Georgia overcomes early struggles to top Gators, win consecutive games in rivalry

As Georgia running back D’Andre Swift juked past Florida defenders and crossed the pylon for the game’s final score, a mass of Gator fans were crossing through the tunnels.

The exit tunnels, that is.

Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC) had put the finishing touches on a 36-17 win over its division rival and claimed its second straight win over the Gators. While the 19-point margin appears convincing, it was a late offensive surge that allowed the Bulldogs to prevail in a tightly-contested game.

Florida (6-2, 4-2 SEC) had taken a brief lead early in the second half after a 51-yard kickoff return and a strike of a touchdown pass. Then, Georgia answered with a 12-yard touchdown on the following drive and had complete control in each of the game’s phases.

After two weeks of lingering chatter when Georgia suffered its first loss, that “motivating factor,” according to Bulldogs’ head coach Kirby Smart, led to the victory.

“It felt really good,” Georgia inside linebacker Monty Rice said. “Especially after people were doubting us.”

Defense steps up in second half, turnovers mask woes

Georgia had trouble with its run defense, Smart’s primary concern, in the first half. There were tackles missed, assignments blown and Florida was able to rack up yards with its duo of Jordan Scarlett and Lamical Perine — averaging 5.8 yards per carry at one point.

But turnovers kept the Bulldogs alive.

Georgia tallied its first-half turnovers on consecutive possessions. It started with a fumble recovery from Richard LeCounte, and an interception by Tyrique McGhee followed. Entering the game, Florida led the nation with a +9 turnover margin, yet Georgia had the advantage in this victory.

It was an intentional focus as Georgia looked at opposing defenses and asked the question, “Why can’t we get these turnovers?” Against Florida, it did.

“We needed to get those turnovers and that was big for us,” Smart said. “They come in bunches and we got a couple of them today.”

Entering the half with a one-possession lead, things looked somewhat shaky to open the game’s final stanza as Florida scored on its opening drive as a result of a 33-yard pass from quarterback Feleipe Franks.

Otherwise, the Bulldogs’ defense tightened up and allowed 116 second-half yards to the Gators and forced its third turnover of the game on a fumble recovery from Tae Crowder at the 1-yard line.

“It was about being more physical than the other team,” Rice said. “We were able to do that.”

Tight ends appear again

When Jake Fromm assumed the leadership of Georgia’s two-minute drive to close the first half, he knew who his primary target would be: Isaac Nauta — not once, or twice, but four times in a row to the Bulldogs’ tight end.

He finished with five catches for a team-high 73 yards, and most of it was accounted for in less than 50 seconds. It resembles his production in a last-minute drive against Vanderbilt, in which Nauta recorded two catches for 40 yards.

“We found it at about seven-or-eight yards and I was able to churn down the field for about 10-or-12,” Nauta said. “They kept giving it to us and we kept taking it.”

Charlie Woerner also had a season-long 35-yard reception which set up one-of-two touchdown passes to sophomore Jeremiah Holloman.

Duo of Macon-area products shine

McGhee looked to be in trouble when Florida head coach Dan Mullen wanted to pull one of the Bulldogs’ old tricks.

Remember when Georgia executed the flea-flicker touchdown on its opening play against Mississippi State, Mullen’s old team? Well, Mullen almost pulled off his own highlight.

Franks had his receiver Van Jefferson open — for days. McGhee was beat, but got a mulligan when Franks overthrew his target. After Georgia converted a field goal on its opening drive, it also avoided a significant momentum swing.

“We read that play, but they played the fake out well,” said McGhee, the junior out of Peach County. “They got out in front of us and the secondary has to play with better eyes.”

Then, McGhee made up for it with an interception on a pass intended for Josh Hammond, although it looked to be headed straight to the Georgia defensive back. It is the second interception of his career.

“It was pretty big, especially in a game like this,” McGhee said. “Our team needed it.”

Malik Herring, a sophomore and Mary Persons product, stepped up as a fill-in for David Marshall (foot injury) and Robert Beal (personal absence). He recorded two tackles and had a forced fumble in the second quarter which forced a Florida punt.

“Malik has played really well,” Smart said. “We are getting a bit of return on investment from when we had to play so many defensive linemen early.”

This story was originally published October 27, 2018 at 9:54 PM.