Sat Oct 11 19:44:16 2008

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Stafford, Georgia hold off Tennessee

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Athens, GA (Sports Network) - Matthew Stafford threw for 309 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions as the 10th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs downed the Tennessee Volunteers, 26-14, in a SEC battle at Sanford Stadium.

Knowshon Moreno had 102 yards on 27 carries while Mohamed Massaquoi hauled in five catches for 103 yards and a score for the Bulldogs (5-1, 2-1 SEC), who bounced back from a 41-30 loss to Alabama on September 27.

Nick Stephens completed 12-of-28 passes for 183 yards and two scores while Gerald Jones and Lucas Taylor each hauled in a touchdown for the Volunteers (2-4, 0-3), who have lost four of their last five games.

Trailing by 13 points in the third quarter, Tennessee was on the verge of facing a bigger deficit as Georgia had the ball the Vols six-yard-line, but Eric Berry picked off a Stafford pass in the end zone and returned it 54 yards to the Georgia 46.

The team needed seven plays to get into the end zone as Stephens' 12-yard pass to Taylor made it a 20-14 game with 5:37 left in the third.

Georgia, though, answered on its next touch to make it a two-score game. An 11-play, 66-yard drive was capped by a 41-yard field goal from Blair Walsh on the first play of the fourth quarter to make it a 23-14 game.

The Bulldogs held the Vols to a three-and-out on the ensuing possession and got the ball back at their own 13.

Georgia turned to the ground game to chew up the clock and extend its lead. Moreno carried the ball six times for 26 yards while Caleb King added 23 yards on five carries as a 16-play, 76-yard drive that ate up 11 minutes was finished with a 28-yard field goal from Walsh that was partially blocked but made its way between the uprights for a 26-14 lead with 2:49 to go to seal the win.

The Bulldogs scored on their first possession of the game to grab the lead. On 4th-and-1, the team opted to go for it and a three-yard rush from Stafford moved the chains. Then facing a 3rd-and-10, a fullback screen to Shaun Chapas went for 37 yards to get the ball to the one-yard line. On the next play, Brannan Southerland punched it into the end zone for a 7-0 lead.

After holding the Volunteers to a three-and-out, Georgia again went on a scoring drive and a 34-yard field goal from Walsh made it a 10-0 game with 3:12 left in the first quarter.

A seven-play, 33-yard drive that spanned the first and second quarters was capped on a 20-yard field goal from Walsh that gave the Bulldogs a 13-0 advantage a bit over two minutes into the second.

Georgia was again threatening as the team had the ball at the Tennessee 13, but on a 2nd-and-9 play, Stafford's short pass was picked off by Robert Ayers.

The Volunteers took advantage of the turnover and put points on the board. On a first down play at their own 36, Stephens lofted a bomb to Denarius Moore that went for 60 yards to put the ball at the Georgia four-yard-line. Three plays later, Stephens hit Jones just inside the end zone for a two-yard score to make it a 13-7 game with 2:23 left in the first half.

Georgia, though, quickly answered to regain its 13-point advantage. The big play of the nine-play, 97-yard rive came on 2nd-and-7 near midfield as Demiko Goodman hauled in an 18-yard pass and the Volunteers were assessed a 15-yard personal foul penalty. The scoring drive was capped on a nine-yard touchdown catch by Massaquoi with nine seconds left in the half to make it a 20-7 game.

Game Notes

Georgia hosts Vanderbilt next Saturday...The Volunteers host Mississippi State next Saturday...Tennessee hold a 20-16-2 edge in the all-time series. Last season, the Volunteers crushed the Bulldogs, 35-14...The Bulldogs controlled the ball for over 42 minutes and outgained the Volunteers, 458-209.