Oklahoma HC Brent Venables Admires the ‘Consistency’ That No. 2 Georgia Plays With

NORMAN — OU coach Brent Venables wasn’t off base when he called No. 2 Georgia the “gold standard” for winning close football games.

Since Kirby Smart took over as Georgia’s head coach in 2016, the Bulldogs are 120-21. They won back-to-back national titles in 2021 and 2022 and have won three of the last four SEC titles.

Of course, Smart is widely regarded as one of college football’s best coaches in recent memory. And he has done a superb job of recruiting, acquiring and retaining top talent throughout his tenure.

“One of the most consistent programs in college football the last six, seven, eight years,” Venables said. “They've been fantastic.”

Here’s what to know about Georgia’s personnel ahead of Saturday’s game between the Sooners and the Bulldogs:

QB Gunner Stockton

Gunner Stockton, a 6-foot-1, 215-pound quarterback from Tiger, Ga., is playing his second season as UGA’s starter behind center.

What stands out most about Stockton is his clean, non-flashy style of play.

Last year, Stockton threw for 2,894 yards, 24 touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 69.7 percent of his passes. So far in 2026, Stockton has registered 583 yards, nine touchdowns and zero interceptions on 38-of-45 passing.

And though Stockton isn’t a true dual-threat quarterback, he is more than capable of making plays with his legs. He rushed for 462 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025, and he’s already up to 100 rushing yards in 2026.

“I love how he plays,” Venables said. “He's just a really, really good football player. Plays the game the right way — can run, can throw.”

RB Nate Frazier

Junior running back Nate Frazier has been an incredibly efficient tailback since he stepped foot on UGA’s campus.

In 2025, Frazier logged 947 rushing yards and six touchdowns while averaging 5.5 yards per carry. His first three games of 2026 have been even more efficient — Frazier ran for 202 yards and five touchdowns on only 24 carries in wins over Tennessee State, Western Kentucky and Arkansas.

Frazier was listed as questionable on Wednesday’s SEC availability report after he suffered an injury late in the Arkansas game. But assuming he’s healthy enough to play against the Sooners, Venables knows that his defense will have its hands full.

“Man, he’s a dude,” Venables said. “Our guys are going to have to bring it. He runs through people through their soul over and over and over.”

Other offensive weapons

Stockton and Frazier are the “big names” on Georgia’s offense. But they’re far from the Bulldogs’ only weapons.

True freshman Craig Dandridge and junior Sacovie White-Helton are the Bulldogs’ leading receivers through three games with 166 and 131 yards, respectively. Other wideouts who have registered multiple catches include London Humphreys, Isaiah Canion and Jeremy Bell.

Georgia’s tight end room is also strong. Lawson Luckie has already logged four receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown, and he is one of five UGA tight ends who have already caught at least one pass in 2026.

Furthermore, Venables described the Bulldogs’ offensive line as “massive.” All five of Georgia’s starting linemen are “home-grown” players who began their college careers at UGA and are still with the program.

Across the board, there aren’t any weaknesses on UGA’s offense, per Venables.

“I've just got admiration,” Venables said. “I'm not trying to build them up, gas ‘em up or anything else. They play at a really high level from an efficiency and consistency (standpoint).”

Elite defense

Defensively, the Bulldogs are similarly stout.

As usual, Georgia is loaded with future NFL talent on its defense. Cornerback Ellis Robinson IV is widely seen as a future first-round pick, while safety KJ Bolden and linebacker Chris Cole will likely be Day 2 selections when they jump to the professional ranks.

Through three weeks, the Bulldogs rank first in the SEC in total defense, allowing only 211.3 yards per game. Georgia is also second in the conference in scoring defense, third in rushing defense and third in passing defense.

Smart is a defensive mastermind who served as Alabama’s defensive coordinator from 2008 to 2015, helping the Crimson Tide win four national championships in that span.

Venables is a similarly brilliant defensive mind — he was Clemson’s defensive coordinator from 2012 to 2021 and won two national titles with the Tigers.

OU’s head coach has nothing but admiration for what Smart has done on the defensive side throughout his tenure in Athens.

“Can't say enough about the consistency they play defense with,” Venables said. “They’ve got another fantastic unit.”

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