Georgia Football: Dominick Sanders on verge of history

We are 12 days away from college football season, and today is about the SEC’s active interception leader.

Dominick Sanders has been a staple in the Georgia Bulldogs’ secondary since he arrived in 2014. He’s started 38 of the 39 games he’s played in his career, and the only game he didn’t start was because of a first half suspension for targeting.

Despite that half-game suspension, Sanders isn’t exactly an enforcer in the secondary. He’s more likely to jump a route than deliver a big blow across the middle, which is what makes him a perfect center fielder in Georgia’s secondary, and what also made his a preseason second-team All-SEC selection coming into the season. And that leads us to no. 12 on the Southbound and Down College Football Countdown.

Georgia’s Dominick Sanders has 12 career interceptions

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Sanders’ 12 interceptions are the most of any active SEC player. Bobby Wilson, who played at Ole Miss from 1946-1949, and Chris Williams, who played at LSU from 1977-1980 are tied for the SEC’s all-time interception lead with 20. South Carolina’s Skai Moore has the second most career interceptions for an active player with 11.

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Sanders is five interceptions away from setting the Georgia school record for interceptions. Currently, Jake Scott, who won Super Bowl MVP for the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins, and Bacarri Rambo are tied for Georgia’s all-time interception lead with 16 career interceptions. The Bulldogs’ current head coach, Kirby Smart, is actually tied for fifth in school history with 13 interceptions.

Sanders is almost certain to surpass his head coach on that list. He had 34 tackles and 3 interceptions as a freshman. As a sophomore he had 48 tackles and led the SEC with 6 interceptions. And last year he also had 34 tackles and 3 interceptions.

Georgia returns 10 starters from last year’s defense that was fourth in the SEC and 16th in the nation in total defense. They also were tied for second in the SEC with 27 takeaways last season.

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If they’re going to be forcing turnovers like that again, it will most likely mean a big season for Dominick Sanders and maybe even a trip to Atlanta for the SEC Championship for the first time since 2012.