KNOXVILLE, Tenn- The top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs (9-0, 7-0 SEC) score 17 unanswered points to take a 24-10 lead into the half on the Tennessee Volunteers (5-4, 3-3 SEC) in front of a packed Neyland Stadium and CBS audience.
Quarterback Stetson Bennett finished the half 12-of-21 passing for 154 yards and a touchdown. He also added 32 yards on the ground including his first rushing touchdown of the season.
James Cook had the hot hand on the ground as he rushed for 78 yards on just 6 attempts including a touchdown. He brought in a touchdown through the air as well giving him 113 total yards at the half. Adonai Mitchell led all Georgia pass catchers with 57 yards on 4 catches all coming on the Bulldog’s final drive.
Nakobe Dean led all tacklers with 7 total tackles including a sack and forced fumble. Latavious Brini followed Dean with 5 tackles while Derion Kendrick added an interception.
Tennessee’s opening drive goes 77-yards in just over 3 minutes of game clock and concludes with a 9-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Hendon Hooker to Velus Jones Jr. to give the Vols a 7-0 lead.
In need of a response, the Bulldog offense put together a 78-yard scoring drive capped off by a 39-yard touchdown run by senior running back James Cook. Cook’s 5th rushing touchdown of the season ties the game 7-7.
After an exchange of punts, the Volunteer offense goes 76-yards, with 67 of those yards coming through the air. The Vols made it as deep as the UGA 7-yard line but settled for a 24-yard field goal giving Tennessee a 10-7 lead.
Georgia’s first drive of the second quarter resulted in a 40-yard field by kicker Jack Podlesny. The Bulldog offense moved the ball 33-yards on the drive’s first four plays before ultimately stalling at the Volunteer 22-yard line.
On Tennessee’s ensuing drive, Volunteer quarterback Hendon Hooker overthrows his intended target and has his pass intercepted by Derion Kendrick. The Georgia offense followed Kendrick’s second interception of the season with a 40-yard touchdown drive ending with a 9-yard touchdown run from quarterback Stetson Bennett giving the Bulldogs their first lead of the game 17-10. The touchdown would be the first rushing touchdown on the season for Bennett.
Georgia’s offense began their final drive of the half at the Volunteer 10-yard line with just under four minutes remaining in the half. The Bulldog offense leads an 11-play, 90-yard drive resulting in a 23-yard receiving touchdown to James Cook down the sideline. Freshman receiver Adonai Mitchell finished the drive with four catches for 57-yards including a diving catch on third down to set up Cook’s second touchdown of the game. The Bulldog’s score 17 unanswered points to take a 24-10 lead into the half.
