Bulldogs defense looking for improvement across the board

The Georgia Bulldogs had one of the best defenses in the nation last season, but Georgia can't claim the same this year, despite a 5-1 record.

In the SEC, Georgia ranks:

• eighth in pass defense (212.3 yards per game)
• ninth in total defense (373.8)
• ninth in pass efficiency defense (125.4)
• 10th in rushing defense (161.5)
• 10th in scoring defense (24.2 points per game)
• 12th in sacks (1.7 per game).

"We've had two games with our starters back, and obviously we've got work to do," third-year defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said Saturday after Georgia's 35-7 loss at South Carolina. "It's one game. We're 5-1. We've got a chance to win some games down the road, but to do that we've got to play better. So we're going to work hard, improve in the areas we need to and we're going to come out a better football team."

Georgia's best game defensively came in a 48-3 win over Vanderbilt on Sept. 22. The Bulldogs allowed a field goal in the final minute of the first half, but that was all the Commodores could manage.

Since then, however, Georgia allowed 44 points to Tennessee and 35 to South Carolina. Earlier in the season, the Bulldogs allowed 20 points to both Missouri and Florida Atlantic, and 23 points to Buffalo in the opener.