ATHENS — In terms of total yardage, things shook out close to even on Saturday between Georgia and Oklahoma. But when it came to the Bulldogs taking advantage of miscues by the Sooners, and most importantly the scoreboard, the scales were greatly tipped toward Georgia as it rolled all over Oklahoma 41-13 to improve to 2-0 in SEC play.
The Bulldogs stay in the SEC play Saturday, hosting Vanderbilt at 12:45 p.m. EST.
Going against one of the nation’s highest-regarded defenses in Oklahoma, Georgia managed 306 yards, just 10 more than the Sooners.
“They’re definitely a really good defense. They have a really good front. They have a lot of good backers, too,” Georgia center Drew Bobo said. “They do a lot of different stuff, a lot of moving around, twisting and stuff like that. They are really disruptive.”
The margin, however, ended up null and void as Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer committed three turnovers on his own in the second quarter alone, allowing the Bulldogs to go from leading 14-0 to 28-0 after a half of football. Overall, Oklahoma turned the ball over four times, losing three fumbles. Georgia converted those turnovers into 17 points.
“There’s forced fumbles, and then there’s gifts. We like to say that the ‘dogs are going to beat the dogs,’ and the dogs didn’t beat the dogs (Saturday). But the Sooners in a lot of ways beat the Sooners.” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said. “They gifted us multiple turnovers that ended up being touchdowns.”
And with Georgia’s defense limiting Oklahoma to 2-of-12 on third downs, the cushion was aplenty for the Bulldogs, who slowed offensively in the second half. Thanks to a swarming defensive effort from those wearing the red and black, it ended up being the Bulldogs that reigned supreme when it came to defense on Saturday.
Georgia got going offensively two drives into the game, first on a 30-yard downfield pass to Talyn Taylor followed by a quick screen to London Humphreys. That pivoted the offense to lean on Dwight Phillips Jr. and Chauncey Bowens inside the 20-yard line prior to a screen to Taylor and fourth-down pass at the 11 to Ethan Barbour to move the chains. Two plays later, a toss to Bowens was good for a 7-0 Georgia lead with 3:16 left in the first quarter. Bowens now has five touchdowns overall in his past 17 carries.
After forcing a three-and-out, Georgia needed just a small window of time to double its lead, taking five plays to go 54 yards, leading 14-0 when Gunner Stockton found Taylor from 35 yards away with 14:20 left until halftime. Taylor caught four passes against the Sooners for 110 yards.
Stockton, who finished 14-of-25 for 171 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, completed his first nine passes in a row on Saturday and was also 10-of-12 in the first half.
Oklahoma got in gear offensively, mixing things up to get inside the Bulldogs two-yard line. Within moments, however, the Sooners prospects went from cruising to being mired in a muddy ditch.
As Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer rolled out on third and two, he inexplicably lost his grip on the ball. Right there to snag it out of thin air as it bounced up from the Sanford Stadium turf was Chris Cole, who raced 85 yards for a score, sending the crowd in Athens into a frenzy with 8:58 to go in the second quarter.
Things continued to go south for Oklahoma as it turned the ball over on its next two drives – first an interception of Mateer by KJ Bolden and then a fumble by Mateer forced by Raylen Wilson. It was recovered by none other than Cole.
“I just wanted to make sure I did not get caught. That was the main goal, and to score,” Cole said. “On the second one, I was shocked that the ball came out, I said, ‘No way that the ball is on the ground again.’” The Bulldogs cashed in with Bowens ending a quick 11-yard drive on a five-yard touchdown burst and a 28-0 lead.
Even when the Sooners got on the board to begin the second half on a 17-yard touchdown pass to Rocky Beers, the defense kept setting up the offense, as a 45-yard field goal from Peyton Woodring came off a drive started by a fumble forced by Rasean Dinkins, making the Georgia lead 31-6.
With only one second-half touchdown, Georgia walked away from Saturday’s win with an eye on more work to do.
“We didn’t execute like we’re supposed to,” Stockton said. “There were a couple plays that were on me. I didn’t get us in the right place, so definitely stuff to work on.”
Phillips, who stepped up with Nate Frazier unable to play at running back on Saturday, extended the Georgia lead to 38-6 early in the fourth, springing for a 54-yard score. Phillips ended up leading Georgia on the ground, rushing eight times for 84 yards. Woodring added a 49-yarder with 8:13 to play prior to a late Oklahoma score on a 14-yard pass from Mateer to Manny Choice.
