Georgia quarterback Carson Beck defended his play after a disappointing loss to No. 16 Ole Miss on Saturday. Beck threw for only 186 yards and turned the ball over twice as the Bulldogs lost their first game against a non-Alabama opponent since 2020, snapping a streak of 52 wins.
"It's not about how I play but how we play," Beck told 247Sports. "Our identity is to run the ball. We just weren't able to do that tonight. Maybe whenever that happens, I have to step up and we have to make some explosive plays in the passing game. Or maybe I got to start making some plays on the ground. Somebody has to step up and make a play whenever we're not able to run the ball comfortably."
There is some truth to Beck's comments. Last season, Georgia ranked No. 3 in the SEC in rushing offense at more than 191 yards per contest. After nine games in 2024, the Bulldogs are at a paltry 124, good enough for 15th out of 16 teams in the SEC and No. 104 nationally. During their championship runs, leaning on highly touted running backs and offensive linemen was a key part of the success.
Regardless, Beck has gone from a potential first-round NFL draft pick in the eyes of NFL scouts to a vexing question mark for Georgia. Through his first 17 games as Georgia's starting quarterback, Beck threw just six total interceptions. In the last six games alone, he has thrown 12. That includes three against Florida, Texas and Alabama. Beck threw an interception to no touchdowns in No. 3 Georgia's loss at Ole Miss on Saturday.
"He's definitely pressing," an opposing defensive coach told CBS Sports last week. "Forcing it. Trying to do too much. Throw it away, scramble and slide or check it down (at certain points). Just feel like he's for sure forcing it."
Beck has turned the ball over 14 times between interceptions and fumbles, tied for fourth among power conference quarterbacks. His 12 picks are tied for the national lead. Beck's completion percentage is down seven points, his yards per attempt has slipped 1.7 yards and his interceptions have already doubled with several games remaining.
His struggles have coincided with Georgia slipping to its lowest ranking in the AP Top 25 since the 2020 season. The Bulldogs fell all the way out of the top 10 to No. 11. Depending on how the CFP Committee sees them, their spot in the first expanded College Football Playoff could be on the line. Things don't get much easier as Georgia hosts No. 7 Tennessee in Week 12. The Vols have one of the nation's top defenses.
"He's not the same guy," NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay said on The Ringer. "I don't know the why behind it. I know the product on the field and that's what we're here to talk about... the product on the field shows me a quarterback that desperately misses the comfort level of Ladd McConkey and misses the security blanket of Brock Bowers."
