Georgia handles UAB 49-21 to move to 4-0 on the season

ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia experienced some first half bumps but fewer than previous weeks as it thumped UAB 49-21. The Bulldogs carried a 14-point lead into halftime and led by 35 late in the fourth quarter in the blowout win. The win moves UGA’s overall win streak to 21 games and it has now won 22 straight at home.

Carson Beck‘s day ended in the third quarter and connected on 22 of 32 attempts for a career-high 336 yards, three touchdowns, and one rushing score. Brock Bowers went over 2,000 receiving for his career with a nine-catch 120-yard day that saw him find the end zone twice. Daijun Edwards carried it 12 times for 66 yards and two scores.

Georgia couldn’t have started much faster. The Bulldogs reached the end zone on their opening possession for the first time this season. Beck completed five of six passes for 70 yard and hit Arian Smith on a quick screen for a 12-yard touchdown to stake the Bulldogs to a 6-0 lead. Peyton Woodring‘s PAT pushed the lead to 7-0.

The defense forced three straight punts to start the game while the offense punted and turned it over on downs with their next two chances. A big Georgia mistake on the Blazers’ third punt, however, gave Trent Dilfer’s quad a boost. Mekhi Mews fielded the punt and returned it six yards before fumbling. It was recovered by UAB at the Bulldog 36-yard line.

UAB needed just four plays to get into the end zone with a 16-yard pass from Jacob Zeno to Bryce Damous. The PAT tied the game at seven.

Georgia answered right back with a nine-play drive that covered 74 yards. The Bulldogs missed a big play a deep ball from Beck sailed out of the reach of a wide-open Jackson Meeks, but they recovered from it. Edwards found the end zone from four yards out and the PAT gave UGA a 14-7 lead.

After the Georgia defense forced a punt, the offense went right back to work. Again, it missed a big play when Beck’s pass went off the hands of Arian Smith behind the defense but the Bulldogs righted the ship and pushed the lead to 21-7 on a 41-yard connection between Beck and Bowers.

Tykee Smith came up with his third interception on the second play of UAB’s next possession and the Bulldogs made it a three-score game shortly thereafter when Edwards found the end zone for the second time, this time from three yards out.

The first half was far from over as UAB put together its second scoring drive of the day. It traveled 70 yards in nine plays and scored on a two-yard pass from Zeno to Amare Thomas. The first half ended with Georgia leading 28-14.

UAB went three and out with the opening possession of the second half and the Bulldog ground game went to work. Georgia got good field position and used 12 plays to go 59 yards with Beck snuck it in from a yard out to give his team a 35-14 advantage.

That was followed by another stop and another Bulldog touchdown. This time the offense was facing a 3rd and 9 from the UAB 15 when Beck rolled right, turned to the back side, and hit Bowers wide open for his second score of the day. The PAT stretched Georgia’s lead to 42-14.

Beck’s day was over before the end of the third quarter and Brock Vandergriff came in. His first drive didn’t yield points but his second did. After the defense, comprised of reserves, got a turnover on downs, Vandagriff led the offense on an eight-play, 75-yard drive where Vandagriff completed three of four passes. It was capped off by a seven-yard touchdown run from Sevaughn Clark to make it 49-14 in favor of the Bulldogs.

The Blazers picked up a third touchdown late against the reserve defense. Zeno called his own number and punched it in from three yards out against the Bulldog backups to cap off the scoring.

Next up for Georgia is a trip to The Plains for The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry. UGA and Auburn will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.