Field Level Media
Sep 26, 2020
Stetson Bennett threw for two touchdowns, both in the second half, to spark No. 4 Georgia to a 37-10 victory over Arkansas Saturday in a Southeastern Conference opener in Fayetteville, Ark.
Bennett, who played in only five games in 2019, took over for struggling freshman D'Wan Mathis in the second quarter and gave a bumbling Georgia offense some much-needed life. He was 20 of 29 passing for 211 yards before turning the game back over to Mathis in the fourth quarter.
Mathis finished 8 of 17 passing for 55 yards after a 6-of-14, 37-yard start.
Florida transfer Feleipe Franks completed 19-of-36 for 200 yards and a touchdown in his Arkansas debut, but was intercepted twice. Cornerback Eric Stokes returned the second 30 yards for a touchdown to put the Bulldogs up 27-10 late in the third quarter.
Safety Richard LeCounte had two picks, the second off of Hogs wide receiver Treylon Burks.
Despite only 160 yards of offense in the first half, the Razorbacks led by the unusual score of 7-5 at the break with Burks scoring on a 49-yard reception.
The Bulldogs kept the Hogs backed up and had the ball for over 18 minutes in the first two quarters, but hurt themselves with key mistakes. They had 11 penalties for 98 yards in the first half alone and saw their best chance for a touchdown thwarted when Arkansas cornerback Montaric Brown made a diving interception at his own 5-yard line to end the threat.
The Bulldogs eked out only 177 yards in the first half and got their only points on a safety and a 38-yard field goal from Jack Podlesny as time ran out in the second quarter. They finished with 387 yards to 280 for the Hogs.
The Razorbacks took advantage of a Georgia fumble to go up 10-5 early in the third quarter before the Bulldogs ran off 32 consecutive points.
George Pickens hauled in a 19-yard touchdown from Bennett, and John FitzPatrick hauled in a 7-yard scoring pass from Bennett for a 20-10 lead with 3:20 left in the third quarter.
Stokes' interception return TD halted Arkansas' next drive, and Zamir White added a 6-yard touchdown run with 11:15 remaining.
--Field Level Media