Florida · W 27-8
9 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 sack
The other 7 games average 6 tackles. This one was 3 above.
“That’s not how I imagined Chris Cole to sound”
4 stories this week, from 3 outlets.
Chris Cole
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage. Third year in the Georgia linebacker corps. On tape: 10 tackles and 1 tackle for loss against Auburn, Week 7, 2026.
49 tackles · 3.5 sacks
Play style
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
Activity vs finishing · season enumeration
What the box score actually says
49 tackles. 3 passes defended. 0 interceptions. 9 TFL.
Counts only, never a rate — splash-event sample sizes this small (interceptions, pass breakups, TFL) are noise as a rate and signal only as a tally.
Closest statistical matches, adjusted for opponent strength.
from 3 outlets
Georgia Football Star Chris Cole Continues His Elite Junior Season
Dawg Post Nov 1 · 1 outlet
from 12 outlets
Georgia's Chris Cole named SEC Defensive Player of the Week
The Red & Black +1 Sep 28 · 2 outlets
The Red & Black +1Georgia's Chris Cole named SEC Defensive Player of the WeekSep 28
Saturday Down SouthChris Cole earns national Player of the Week honor for performance against AlabamaOct 13
SicEmDawgs.comChris Cole named semifinalist for 2026 Butkus AwardOct 28
WSLSFormer Salem standout Chris Cole Named to Bednarik Award Watch ListOct 28SicEmDawgs.comChris Cole named SEC Defensive Player of the Week a second timeNov 2
On3Chris Cole's time is now: 'He's just an animal'Aug 20The Red & BlackChris Cole embracing new leadership role for Georgia football in 2026Sep 3
Locked OnGeorgia Bulldogs and Chris Cole annihilate Oklahoma, Proving elite Linebacker PlayOct 2Locked OnChris Cole transforms Georgia Bulldogs—Why He’s America’s Top Defensive forceOct 21Dawg Post
RoundtableSaturday Down SouthThe Red & Black +1The Red & BlackEach week: his team’s game, the stories about him that week, and the week’s biggest news headline.
Stories are headlines grouped by what they are about, counted through Nov 4.
Fans first named Chris Cole vs Western Kentucky.
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Last game (Wk 9): 9 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 8 games
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| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 63-3vs Tennessee State | 3 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.5 | — | 1 | |
| Wk 2 | W 70-20vs Western Kentucky | 3 | 2 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | W 45-17@ Arkansas | 4 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 4 | W 41-13vs Oklahoma | 8 | 7 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 5 | W 38-14vs Vanderbilt | 4 | 3 | 2.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 6 | W 20-17@ No. 6 Alabama | 8 | 5 | 2.5 | 1.0 | — | 2 | 2.5 TFL |
| Wk 7 | L 24-27vs Auburn | 10 | 7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 10 tackles |
| Wk 9 | W 27-8vs No. 17 Florida | 9 | 7 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 49 | 34 | 9.0 | 3.5 | — | 3 |
Oct. 31 · W 27-8 vs Florida, play by play
9 tackles, including 1 sack.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
Sacked the quarterback for a 2-yard loss. Fourth quarter, up 27-8.
His game this year: disruption in the backfield — 9 tackles for loss, 3 of them sacks, in the 8 games with play by play.
How Georgia’s defense played that day
Florida’s 9 drives: 8 stopped (3 takeaways) · 1 scored. While the game was within a score they held 3 of 3.
10 tackles, including 1 more for loss.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. It places 11 for him; the box score credits 10.
8 tackles, including 1 more for loss, 1 sack, 2 passes broken up, tied for 9th-most tackles for loss in FBS that week. He hurried the quarterback once.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. It places 9 for him; the box score credits 8.
Sacked the quarterback for a 8-yard loss. Third quarter, up 17-14.
4 tackles, including 2 more for loss.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. It places 5 for him; the box score credits 4.
A defensive touchdown: his fumble recovery went 85 yards for the score. 8 tackles, including 1 sack.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
Sacked the quarterback for a 1-yard loss. Second quarter, up 14-0.
Forced a fumble on 3rd and 2, recovered and returned for the score. Second quarter, made it 21-0.
4 tackles.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
3 tackles.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
3 tackles, including 1 more for loss, 1 pass broken up.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play: 2 of his 3, sacks included.
Sacked the quarterback for a 13-yard loss on 3rd and 5. First quarter, up 28-0.
Week 6 · 2026
W 20-17
at Alabama
1 sack · 2.5 tackles for loss · 8 tackles
A close one, won by 3 on the road.
Conference ranks count every player in the conference with a row in that stat, any position. Career ranks count current FBS players, from the games in our log.
Ratings of the games shown run from -12 to +21 points against an average team (SP+ rating of each opponent).
Where his impact shows up on the stat sheet
Tackle volume
49tackles this seasonTFL rate
18%9 TFLSack rate
7%4 sacksPD rate
6%3 pass breakups49 tackles · 9 for loss · 3.5 sacks.
3 seasons under Kirby Smart — 30-6 over that span.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 8 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home5g | 5.6 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| Road2g | 6.0 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 1.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-77g | 5.7 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Weeks 8+1g | 9.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Kirby Smart
Pass share
45.5%
220 pass / 263 run
Plays / game
60.4
8 games
Team sack rate
3.7%
244 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning, slow tempo.
Player standing · 2026
About as many tackles a game as a typical FBS linebacker who plays every week.
Recognition
Production · CFB Zeitgeist Score
Former five-star. Now #36 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-SEC
Based on 2025: #15 of 76 SEC LBs
A base rate for the rank, not a forecast of this player: 22% of returning players who ranked #11–20 at their position in their conference made an all-conference team the next season (95% confidence interval 19–25%).
2026 is in progress.
A stat line in 29 games over three seasons.
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coachPlayed every college season under Kirby Smart.
