because of vision issues, which led to Ramsey getting all the snaps in the second half. Mason finishes his season with 10 wins, while Ramsey showed he has the potential to be a great quarterback for the Bulldogs in the near future.
RUNNING OFFENSE
It was just an average day for the Bulldogs run game as they rushed for 302 yards and 5.8 yards per carry. Nick Chubb was a monster as he ran for 269 yards and two scores, while Sony Michel added 31 yards and one score. They went up against a defense that only surrendered 93 rushing yards per game, and the Bulldogs ran over them. It’s clear the run game will be the strength for the Bulldogs next season.
PASSING DEFENSE
Even though the Bulldogs allowed 314 passing yards, they were able to get after Kyle Bolin and force him to thrown two interceptions. The Bulldogs were also able to apply pressure in the backfield as Lorenzo Carter, Ramik Wilson, Mike Thornton and Ray Drew all came up with sacks. The Bulldogs pass defense is much-improved from what it was last season, and it should only be stronger next season as it continues to learn defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt’s scheme.
RUNNING DEFENSE
The Bulldogs started a little rocky in run defense, but they were able to settle things down as the game progressed. The front seven was able to swarm to the football and not let Brandon Radcliff go wild despite rushing for 90 yards. This has been an area that has somewhat plagued the Bulldogs this year, but that was not the case in the Belk Bowl.
SPECIAL TEAMS
It was a good night for the special teams as they played well in coverage, and Marshall Morgan made all three of his field-goal attempts. The one mistake they made was a penalty was called on them for a block in the back in the first quarter, and had that not been called, Michel would have scored on a kick return. But the special teams is another area that has made great strides this season.
COACHING
Mark Richt did a great job preparing the guys to go to war against a very good Louisville team. The Bulldogs never let up, and they were focused at all times. But credit has to go to John Lilly for being the interim offensive coordinator. He had some questionable calls, but the offense scoring 37 points against an aggressive Cardinals defense is a great way to make a case to be the permanent offensive coordinator.
| Passing Offense | B | C- |
| Running Offense | C | D |
| Passing Defense | C | C+ |
| Running Defense | D | F |
| Special Teams | C | C |
| Coaching | C- | D |
PASSING OFFENSE
The Cardinals did throw for 300 yards, but the mistakes they made on offense were because of decisions made by Bolin as well as Reggie Bonnafon. Bolin only completed 50 percent of his passes and threw two picks, and Bonnafon only played one series and threw a bad interception. The problem is both players are freshmen and have a lot of growing up to do when it comes to performing well in big games.
RUNNING OFFENSE
Not having Michael Dyer affected the Cardinals because they never really got the run game going. Brandon Radcliff did rush for 90 yards, but the majority of those yards came in the first half, and he was shut down after that. The Cardinals did have to put the run game off to the side because they were falling behind, and the Bulldogs were starting to run the ball at will.
PASSING DEFENSE
For the most part, the Cardinals were solid in pass defense, but they did give up some big plays. The 44-yard touchdown pass at the start of the game started the downfall for the Cardinals, and the fact that seven different Georgia players caught passes can’t sit well with head coach Bobby Petrino either. The Cardinals only allowed 200 passing yards, but that's exactly what Georgia needed to win because it was going to get the rest of its yards on the ground.
RUNNING DEFENSE
And the Bulldogs got those rushing yards in a big way with over 300 yards on the ground. The Cardinals run defense is one of the best in the country, but it has not faced a running back like Chubb. It had trouble bringing Chubb down constantly and was always having to chase after him. It’s safe to say that the defense is glad it doesn’t have to see a guy like that in the ACC.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The special teams were a non-factor for the Cardinals. The coverage teams had issues stopping Michel, and they never attempted a field goal. But the one positive thing to take way from the special teams is Ryan Johnson was able to punt the ball effectively, averaging 38 yards per punt. It's safe to say the special teams have seen better days when it comes to kicking and returning kicks.
COACHING
Petrino is one of the better offensive minds in college football. But the fact he had to switch out quarterbacks really gave the Cardinals no rhythm, and that led to them scoring only 14 points. And defensive coordinator Todd Grantham tried everything to stop the Bulldogs rushing attack, but everything failed. I think the coaches for Louisville knew they were in for a very tough game, but they did not realize how strong the Bulldogs were on both sides of the ball.
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