In the end, Dawgs do just enough
Defense helps No. 4 Georgia stay in hunt for CFP semis
ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia is still on course to make a run at the College Football Playoff.
No thanks to the offense.
The Bulldogs, No. 4 in the CFP rankings, managed only one touchdown Saturday, but Rodrigo Blankenship booted four field goals and the defense stymied Texas A&M for a lackluster 19-13 victory.
Georgia (10-1, 7-1 SEC) wrapped up the league schedule with its fifth straight victory, but it was a struggle all the way.
On a wet day between the hedges, the Bulldogs managed only 260 total yards and didn’t really seal the victory until D’Andre Swift broke off an 11-yard run on third-and-1 with 21⁄2 minutes remaining.
“No bones about it, we’ve got to improve,” coach Kirby Smart said. “There were things tonight that we missed that were there. That’s the frustrating part.”
While the Bulldogs struggled offensively, the defense turned in another dominating performance until the closing minutes, when fatigue set in and the unit had to get by without top cornerback Eric Stokes, who left with an undisclosed injury.
His backup, freshman Tyrique Stevenson, knocked away a pass that forced the Aggies to punt with 4:21 remaining. They never got it back.
“Those guys are relentless,” said Georgia
QB Jake Fromm. “I’m really thankful they’re on our team.”
Texas A&M (7-4, 4-3) was held to just minus-1 yards rushing and 274 yards overall, one week after piling up 319 yards on the ground in a rout of South Carolina.
In his final game at Sanford Stadium, Blankenship connected on field goals of 41, 49, 37 and 31 yards to become Georgia’s career scoring leader with 418 points. He passed Marshall Morgan (407), Billy Bennett (409) and Blair Walsh (412).
“The history of great kickers that Georgia’s had,” Blankenship said, “just to be among the ranks of those guys is really an honor.”
Blankenship’s performance was especially impressive in the sloppy conditions. His 49-yarder came when the rain was at its heaviest.
Athens was hit by storms before the game, and another line rolled through in the second quarter, keeping mascot Uga X confined to his doghouse.
Then, suddenly, the showers cleared. So did the cloud over the Georgia offense. Just after sun broke through the clouds, bathing the towering north stands in light, freshman George Pickens slipped free down the right sideline and hauled in a 16-yard pass from Fromm, pushing the Bulldogs to a 13-3 lead at halftime.
It would be Georgia’s only trip to the end zone.