It’s great to be a Georgia Bulldog.
It was pure domination all game long by the Georgia Bulldogs, but the score never fully reflected that as the Gators were always within one or two scores of tying things up or taking the lead.
But in the end, behind the arm of junior quarterback Jake Fromm, the Bulldogs were able to hold off the Gators and will return home to Athens as champions.
Georgia wins it 24-17.
The Georgia rush defense was stout all night long, only allowing Florida to rush the ball for 21 yards on 19 attempts.
Through the air, the Dawgs defense could afford to tighten up a bit. Florida quarterback Kyle Trask threw for 257 yards on 21/33 passing.
But for the most part, Georgia kept a Florida offense, which features a plethora of playmakers, in check. A few sacks, including a big one by Malik Herring for a loss of 20 yards in the third quarter, proved huge as well.
For Georgia offensively, it was Jake Fromm who impressed the most. He had his share of doubters after a bad game vs South Carolina, but they were silenced following a 20/30, 279 yard outing that included touchdown passes. He helped Georgia to a 12/18 night on third down, and showed up huge on the final one of the game, a 22 yard pass to tight end Eli Wolf on 3rd and 7 on the game’s final drive.
Kirby Smart spoke about the grit and perseverance of these Bulldogs with CBS after the game:
“I’m just proud of these kids. So many people doubted these kids. And all they did was work. Block out the noise and work. And they keep working.
Don’t doubt Jake Fromm now. He’s a competitor and this team’s got good leaders on it.”
Stats, Scoring Summary:
Stats:
QB Jake Fromm: 20/30, 279 yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions
RB D’Andre Swift: 25 carries, 86 yards
WR Lawrence Cager: 7 catches, 132 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 2-point conversion
K Rodrigo Blankenship: 3/3 field goals, 1/1 extra point
Scoring summary:
Georgia holds Florida to a turnover on downs at the UGA 40 yard line. It was a 4th and inches and the Gators decided to throw the ball. It was incomplete.
Following that, Georgia drove the ball down the field and ended up kicking a 31 yard field goal.
Georgia leads 3-0.
In the second quarter, Georgia forced a three and out. The Dawgs got the ball back at their own 41 yard line and then strung together a 10 play, 59 yard drive that took 6:19 and resulted in a touchdown.
Fromm completed three third down passes, including this short touchdown pass to Dominick Blaylock to put the Bulldogs up by two scores.
Georgia leads 10-0.
On the next drive, Florida got the ball back and managed to drive 54 yards in 6 plays, taking 2:03 off the clock. Two 20+ yard passes later and Florida eventually found itself in field goal range.
The Gators knocked through it through from 38 yards.
Georgia leads 10-3.
The Bulldogs were not done yet, though. With just over two minutes remaining in the 1st half, the run game finally picked up for D’Andre Swift.
Brian Herrien returned a kickoff to the Georgia 33 yard line and a few plays later Swift broke a big one into Blankenship field goal range.
Fromm was unable to connect with Matt Landers and then Lawrence Cager for a touchdown. Georgia hit a field goal and the Dawgs took a 13-3 lead into the half.
2nd half….
Leading 13-3 to start the second half, Georgia got the ball to start. After a 9 play, 64 yard drive that took over five minutes, Georgia was able to walk away with a field goal.
Fromm completed a clutch 3rd and 8 pass to Herrien to keep the drive alive. That same drive, Herrien did this.
After the field goal, Georgia led 16-3.
With Georgia up by 13, Bulldog fans were happy, but not satisfied. A few drives passed and Georgia punter Jake Camarda hit one in the end zone for a touchback.
Trask was able to orchestrate a drive that took them all the way down the field and eventually found Van Jefferson for a pretty 23 yard touchdown catch.
Georgia leads 16-10.
Yeah, so now Georgia fans are just downright scared. We have seen this story too many times.
But Kirby Smart was not having it, and neither was Fromm, Swift or Cager.
The very next drive, Georgia went 75 yards in seven plays and ate up almost four minutes.
It was a lot of Swift runs, as they were working and keeping the Gators on their toes.
But eventually, Florida started thinking run while Georgia was thinking pass.
This play made the stadium bonkers.
With Georgia leading 22-10, Smart elected to go for two points to make it a two touchdown game.
And who else? Fromm to Cager connected yet again for two.
Georgia leads 24-10 with 10 minutes to go in the game.
Georgia now led by two touchdowns. We were feeling pretty good about where things were. Florida then strung together a great, long drive that led to a touchdown. The only problem – it was too long. The 17 play, 75 yard drive took nearly seven minutes off the clock and by the time the Gators were able to punch it in for a touchdown, there were only three minutes remaining on the clock.
Georgia leads 24-17
But then Fromm to Wolf happened and that’s ball game.
Dawgs win it.
