ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia quarterback Carson Beck and tight end Brock Bowers combined for a big night Saturday at Sanford Stadium, connecting nine times for 120 yards and two touchdowns in the top-ranked Bulldogs’ 49-21 win over UAB.
After Georgia took a 28-14 lead into halftime, the Bulldogs (4-0) dominated the third quarter, stretching their lead to 42-14. Beck was done for the night by the end of the third, finishing 22 of 32 for a career-high 337 yards and three touchdowns.
Offensively, Georgia outgained the Blazers 581-336, getting 393 yards through the air and 188 on the ground. Defensively, Georgia held UAB (1-3) to 4.4 yards per play. Eleven different Bulldogs had at least three tackles.
The win extended the Bulldogs’ school-record winning streak to 21 games, moved their regular-season win streak to 31 games, and it was Georgia’s 22nd straight win on Dooley Field. The program record for most consecutive home wins is 24, set from 1980-83.
After being held without a touchdown in the first quarter of their previous two games, the Bulldogs went 75 yards for a TD on their opening drive. The first play of the game was a 33-yard completion from Beck to wideout Dominic Lovett, and the drive ended on a screen pass to Arian Smith, who got a big block from Bowers and scooted for a 12-yard score and a 7-0 lead with 12:04 remaining in the first quarter.
UAB got a first down on its opening drive, but the possession ended soon after when, on third-and-6 at the Georgia 49-yard line, Bulldog pass rushers Warren Brinson and Chaz Chambliss stormed into the backfield, with Brinson getting the sack.
Neither team produced any points the rest of the opening quarter, but UAB did come up with some fireworks at the end. During a Mekhi Mews punt return, the Blazers forced and recovered a fumble on the Georgia 30-yard line, with one second left in the quarter.
The Blazers turned the turnover into a touchdown and a tie game. On third-and-4 from the Georgia 16, quarterback Jacob Zeno hit Bryce Damous on the left side, and the tight end did the rest on a 16-yard TD that made it 7-7 with 14:09 left in the half.
Georgia responded quickly with a touchdown drive to regain the momentum, but it didn’t come easily at first. On third-and-6 at the Bulldog 43, Beck was under pressure when he took off and fought for every inch on a seven-yard run for a first down. On the next play, he hit tight end Oscar Delp across the middle for 19 yards.
That nice pass play was followed by a 15-yard completion to Bowers, followed two plays later by a 12-yard completion to Bowers down to the 4. Bowers passed 2,000 career receiving yards on the drive. On first down from the 4, running back Daijun Edwards carried the ball in for a 14-7 lead with 10:00 on the clock.
After Georgia’s defense forced UAB to punt for the fourth time in the half, Beck directed a pass-heavy drive that ended with a 41-yard touchdown to Bowers with 22:40 left in the half. The drive began with Beck hitting wideout Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint for a 19-yard gain, and it ended with Beck lofting a touch throw to Bowers on the right side, over a defender. Bowers then broke a couple of tackles and ran the ball in for his first receiving TD of the season.
The Georgia lead was 21-7 when UAB started its next drive, which ended after one play. On first down from the 25, Georgia STAR Tykee Smith picked off a pass at the Blazer 25. It was Smith’s third interception in as many games. Four plays later, Edwards ran the ball in from the 3 for his second TD of the game, putting Georgia ahead 28-7 with 1:26 remaining in the half.
The Blazers moved the ball down to the Bulldog 2-yard line in the final seconds of the half, and cut the Georgia lead to 28-14 with a two-yard touchdown from Zeno to Amare Thomas with eight seconds left on the clock.
Georgia’s defense set the tone to start the third quarter. The Blazers got the ball to start the half and on their first play, linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson got into the backfield for a four-yard loss. Safety Dan Jackson made a stop of a two-yard gain on second down, and then UAB threw incomplete on third down.
After the ensuing punt, the Georgia offense got to work and patiently worked its way down inside the 5-yard line. And on third-and-goal from the 1, Beck lunged across the goal line on a keeper to put Georgia ahead 35-14 with 9:06 left in the third. Bowers had a 13-yard reception on the drive to top 100 yards receiving in the game.
Bowers found the end zone again with 5:38 to play in the third, scoring on a delayed screen pass to the left side on third-and-9 at the Blazer 10 and pushing the lead to 42-14. Bowers now has five career games with at least 100 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
Georgia got deep into UAB territory on the first play of the drive, when Beck his Rosemy-Jacksaint for a 50-yard gain down to the 11. Rosemy-Jacksaint finished with three catches for 94 yards and Dominic Lovett had three for 59.
With 9:05 left in the game, running back SeVaughn Clark ran the ball in from the 7 for his first career touchdown, making it a 49-14 game. Zeno ran the ball in from the 3 with 6:08 remaining, cutting the Bulldog led to 49-21.
The Bulldogs hit the road for the first time this season next Saturday when they face Auburn (3-1, 0-1) at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
