Georgia shuts out Florida in dominant rivalry victory in Atlanta
ATLANTA – The Georgia Bulldogs pulled away from the Florida Gators on Saturday afternoon, riding a dominant ground attack and four takeaways to secure a 27-8 rivalry victory under the roof at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
What we know:
Georgia took control of the border battle before halftime and leaned on its punishing run game to finish the job. The Bulldogs racked up 217 rushing yards on 42 carries, averaging 5.2 yards per rush while controlling tempo and outgaining the Gators 318 to 246 in total offense. Georgia played turnover-free football behind a clean 13-of-23 passing performance.
The tone was set by Georgia’s defense, which blew the game open late in the second quarter. Quintavius Johnson stormed into the backfield to sack Florida quarterback Tramell Jones Jr., knocking the ball free. Linebacker Chris Cole scooped up the loose ball and raced 55 yards for a touchdown, giving Georgia a 24-0 lead heading into the break. Cole anchored the defense with a team-high nine tackles alongside his touchdown, while Raylen Wilson added eight stops and safety KJ Bolden contributed six.
Florida head coach Jon Sumrall made a quarterback change midway through the second quarter, benching starter Aaron Philo after two interceptions, according to the Associated Press.
The Gators finally broke through in the fourth quarter when running back Jadan Baugh threw a touchdown pass to Dallas Wilson, followed by a successful two-point conversion to trim the deficit to 24-8. Georgia answered immediately, grinding down the clock with Bo Walker and the offensive front before Woodring booted a 21-yard field goal with 3:35 remaining to push the final margin to 27-8. Florida’s defense was paced by DJ Coleman with eight tackles, along with seven each from Myles Graham and Ty Jackson.
Outside the stadium, FOX 5’s Annie Mapp reported a massive turnout across downtown parking lots and sports bars. Thousands of fans celebrated the rivalry’s temporary move to Atlanta while EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville undergoes renovations, combining team jerseys with Halloween costumes for lively, music-filled tailgates throughout the day.
What we don’t know:
The updated Southeastern Conference standings and national rankings reflecting this weekend’s slate have not yet been published.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from reporting by The Associated Press, live reporting by FOX 5’s Annie Mapp, official Georgia Bulldogs game statistics, and the live game broadcast.
