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Georgia wide receiver Dillon Bell (86) runs with the ball. The University of Georgia football team leads Vanderbilt University 28-0 after the first half at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia, on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. (Photo/Jessica Gratigny; @jgratphoto)

Georgia wide receiver Dillon Bell (86) runs with the ball. The University of Georgia football team leads Vanderbilt University 28-0 after the first half at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia, on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. (Photo/Jessica Gratigny; @jgratphoto)

AD Mitchell missed his fourth game of the season against Vanderbilt, a stretch of absences that has tested the ability of the other players in Georgia’s receivers room.

That has recently been a problem for Georgia’s pass targets, who with the exception of Brock Bowers, have not challenged opposing defenses through the air. That hasn’t yet led to a Georgia loss, as its opponents have struggled to find the end zone against the Bulldogs. Against a high-powered offense such as Tennessee - or even Alabama in a possible SEC championship game - Georgia will need its receivers to step up and perform.

The wideouts answered the call against the Commodores, catching passes at every level of the field and fueling Georgia’s offense to a 55-point outing. Dillon Bell tallied a career-high 54 receiving yards in the game, hauling in his second touchdown of the season in the process. Head coach Kirby Smart praised Bell’s development in his freshman campaign.

“He’s getting better,” Smart said. “He’s growing as a player, he’s doing things for the second, third, fourth time in a game. Sometimes, you start to take on a little bit of personality as you play more, gain confidence, and we need him to play with confidence.”

Darnell Washington also found himself on the receiving end of a few Stetson Bennett passes. Washington had a career-high 78 yards, including a 34-yard catch to put the Bulldogs in scoring position. He has shown his prowess as an effective blocker, but against Vanderbilt, his ability as a viable receiving threat was on display. Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, one of the other receivers on Georgia’s roster, knows firsthand what Washington brings to the group.

“He’s a mismatch,” Rosemy-Jacksaint said. “He makes it real easy. He’s a great player, real physical, do the right thing all the time. And the future is really bright for him.

Carson Beck entered the game late in the second half, relieving Bennett and taking over at quarterback. Beck was a perfect 4-for-4 on his first possession of the game, ending the drive with a touchdown. Georgia’s dealt with injuries this season; if Bennett misses time later in the year, the Bulldogs will need Beck to perform well.

Nine different receivers caught a pass during the game. Georgia’s quarterbacks were spreading the ball across the field and keeping Vanderbilt guessing on every single snap. Rosemy-Jacksaint made an impact early in the game; he had a pair of catches across the middle of the field to move the chains and keep Georgia’s offense churning.

Entering the year, Arik Gilbert seemed to be the third member of the tight end room, primed to step up in the event of an unforeseen injury. He hasn’t lived up to that hype, though he had a pair of catches against Vanderbilt, including his first touchdown as a Bulldog.

Georgia’s tight ends have already proven their ability to produce in the passing game; if Gilbert can emerge as another option in the receiving core, then it adds another element of explosiveness to Georgia’s offense.

At the start of the season, Mitchell was clearly one of Georgia’s most-dangerous targets on offense, and he proved that in week one, racking up 65 yards and a touchdown against Oregon. He was injured in the first drive against Samford, and since then, the Bulldogs have been searching for answers.

The receiving core provided answers against Vanderbilt, as multiple wideouts had career outings en route to the team’s seventh win. The offense was electric, clicking in every aspect of play and putting up the highest scoring total of the season.

Georgia is heading into its bye week as an undefeated title contender, having taken down every obstacle in the road so far. Despite that, the team is taking the season one game at a time, focusing on the process before looking ahead to the future.

“We’re playing Vandy,” Bennett said. “And whatever is going on around the country, that didn’t matter to us, because we’re playing an SEC East opponent, and we’ve got to go out there and do our job.”

Georgia defeated Vanderbilt 55-0 on Saturday, improving to 7-0 on the season. The Commodores fall to 3-4. Here are some observations from the Bulldogs’ win.

John is the assistant sports editor at The Red & Black, where he previously covered UGA's hockey club and football program. He is a junior at the university, pursuing a degree in journalism and a certificate from the Carmical Sports Media Institute.

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