The Sports Xchange
Oct 14, 2017
ATHENS, Ga. -- On a weekend with its share of upsets, Georgia's offense made sure the No. 4 Bulldogs didn't suffer a similar fate, rolling up 696 total yards to rout Missouri 53-28 on Saturday night.
The victory will likely push Georgia (7-0, 4-0 SEC) into the No. 3 spot in the poll following Clemson's loss at Syracuse on Friday night.
It was certainly a good night to pad the stats for the Bulldogs, who found themselves tied with Missouri at 21 before scoring the next 26 points.
Freshman quarterback Jake Fromm enjoyed a stellar day, completing 18 of 26 passes for a career-high 326 yards and one touchdown.
Georgia rushed for 372 yards. Sony Michel recorded 86 yards and two scores, freshman D'Andre Swift totaled 94 and Nick Chubb added 70. Wide receiver Mecole Hardman scored twice -- on a 35-yard run and a 59-yard pass.
Kicker Rodrigo Blankenship made three field goals.
Drew Lock accounted for all the points for Missouri (1-5, 0-4), completing 15 of 25 passes for 253 yards and four touchdowns. Emanuel Hall caught a pair of 63-yard TD passes for the Tigers.
Georgia led 34-21 at the half, which saw both teams combine for 607 total yards, including 407 by the Bulldogs.
After forcing a Missouri punt to open the game, the Bulldogs drove 91 yards on seven plays, with Hardman scoring from 35 yards out on a reverse before a mistake by Fromm enabled the Tigers to tie the game.
Credit a brilliant interception by Mizzou linebacker Cale Garrett, who rumbled 13 yards down to the 5. Two plays later, Lock pitched a 3-yard shovel pass to tight end Albert Okwuegbunam with 6:50 left in the first.
Fromm threw an 18-yard touchdown to Riley Ridley and Michel had a 36-yard rushing TD. Meanwhile, Lock kept the Tigers right in it, throwing a pair of touchdowns to Hall before a 37-yard field goal by Blankenship put the Bulldogs up 24-21 with 7:01 left in the second quarter.
Later in the quarter, an interception by Dominick Sanders set up Georgia's fourth touchdown, a 4-yard run by Fromm. He finished 16 of 21 passing for 250 yards in the first half.
Blankenship's second field goal, a 43-yarder at the gun, provided the Bulldogs their 13-point halftime cushion.
NOTES: Georgia honored some of its former greats Saturday, including NFL Hall of Famer Terrell Davis, along with Champ Bailey as well as current NFL stars Thomas Davis (Carolina) and Geno Atkins (Cincinnati). ... The Bulldogs played the game without starting DL Trenton Thompson (MCL) and middle linebacker Natrez Patrick (suspension). ... Missouri's 21 first-half points were the most scored against Georgia all year.