Jacksonville, FL.— Running back Chauncey Bowens scored a 36-yard touchdown run with 4:36 remaining in the fourth quarter, securing a 24-20 victory for the fifth-ranked Georgia football team over Florida on Saturday at EverBank Stadium. This victory marked Georgia’s fifth consecutive win against the Gators and was their fourth come-from-behind win in Southeastern Conference play this season.
Georgia was trailing 20-17 midway through the final quarter when their defense stopped Florida on fourth-and-1 at the UGA 18-yard line. The offense responded by driving down the field to score the go-ahead touchdown. The Bulldogs (7-1, 5-1 SEC) demonstrated resilience, rallying in the second half to defeat then-No. 15 Tennessee, Auburn, and then-No. 5 Ole Miss, and they executed a similar comeback Saturday.
“Greta runs. I’ll be honest with you, Nate [Frazier] can probably make those runs, too. Dwight [Phillips] can make those runs. [Josh] McCray can make those runs. I’ve got to give credit where credit is due. Chauncey did an awesome job, and I thought that the check on the run for the touchdown was the second biggest play of the game,” Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart said. “Gunner saw something, changed the ‘Oline,’ picked it up. It’s hard to run that and to defend that play when you’re straining the line, which they were doing. A great check by him [Stockton], and our ‘O-line’ ran it beautifully. We’ve worked on that very hard. Chauncey was worth a great run, so I’m really proud of him.That was a good job, and the toss sweep was a nice play, too.”
Florida (3-5, 2-3) took an early lead in the fourth quarter, but Georgia’s defense forced turnovers on downs during the Gators’ final two possessions. The Bulldogs outgained Florida in total yardage, 361 to 281.
Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton completed 20 of 29 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Zachariah Branch contributed significantly with 10 receptions for 112 yards. The team rushed for 138 yards on 39 carries, led by Bowens with 70 yards on nine attempts. Defensively, linebacker CJ Allen led the team with 13 tackles.
Due to upcoming major renovations at EverBank Stadium, this was the final game scheduled in Jacksonville until 2028. Next season’s game will be held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with subsequent games at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa in 2027.
Georgia started the game strongly, advancing 75 yards on their initial possession to score a touchdown and take an early 7-0 lead. A key play was a 12-yard pass from Stockton to wide receiver Dillon Bell on third-and-7 at the UGA 28-yard line, which sustained the drive. Stockton later connected with Bell again to conclude the drive, culminating in a quick slant to Bell in the end zone on second-and-7 from the Florida 8-yard line.
Florida responded with a quick drive, tying the game early in the first quarter with a 40-yard touchdown pass from DJ Lagway to Eugene Wilson III. The Gators gained possession shortly afterward when Stockton’s pass was intercepted by Devin Moore, setting up Florida at the Georgia 38-yard line. Florida took the lead with a 22-yard field goal by Trey Smack, making the score 10-7 with 3:02 remaining in the first quarter.
Georgia tied the game at 10-10 with a 39-yard field goal by Peyton Woodring as time expired in the first half. At halftime, Georgia held a total offensive advantage, 197 yards to Florida’s 127, with 12 first downs compared to Florida’s six.
In the second half, Georgia’s defense forced a three-and-out. The offense then drove 74 yards in five plays, culminating in Stockton’s 22-yard touchdown pass to Noah Thomas, giving Georgia a 17-10 lead. During this drive, Stockton connected with Branch for a 42-yard gain on third-and-5 at the UGA 31.
Florida responded with a 79-yard, 12-play drive, ending with Jadan Baugh’s 2-yard touchdown run with 3:37 left in the third quarter. Florida then took a 20-17 lead with a 54-yard field goal by Smack at 14:52 in the fourth quarter.
“This group of men in there, just had a chance to talk with, I told them I respect them. I respect them for the way they handled change over the past week,” Gators head coach Billy Gonzales said. “Respect them how resilient they’ve been over the past week. I respect how they’ve responded and taken ownership of this team.”
Midway through the fourth quarter, Florida had the ball at the Georgia 18-yard line but opted to go for it on fourth-and-1. Georgia’s defense, led by Raylen Wilson and Elijah Griffin, stopped the run short of the first down. The Bulldogs then took possession down three points with 7:54 remaining.
Georgia capitalized on the defensive stop, retaking the lead at 24-20 with Bowens’ 36-yard touchdown run up the middle. Key plays during this drive included an 18-yard reception from Stockton to Branch on third-and-8 at the UGA 20 and a 13-yard completion later in the drive.
The Bulldogs’ defense then prevented Florida from attempting a comeback, forcing a turnover on downs with Ellis Robinson IV breaking up a pass on fourth-and-4 at the Florida 31 with 3:13 remaining. After a 14-yard run by Bowens on third-and-7 at the Gators’ 28, Georgia was able to run out the clock and secure the victory.
Georgia will be on the road next Saturday to face Mississippi State. The Bulldogs hold a 21-6 record in the all-time series and have won the past five meetings.
Photos/GeorgiaBulldogsAthletics
One thought