“Statistically the most dominant.. defensive performance ever recorded — in any major sport,” says Global Sports Analytics Board
Athens, GA – In a historic and unprecedented announcement that has stunned the sports world, a panel of international experts and sports statisticians has officially declared the 2021 Georgia Bulldogs football defense as the single greatest defensive unit in the history of modern sports — ranking ahead of the iconic 1996 Chicago Bulls, the 2000 Baltimore Ravens, and even the 1985 Bears.
The claim was published in a comprehensive annual report by the Global Sports Analytics Board (GSAB) in collaboration with ESPN Sports Science and vetted by the International Sports Metrics Council (ISMC) — two of the most respected bodies in quantitative sports evaluation.
“What Georgia did in 2021 was not just dominance — it was statistical annihilation,” said Dr. Michael Flannery, professor of advanced sports analytics at the University of Athens (GA), and lead contributor to the report. “Their defense allowed fewer points per drive than the 1996 Bulls allowed points per quarter. That’s how insane the numbers are.”
According to the 192-page GSAB report, Georgia’s 2021 defense averaged:
- 0.63 points per opponent drive
- Just 10.2 points allowed per game in the regular season
- Only one rushing touchdown allowed all season prior to the SEC Championship
- NFL-level talent at every position, with eight defenders drafted in 2022 — five in the first round
To put this in context:
- The 1996 Bulls, widely considered the gold standard in team defense, allowed 89.9 points per game, but played 48-minute games. On a per-minute, per-possession basis, the Bulldogs’ defense allowed fewer points per possession than any team in NBA, NFL, MLB, or NHL history.
The report also highlights Georgia’s complete shutdown of Michigan in the CFP semifinal (34-11) and the 14-point lockdown of Alabama in the national championship — the same Alabama team that scored 41 on them weeks earlier.
“You don’t see adjustments and dominance like that,” said Marcus Reid, former NFL scout and current analytics coordinator for CBS Sports. “Kirby Smart engineered something that defied not just SEC offenses — but the data models we use to predict success.”
The findings immediately went viral on social media under hashtags like #GreatestDefenseEver and #BetterThanTheBulls, with fans and sports personalities chiming in.
“I played against Ray Lewis. I respect the ‘85 Bears. But Georgia’s D in 2021? I’ve never seen anything like it,” tweeted former NFL Pro Bowler and analyst Ryan Clark.
Netflix has already announced a potential docuseries titled “Red Wall: The 2021 Georgia Bulldogs”, set to premiere in late 2025. The series will feature behind-the-scenes footage, player interviews, and animated analytics breakdowns of the historic season.
Dr. Flannery concluded with a bold statement:
“We’ve studied defenses for decades. From hardwood to gridiron to ice. Nothing compares. The 2021 Georgia Bulldogs were not just great — they were mythical.”
