Opponent preview: Georgia’s special teams

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State is set to take on the No. 13 Georgia Bulldogs in a road contest at Sanford Stadium. The game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT and will be televised by SEC Network.

Georgia is a team that boasts a very solid special teams group. Georgia is third in the Southeastern Conference in made field goals, first in net punting, first in punt return defense, fifth in kick return defense, second in kickoff returns and eighth in punt returns.

Redshirt sophomore kicker Jack Podlesny has made eight of his 10 field goals and has made all 20 of his extra-point attempts. A 51-yarder against Tennessee is his longest make so far this year.

Junior punter Jake Camarda has punted 24 times for 1,162 yards. His net average of 45.8 ranks second in the nation. 15 of his punts have been downed inside the 20-yard line.

Georgia’s punt return defense has allowed two punt returns for a total of two yards. The kick return defense has allowed 167 yards on nine returns (18.6 average) on a total of 34 kickoffs.

As a team, Georgia has returned 14 kickoffs for 451 yards (32.2 average). That ranks third in the nation. Sophomore running back Kenny McIntosh leads the team with six returns for 218 yards (36.3). Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Kearis Jackson has returned five kicks for 155 yards (31.0), while redshirt sophomore running back Zamir White has accumulated 78 yards on three returns (26.0).

Jackson has returned eight of of the Bulldogs’ nine punt returns for 43 yards (5.4). Sophomore defensive back Tyrique Stevenson has returned one punt for 23 yards.