Chris Cole named SEC Defensive Player of the Week a second time

Georgia football linebacker Chris Cole has been named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season, the conference announced Monday.

Cole earned the honor after a standout performance in Georgia’s 27-8 win over No. 17 Florida at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The junior recorded nine tackles (seven solo), including a sack, and returned a fumble 66 yards for a touchdown.

Below is the SEC’s summary of Cole’s performance:

Georgia’s Chris Cole, a junior linebacker from Salem, Va., led the Bulldogs with nine tackles (seven solo), including a sack, and returned a fumble 66 yards for a touchdown in a 27-8 win over No. 17 Florida.

With under a minute left in the second quarter, teammate Quintavius Johnson sacked the Florida quarterback and jarred the ball loose. Cole scooped it up and raced 66 yards for the touchdown that put Georgia ahead 24-0. It was his second fumble return for a touchdown this season and the third of his career.

Cole’s two-yard sack helped force a four-and-out on Florida’s second-to-last possession. Georgia’s defense held the Gators scoreless through three quarters, limited them to 54 rushing yards and allowed just 4 of 12 third-down conversions.

Cole, a 6-foot-3, 235-pound junior from Salem, Va., has now totaled 49 tackles (35 solo), 9.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks for 18 yards, and three fumble recoveries on the season.

Georgia’s next game is on Saturday, November 7 on the road against the No. 12 Ole Miss Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss. The game will be televised by ABC at 7:30pm ET (Buy Tickets).

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Chris Cole has been named @SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week ‼️ pic.twitter.com/ChnrMDzqxP

— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) November 2, 2026