Dawgs Stomp Out No. 9 Gators
#7 Georgia Postgame Notes vs. #9 Florida, Oct. 27, 2018
*Series History/Ranked Matchup: Georgia’s 36-17 win over No. 9 Florida gave the Bulldogs their second straight win in the series and now they are 3-3 all—time when both teams are ranked in the top 10. Today was the first top 10 matchup since 2008. The Bulldogs, currently ranked No.7, lead the all-time series 52-43-2.
Responding To Deficit: Florida took a 14-13 lead to start the 2nd half with a three-play, 48-yard drive in 1:14. It was capped by a 36-yard TD pass from Feleipe Franks to Freddie Swain with 13:35 left. Georgia responded with a seven-play, 72-yard TD drive capped by a Jake Fromm-to-Jeremiah Holloman12-yard TD completion. It put Georgia back on top 20-14 with 10:33 left in the 3rdquarter. Then after both teams punted on their next possession, Georgia forced its third turnover and turned it into a field goal and a 23-14 lead with 0:07 left in the 3rdquarter.
*Scoring Defense: Georgia carried a 13-7 lead to halftime and finished with a 36-17 win. In the first half, Florida ran 34 plays for 159 yards and was held to seven points. UF’s lone TD drive covered 76 yards on 14 plays in 7:04. The Bulldogs forced turnovers on Florida’s first two possessions, and they led to seven points. UF finished the game with 275 yards on 58 plays. Georgia’s leading tackler was sophomore WLBMonty Rice who finished with a career-high 11. Rice already tied his career-high with eight in the first half and had a forced fumble. Coming in, Georgia ranked 13thnationally in scoring defense (16.3 points per game).
*Fromm Directs Offense: Sophomore QB Jake Fromm finished 17-for-24 for 240 yards and 3 TDs. In the first half, he went 8-for-11 for 97 yards as Georgia built a 13-7 edge. He converted a 3rd-and-13 with a 16-yard TD pass to Jeremiah Holloman for a 10-0 lead with 6:07 left in the 1stquarter. On the final possession of the first half, Fromm threw four straight completions to junior tight end Issac Naut for 66 yards. Ultimately on that drive, Fromm was 5-for-6 for 75 yards and culminated with a 22-yard field goal by Rodrigo Blankenship and a 13-7 halftime edge.
In the fourth quarter, on a 3rd-and-9, he tossed a 24-yard TD pass to senior Terry Godwin. Then it went for a 2-point conversion, and it failed. Georgia led 29-17 with 8:39 left in the contest. The three TD passes by Fromm ties the Bulldog mark in the UF series in the modern era, also done by Aaron Murray (2010), Matt Stafford (2007) and Buck Belue (1980). Georgia came in today averaging 39 points a game while UF was allowing just 16.6.
Rushing Leader Gets The Win Again:For the 13thstraight year in the series, the team with the most rushing yards got the victory as Georgia outgained UF 189 to 170. Junior Elijah Holyfieldhad a career-high 20 carries for 71 yards while sophomore D’Andre Swift finished with a career-high 104 yards on just 12 carries for an 8.7 average. Swift’s 33-yard TD runs put the game out of reach with 4:29 left as the score made it 36-17.
*Blankenship’s Day: JuniorPK Rodrigo Blankenship finished 3-for-3 on field goals (good from 19, 21 and 22 yards) and had 3 PATs and six touchbacks on eight kickoffs. He now has 53 touchbacks on the year, trailing only his record 67 set last season. His final kickoff of the first half was a squib as time expired. Blankenship is now 13-for-15 in field goals this year.
*All-Purpose Hardman: Junior Mecole Hardman accounted for 87 all-purpose yardswith 10 receiving, 26 punt return yards and 51 kickoff return yards. Also, he downed a punt on the one yard line with 4:11 left in the 3rdquarter.
*Points off Turnovers: Georgia scored 10 points off 3 Gator turnovers, while the Gators did not force any Bulldog miscues.Georgia is now +5 in Turnover Margin, scoring 48 points off 12 turnovers on the year. UF ranked among the national leaders with a +9 turnover margin and did not force any today.
Sophomore WLB Monty Rice caused a fumble on UF’s first possession, and it was recovered by sophomore RS Richard LeConte and returned 32 yards to the UF 13. It led to a TD as Jake Fromm connected with Jeremiah Holloman on a 16-yard TD on 3rd-and 13 for a 10-0 lead. Then on UF’s 2ndpossession, junior Tyrique McGhee notched his 1st interception of the year (2ndof his career) at the UGA 29. It led to a punt. Also, McGhee forced a fumble at the UF 1, and it led to an 18-yard field goal and a 23-14 edge.
*For Starters: Senior C Lamont Gaillard started his team-leading 36th straight game while on defense, the team leader in starts is senior DB Deandre Baker now with 29 including a streak of 11 with junior RS J.R. Reedthe most consecutive on defense with 23. Sophomore WR Jeremiah Holloman made his first career start as did freshman DL Jordan Davis. Holloman had a career-high two TD receptions.
*Captains: The captains were junior WR Riley Ridley and seniors DEJonathan Ledbetter and CLamont Gaillard.
*Up Next:No. 7 Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC) will face No. 12 Kentucky in Lexington Saturday, Nov. 3