The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Big stops on key downs carry Dogs
JACKSONVILLE, FLA. — Quietly the stalwart during uncertain times on offense for Georgia, the Bulldogs defense would be put on trial here Saturday.
Was this unit as stubbornly dependable as it had seemed in recent weeks? Or might Florida, with its imaginative head coach and more good receivers than anyone should have to cover expose some weaknesses?
Mixed reviews all around, but the Bulldogs resisted enough, and its offense brought enough heat Saturday to subdue this rival, 24-17.
The good news, for the defense, mostly lived in the first three quarters.
Before Florida quarterback Kyle Trask hit Van Jefferson on a 23-yard scoring pass early in Saturday’s fourth quarter, the Bulldogs’ D had not allowed a touchdown in its previous 10 quarters, and only one in the past 13. That span included opponents — South Carolina and Kentucky — that were quarterback-challenged as well as a game played in an inspiration-strangling rain. So, maybe credit was hard to come by, all things considered.
Extending that streak into Saturday’s meeting with the Gators, in benign conditions against a foe possessing Dan Mullen and a toy chest full of receivers for him to play with would be more meaningful.
The Bulldogs’ defense expressed itself early and often.
On the Gators’ first possession, on fourth-and-six-inches on the Georgia 40, Florida lined up in the shotgun, empty backfield, determined to throw it. They possessed one of the best tight ends in the land — Kyle Pitts — and were dead set upon using him. But on this occasion, Bulldogs safety Richard LeCounte batted away the little flair pass. Happily working the shorter field, Georgia turned around on that play and drove for an opening field goal.
From there, more good work.
When next Florida touched the ball, they were quickly staring at a third-and-25 following a sack by linebacker Azeez Ojulari.
For the first half, the Gators were 0 for 4 on third downs. That tends to restrict a team’s scoring opportunities.
Witness the power of denying an opponent on third down:
Third-and-1 on their own 18, Florida tried a tricky little draw play that three Georgia defenders decoded — Tyler Clark, Monty Rice and Ojulari swarming Dameon Pierce for a 2-yard loss. And once more, Georgia turned advantageous field position, driving 59 yards for a touchdown to push their lead to 10-0.
Florida seemed to be onto something later in the half, hitting on pass plays of 29 and 23 yards and for the first time getting even inside the Georgia 40-yard line. But again, on third down a play was made: On third-and-8 on the Georgia 21 to be precise, defensive end Travon Walker tipped away Trask’s pass.
Then, on the other side of the ledger:
The Florida offense eventually would have its share of moments. There was some inevitability to that, as it entered the game as one of only three FBS teams with at least four receivers who had caught at least 20 passes, gained 275 or more yards and had at least two touchdown catches. This was an across-the-board test for the Georgia secondary.
Indeed, the Gators completed five pass plays of 20 yards or more this day.
They would mount a lightning touchdown drive of 80 yards in less than four minutes to get within 16-10 of the Bulldogs. Trask completed all seven of his pass attempts and Florida gained all but six yards on the drive through the air.
Florida then would drive 75 yards for another touchdown, but at least that burned more than six valuable minutes off the clock in the fourth quarter.
Trask and his many pass-catchers indeed tested Georgia’s bestin-the-SEC scoring defense. The Gators quarterback ended up 21 of 33 for 257 yards and two touchdowns.
But Saturday, the Georgia defense got some help. It was from that sometimes forgotten unit known as the Georgia offense. Quarterback Jake Fromm — 20 of 30 for 279 yards and a pair of touchdowns was better, covering up the late sins of his defense.