Michel excels except for loss of key fumble

Sony Michel, thrust into the main role, had a breakout game. He just couldn’t break out enough and was responsible for one of Georgia’s most costly errors.

When Nick Chubb was hurt on the first play of the game, Michel took the field and immediately became the bellcow for a Georgia offense that depends on its running game. Two years ago in this same stadium, when Keith Marshall went down with an ACL injury, Georgia was left with Brendan Douglas and J.J. Green. This time they had Michel ... and Marshall as a backup.

Michel was largely up for it. His career high entering the game was 10 rushing attempts. He had 15 in the first half. His career high for rushing yards was 155, set last year against Troy. Michel came within 10 of that Saturday and had a key catch-and-run that jump-started the offense.

The highlight of Michel’s day, at least the good one, was a 66-yard run in which he shed five tacklers, moving Georgia into field-goal position. Michel had 124 yards in the first half, all but seven of them on Georgia’s last four drives of the half.

But Michel was on kickoff returns, too, and a moment there helped turn the game the wrong way.

Georgia led 24-10 late in the second quarter when Michel lost a fumble at the end of a return. Tennessee recovered and scored a touchdown, a big key as it pulled off a 21-point comeback, the largest against a Mark Richt-coached Georgia team in a UGA loss.