Georgia rebounds with 28-14 victory in Sunday game
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Georgia linebacker Davin Bellamy had a simple pregame message for his teammates eager to bounce back from an awful two weeks.
“Everyone in there has aspirations of playing on Sundays. It’s Sunday, it’s time to play ball,” Bellamy said.
The Bulldogs did just that, rushing for a season-high 326 yards and snapping a two-game losing streak with a 28-14 victory over South Carolina on Sunday in a game pushed back a day because of Hurricane Matthew.
Nick Chubb, back from a sprained left ankle, ran for 121 yards and two touchdowns and Sony Michel had 133 yards – Georgia’s first game with two 100-yard backs since Chubb and Todd Gurley did it against Auburn in 2014.
Chubb ran for 18 yards the first time he touched the ball. He ended the series with a 15-yard TD run to put the Bulldogs (4-2, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) ahead for good.
“I think that got everyone going, the whole team,” Chubb said. “To come out there, first play of the game getting something going.”
Georgia didn’t stop – except when attempting to pass. Freshman Jacob Eason finished 5 of 17 for 29 yards with a TD and an interception.
“We’ve got to improve our ability to throw and catch the ball,” Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart said.
It didn’t matter much against South Carolina (2-4, 1-4), which came in next to last in the SEC at stopping the run.
“We knew they were going to come out and run the ball. We couldn’t stop them,” South Carolina linebacker Bryson Allen-Williams said. “It’s frustrating.”
Georgia came in hoping to turn around a miserable stretch where it was pounded by Ole Miss (45-14), then beaten by Tennessee on a Hail Mary after taking the lead seconds earlier.
“We needed this win,” Bellamy said.
“It felt good to know we are,” Michel said. “Georgia football, we’re going to run the football.”
Chubb , who had just one carry the past two games with a left-ankle sprain, was on his game from the start. He scampered 18 yards on his first carry and ended the sequence with 15-yard TD run.
Chubb added a 1-yard touchdown as the Bulldogs moved in front 14-0. The Gamecocks (2-4, 1-4) could not keep up in losing their third straight game.
“I don’t know why you’re all so surprised,” Chubb said. “We run the ball.”
It was the first time since a 2014 win over Auburn that Georgia had a pair of 100-yard rushers. Chubb was part of that, too, gaining 144 yards while Todd Gurley, now playing for the Los Angeles Rams, ran for 138.
The Gamecocks cut it to 21-14 on Rico Dowdle’s 1-yard TD run with 1:40 left. But Terry Godwin picked up South Carolina’s on-side kick attempt and took it 43 yards for a clinching score.