It wasn’t pretty, but a win is a win as top-ranked Georgia defeated Vanderbilt 37-20 to improve to 7-0.
The Commodores were 32-point underdogs entering Saturday and gave the heavily favored Bulldogs a run for their money, trailing by 10 points late in the game, but couldn’t pull off the upset.
“I’m really proud of our players for being resilient and fighting through some turnovers, some adversity, some sloppy play, some injuries,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said on Saturday.
“At the end of the day, they responded and got to play on the road in the SEC, so I’m proud of them for that.”
The Bulldogs relied on their run game, totaling a season-high 281 yards on 39 attempts. They were led by senior running back Daijun Edwards, who rushed for a career-high 146 yards and a score.
Georgia led 30-20 with just over six minutes remaining when Edwards broke off a career-long 62-yard rush, which put the Bulldogs’ offense inside the Vanderbilt 10-yard line.
A few plays later, Edwards scored his sixth touchdown of his senior campaign, extending Georgia’s lead to 37-20.
“Yeah, he’s workman-like. The guy’s got great vision and great toughness. He’s really hard to tackle. His balance is so tough. He does not take many tough shots,” Smart said of Edwards after the game. “He’s got good wiggle, a really good short yardage guy, he’s patient and hits the hole.
Where would we be right now without Daijun? I don’t know because his toughness has won out.”
Georgia held a comfortable 24-7 lead at the half, but Vanderbilt didn’t give up so easily.
After the Bulldogs went on a 19-play, 60-yard drive that resulted in a field goal to start the third quarter, the Commodores answered with a score. They methodically marched down the field, scoring on a Ken Seals’ touchdown pass during the first play from scrimmage in the fourth quarter.
Georgia extended its lead on the next possession to 30-13 after not being able to convert on fourth down. The Bulldogs elected to kick another field goal, with Peyton Woodring connecting again.
Georgia forced a threeand- out on the next drive, regaining possession with 7:01 left in the contest; however, a Carson Beck pass was tipped, and the Commodores’ C.J. Taylor picked it off.
Taylor returned the interception to the Bulldogs’ 1-yard line and on the next play, running back Sedrick Alexander scored. Alexander’s touchdown made the score 30-20 with 6:17 left in the game.
“[Carson] doesn’t need to throw it,” Smart said of the turnover. “He doesn’t need to throw an interception. That ball got tipped, I believe. But he made a great effort to get over there and get the guy. It gave us a chance defensively, which is critical. You can’t have those kind of mistakes, either.”
Regardless, Georgia’s offense closed out the game strong on Edwards’ ability to move the chains effectively. Bulldogs’ walk-on running redshirt sophomore Cash Jones also helped as he rushed the ball three times for 65 yards, including a careerhigh 57-yard gain with under two minutes left.
Beck finished the game by completing 29-of-39 passes for 261 yards and one touchdown and an interception. Kendall Milton added 53 rushing yards on five carries with a score before leaving the game due to injury. Dominic Lovett hauled in nine receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown as well.
The Bulldogs got down early and overcame some mistakes, responding the old-fashioned way with their run game. They scored 27 unanswered points after falling behind 7-0 early in the game.
“I’m really proud of the leadership of the team,” Smart said. “There are some great guys in that locker room who know that we can play better, but look, guys, I’ve said it before, I’m not going to apologize for winning on the road in the SEC. I’m all about it, man.”