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ATHENS, Ga. — Carson Beck quieted his doubters by throwing for two touchdowns and adding another on the ground, propelling No. 11 Georgia to a 31-17 win over No. 6 Tennessee in a highly charged Saturday night matchup. This victory significantly bolstered the Bulldogs’ aspirations for the College Football Playoff.
Georgia’s record now stands at 8-2 overall and 6-2 in the Southeastern Conference, having recently moved to No. 12 in the College Football Playoff rankings. This win comes as a recovery from a tough 28-10 defeat against Ole Miss, which had placed Georgia outside of the current playoff field. With two remaining regular season games against UMass and Georgia Tech, the Bulldogs are now in a favorable position to secure a potential playoff spot and aim for their third national championship in a four-year span.
On the other hand, Tennessee, also holding an 8-2 record and ranked No. 7 in the CFP, faced a significant setback. The Volunteers had hoped to enhance their chances of reaching the SEC championship game, but following this loss—which had implications reminiscent of a playoff elimination—their postseason hopes appear far less clear.
In a season marked by inconsistency, Beck delivered a crucial performance for the Bulldogs, contributing to their impressive 29-game home winning streak that began in 2019. He connected with tight end Oscar Delp for two touchdown receptions in the first half and executed a dynamic 10-yard run to score the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter, marking his first rushing touchdown of the season.
To clinch the victory, Georgia orchestrated their longest drive of the season, covering 92 yards in the closing minutes. Nate Frazier capped it off with a 2-yard touchdown run, leaving just 2:26 on the clock.
Beck, who had endured a rough stretch with 12 interceptions over his previous six games, played cleanly against the Volunteers, completing 25 of 40 passes for a total of 347 yards. Tennessee began the game strong, taking an early 10-0 lead courtesy of Miles Kitselman’s 1-yard touchdown run and a 52-yard field goal from Max Gilbert, which momentarily subdued the enthusiasm of the 93,000+ crowd at Sanford Stadium.
Despite a slow start, Georgia found their rhythm as Beck connected with Delp for two touchdown passes—19 and 4 yards—both executed in the back of the end zone. Tennessee briefly regained the lead with Dylan Sampson’s impressive 27-yard touchdown run, but before halftime, Beck led the Bulldogs into scoring range, resulting in a 36-yard field goal by Peyton Woodring, leaving the teams tied at 17 at the break.
The defensive struggles for Tennessee were notable, as they had not allowed more than 19 points in any game this season, yet the Beck-led offense managed to pile up an impressive 454 yards and 24 first downs while converting 8 of 13 third-down opportunities. Georgia continues its dominance over the Volunteers, claiming their eighth straight victory in this rivalry, with each win coming by at least two touchdowns.
Georgia faced challenges, including the absence of starting running back Travis Etienne due to a rib injury and the loss of receiver Dillon Bell to an ankle injury late in the first half. Nonetheless, Frazier delivered a commendable game with 68 rushing yards, and London Humphreys stepped up with three significant receptions totaling 63 yards. Credit is due to the offensive line, which managed to protect Beck efficiently after he was sacked five times against Ole Miss last week.
Looking ahead, Tennessee will return home next Saturday to face UTEP, and they will conclude the regular season with a matchup against Vanderbilt on November 30. Meanwhile, Georgia wraps up its SEC schedule and will take on UMass, who holds a 2-8 record, in a non-conference game next Saturday, setting the stage for a promising finish to their regular season.
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