Georgia ready for next step
Bulldogs roll, then turn attention to Auburn rematch.
Georgia took care of its state bragging rights so it could shift its focus to bigger championships.
Sony Michel ran for 85 yards and a touchdown, Jake Fromm threw two touchdown pas s es a nd No. 7 Georgia protected its playoff hopes with a dominant 38-7 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday.
“It was important to us,” Michel said. “It was important to Dawg Nation. By us playing so well today, it means a lot.”
The Bulldogs had 247 yards
rushing and 471 total yards as Michel, Nick Chubb and D’Andre Swift ran for touchdowns. Fromm threw scoring passes of 21 yards to Javon Wims and 78 yards to Ahkil Crumpton.
The win gives Georgia (11-1) momentum for next week’s Southeastern Conference championship game against No. 6 Auburn, who beat the Bulldogs two weeks ago and topped No. 1 Alabama on Saturday. Winning their first SEC title since 2005 could give the Bulldogs a chance to make the College Foot
ball Playoff.
“It’s an awesome feeling. To get to play for an SEC title is something we’re really looking forward to,” said safety Roquan Smith, who
led Georgia’s defense with nine tackles, including three for losses.
Georgia Tech (5-6), which had won two of the last three games in the state rivalry, was denied the win it needed to become bowl-eligible.
“I don’t know if my frustration has ever been this
high,” Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said.
Georgia Tech, which was 0-5 on the road this year, saw its eight-game home win
ning streak end. Georgia has won nine straight games at Georgia Tech since the Yellow Jackets’ last home win in the series in 1999.
Fromm completed 12 of 16 passes for 224 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Michel ran to his right before cutting back to his left, leaving Georgia Tech cornerback Lance Austin face down on the field, on his third-quarter scoring run.
“They’ve got good backs,” Austin said. “They did a good job. I’ll give them credit. We couldn’t get off the field on
third downs.”
The Yellow Jackets were held to a season-low 226 yards.
“We were able to get it around them a few times, but they’re a good defense — flying everywhere,” said
Tech’s Nathan Cottrell, who had five carries for 43 yards.
The Yellow Jackets’ only points came on TaQuon Marshall’s 10-yard scoring pass to Ricky Jeune, who was left
uncovered in the end zone late in the first half.
Vanderbilt 42, Tennes
see 24: Kyle Shurmur threw four touchdown passes and
Ralph Webb rushed for 163 yards as the visiting Commodores (5-7, 1-7 SEC) defeated the Volunteers (4-8, 0-8) to continue their recent run of success in this rivalry.
Vanderbilt has beaten Tennessee four of the past six years after going 1-28 against the Vols from 1983-2011. The Commodores are enjoying the most success they’ve had
in this series since winning six straight over Tennessee during the 1920s.
Tennessee’s loss capped a disappointing season that resulted in the firing of coach Butch Jones.
After opening the year in
the Top 25, the Vols ended with their first eight-loss season in school history. They
also went winless in SEC play for the first time since the league’s formation in 1933.
Shurmur went 20 of 31 for 283 yards and threw two TD passes to Trent Sherfield and one each to Kalija Lipscomb and C.J. Duncan.
Webb had touchdown runs of 2 and 20 yards to increase his career total to 32, breaking Vanderbilt’s career record.