This one
is certainly lacking the drama of the Bulldogs' first two games. Those
were against ranked teams in Clemson and South Carolina. This is against
an FBS team for starters. Then, add to that an FBS team that has lost
its first three games against UAB, Duke and Abilene Christian. The
biggest questions entering this one would be if it might resemble the
56-14 trouncing that the Falcons just did over Tampa Bay two days
earlier or how long the starters would stay in the game before it would
be turned over to the backups.
The game would start with sloppy play on the Georgia defense giving Troy
tons of yards with a drive marred by mental mistakes starting with a
personal foul on J.J. Green that not only cost yardage but saw
Green disqualified from the game. Next, an interception by Dominick
Sanders was nullified by an off sides penalty on Leonard Floyd.
The Trojans took advantage and moved the ball to the UGA32 on a 25
yard completion Chandler Worthy. They got another 19 on a catch
by WR Kendrick Dent at the 10. UGA SS Quincy Mauger
sustained an upper thigh injury. But things turned around from there
very rapidly for Troy. Troy would get nothing. It looked like a field
goal would give them the early lead. But, remember, this is the Trojans.
They missed from 36.
Georgia kicked its offense in high gear quickly as Todd Gurley
broke free for 48 yards to the Troy 27. The Heisman hopeful got two more
carries to the 10. Freshman TB Sony Michell took it in and in a
matter of a few minutes the game went from a 3-0 Troy lead to a 7-0 UGA
lead.
More bad news for the visitors as an 18 yard reception by Tommy
Blevins was fumbled and recovered by Aaron Davis who took it
to the 19. A pass interference call on an overthrown ball took it to the
12 with So. receiver Kenneth Towns taking a catch into the end
zone for a 2 touchdown lead of 14-0.
A shot of UGA's Josh Murray and Andi Dorfman from the
Bachelorette brought applause from the crowd and a lot of oohs and
ahhs from co-eds standing around the hedges.
Troy would get a first down at their 37 on an 8 yard catch by
Brandon Burks. Then they went backward 14 yards on the next two
plays and had to punt. Georgia started their third drive at the 16.
Michell took a handoff and sprinted 75 yards until he was tracked down
at the Troy 13. He finished the drill by plowing through several tackles
for another score, 21-0.
The Trojans went three and out with UGA starting on their 40. MIchael
Bennett got his first catch going 18 yards to the Troy 39. Thirteen
more in the air to Fr. TE Jeb Blazevich to the 26 as the game
moved into the second quarter. The drive ended in a 37 yard Marshall
Morgan field goal making it 24-0.
Things happened fast as Jordan Jenkens threw QB Dontreal Pruitt
for a nine yard sack loss.
"I didn't think I was going to get to him because he had been getting
rid of the ball early all game," said Jenkens. "But it was a good hard
hit and I'm just ready to go out and get some more."
On the kickoff Fr. Isaiah McKenzie returned it 52 yards for the
first kickoff return for a TD since Brandon Boykin (now with
the Philadelphia Eagles) did it in 2012. 31-0. Looking
like the Falcons-Bucs game yet?
Another three and out for the Trojans. Hutson Mason hit his 7th
pass to his 7th different receiver, this time, Fr, Shakenneth
Williams, for 35 yards into Troy territory. Michell took over from
there with a pair of nifty runs including an 18 yard TD dash that put
him over 100 yards to make it 38-0.
Fr. Brice Ramsey would get some playing time at QB and hit
Chris Conley for 19 yards, then another for 39 into the red zone
at the 3.A pair of no gain carries by a struggling Keith Marshall
followed by a substitution penalty brought up a third and goal back to
the six. No problem, Ramsey found Bennett in the corner of the end zone
for his first career TD pass to make it 45-0 at the half.
Halftime stats showed UGA ahead 367-133 in total yards, 216-10 of that on
the ground. That was the most points scored by Georgia in a half in four
years.
From this point, it would be the future Dawgs show and probably a lot
less scoring. UGA started the second half in a wildcat formation with
Michell handing off to McKenzie, who took it 49 yards to the 31. Mason
would come back in to hit Bennett for a 10 yard TD to make it 52-0.Troy
went three and out but a nice 56 yard Ryan Kay punt pinned
Georgia back to their five to start the second drive of the half.
Ramsey returned at QB and did nothing forcing UGA's first punt of the
day, a bad 32 yard shank job that put the shutout in jeopardy with Troy
beginning this drive on Bulldog territory. Blevins quickly caught one
for 21 yards to the 24. Another first down got them to the 14. Shutout
intact as Fr. SS Tramel Terry picked Pruitt off in the end one
breaking a streak of 176 straight pass attempts without an interception.
At this point, writers in the press box were frantically having to dig
deep on the roster lists to find names of players on the field.
Michell would keep it again in the wildcat formation for a first down to
the 31. Marshall would be helped off the field with an injury to the
right lower extremity and be out for the game as the Dawgs had to punt
again.
The crowd had diminished to about 30,000 as Georgia started the fourth
quarter at their 38. So. TB Brendon Douglas got a chance with a
couple of nice carries. Blazevich got 13 more to the 10. Douglas would
convert a fourth and two. Third string QB Faton Bauta kept it for
the final seven to actually pass the Tampa Bay score 59-0. Bauta would
get another to make the final score 66-0.
UGA had cranked out 547 total yards, their most since 1994. The margin of
victory was the most since 1958 when the shut out Citadel 76-0.
One of the real benefits of the game was how much valuable playing time
the reserves got to see.
"It's always nice to give guys a
chance to play," said head coach Mark Richt. "We had a massive
amount of guys get in. Guys got in and guys made plays. We played a
bunch."
Next up, a return to SEC play when the 2-1 Tennessee Vols come to Athens
for a noon kickoff on ESPN.