ATHENS -- Georgia fans finally had their chance to pay tribute to Larry Munson on Saturday, and the former longtime voice of the Georgia radio network responded with a long tip of his cap.
Munson ended 43 years in the Georgia radio booth when he retired on Sept. 22.
Munson underwent surgery April 4 to remove blood clots from his brain, but he returned to work Georgia's first two home games before announcing his retirement.
The 86-year-old Munson was accompanied by his two sons, Michael and Jonathan, as he was driven onto the field in a golf cart after the first quarter. When the cart stopped, Munson was surrounded by a circle of photographers as a tribute began to play on the stadium's video board.
Munson stood and watched the cheers grow during the tribute. Then, in response, he tipped his white Georgia cap to the fans, slowly turning to acknowledge fans all around the stadium.
Georgia athletic director Damon Evans presented Munson with an oil painting by Atlanta artist Steve Penley depicting the legendary broadcaster.
Fans chanted "Larry! Larry!" after Munson was driven off the field.
The tribute was held between quarters. Georgia's seniors were honored in the long pregame ceremony always held on the last game of the regular season.
Munson worked only home games last season but made an exception to travel to Atlanta for the Georgia Tech game.
Scott Howard, Munson's former color analyst, took over the play-by-play duties on road games last year and now has the full-time assignment. Former Bulldogs quarterback Eric Zeier is the new analyst.
Howard, Zeier and others in the Georgia radio booth joined the fans in the standing ovation for Munson.
-- TWO FOR TECH: Roddy Jones, who didn't reach the 100-yard mark in any of Georgia Tech's first 11 games, had 13 carries for 214 yards and Jonathan Dwyer, who usually leads the Yellow Jackets' running game, added 144 yards rushing.
Jones and Dwyer each ran for two touchdowns.
It is the first time Georgia Tech had two players with 100 yards rushing since Sept. 8, 2007 against Samford. Dwyer and Tashard Choice each rushed for more than 100 yards in that game.
It was the first time two Georgia Tech players rushed for at least 100 yards against Georgia since 1984 when Robert Lavette (109) and Malcolm King (104) topped the mark.
The 358 combined yards rushing for Jones and Dwyer is the second-highest total for two players in team history. Eddie Lee Ivery set the school record with 356 yards against Air Force in 1978, and Ray Friday added 115 in the same game.
Jones' average of 16.4 yards per carry set a school record, beating Ivery's average of 13.7 in his record game.
-- A FIRST FOR RICHT: Mark Richt finished his eighth regular season as Georgia's coach with his first regular-season loss to a nonconference opponent.
Under Richt, Georgia is 33-3 against teams outside the Southeastern Conference. Before Saturday's loss to Georgia Tech, Georgia's only nonconference losses under Richt came in bowl games - to Boston College in the 2001 Music City Bowl and to West Virginia in the 2006 Nokia Sugar Bowl.
-- DEFENSIVE SLUMP CONTINUES: Georgia has given up more than 40 points in each of its three losses: 41-30 to Alabama, 49-10 to Florida and 45-42 to Georgia Tech. The Bulldogs finished the regular season by allowing 38 or more points in four of their last five games. The only exception was a 17-13 win over Auburn, which fired its offensive coordinator earlier in the season.
The defensive decline has led to increased criticism of defensive coordinator Willie Martinez.
After Saturday's game, Richt wouldn't add his voice to the list of critics.
"A lot of times when things don't go exactly the way you want them to, people want to find someone to blame," Richt said. "I'm not going to do that."
Georgia gave up 409 yards rushing, the most allowed by the Bulldogs since Vanderbilt had 415 yards rushing in 1994.
-- BOWEN MISSES GAME: Georgia Tech linebacker Shane Bowen, who was expected to make his first start, was ruled out when it was learned he has a displaced cervical vertebrae. Georgia Tech announced Saturday the injury was discovered on a routine examination of his shoulder.
-- MASSAQUOI HAS CAREER DAY: Senior Mohamed Massaquoi had the best statistics of his career in his final regular-season game for Georgia. Massaquoi had a career-high 11 catches for 180 yards and tied a school record with three touchdown catches. Each of the three touchdown receptions came in the first half.
It was Massaquoi's fifth career game with at least 100 yards receiving, including four this season.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford set his career high with 407 yards passing and tied the school record with five touchdown passes.
D.J. Shockley threw five touchdown passes against Boise State in 2005 and David Greene had five against LSU in 2004.
Wednesday
August 13th, 2025
2:21PM
