ATHENS, Ga. — Brock Bowers scored two more touchdowns and No. 1 Georgia survived a sloppy performance and surprisingly gritty effort from Kent State, holding off the Golden Flashes 39-22 Saturday.
The Bulldogs (4-0) turned it over three times, struggled in the red zone, were burned on a fake punt and gave up several big plays to Kent State (1-3) in what was easily their worst performance of the season.
Was it bad enough to knock Georgia out of the top spot in the rankings? Check back Sunday.
Kent State had a chance to make it a one-score game with less than 13 minutes remaining after Marquez Cooper scored on a 1-yard run to cap a 12-play, 75-yard drive. But a two-point conversion failed, leaving the Bulldogs with a 32-22 lead.
Georgia then finished off the Golden Flashes, driving 75 yards for Kendall Milton’s 1-yard plunge on fourth-and-goal with 5 1/2 minutes to go.
Bowers, coming off a three-touchdown performance against South Carolina, took it to the end zone on the second play of the game with a dazzling 75-yard run.
He also scored on a 2-yard scamper, making it three touchdowns on three carries this season for the sophomore tight end.
Or maybe he should be listed as a running back.
“I guess I’m a tight end,” Bowers said. “But I just line up wherever the tell me.”
Going in motion to take a handoff, the sophomore tight end found a big hole around right end and never stopped running, turning on his impressive speed down the sideline in front of the Georgia bench.
Bowers strengthened his credentials as one of the nation’s most dynamic offensive players.
“What a weapon he is,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “He can line up and play just about anywhere.”
But Bowers was the exception for the Bulldogs on this day.
Ladd McConkey lost a pair of fumbles, one on a punt return that probably should have been a fair catch, another after catching a pass in Kent State territory.
Stetson Bennett threw his first interception of the season, though he did score on a 1-yard dive, sticking the ball across the line while falling on his back with 8 seconds left in the first half to put the Bulldogs up 26-13.
Georgia settled for three field goals by Jack Podlesny after driving inside Kent State’s 20-yard line, which allowed the Golden Flashes to hang around.
“That’s a really good football team,” Smart said. “They proved that today.”
Kent State was facing a team currently ranked in the AP Top 25 for the third time in its first four games, having already lost to No. 18 Washington and No. 6 Oklahoma.
This figured to the their toughest test yet. But the Golden Flashes actually made things tough on the Bulldogs, who came in as 44 1/2-point favorites.
“I’m really pleased with the way that our kids fought,” Kent State coach Sean Lewis said. “We have a really talented ball club that has gone through tremendous adversity and conflict in the month of September. They embraced it and got better because of it.”
Kent State became the first team all season to score a touchdown against Georgia’s first-team defense when Devontez Walker hauled in a 56-yard touchdown pass from Collin Schlee.
THE TAKEAWAY
Kent State: The Golden Flashes have a lot to build on as they prepare to face teams more their size. Most notably, they put together scoring drives of 70 and 75 yards against a defense that had allowed just 10 points through the first three games.
Georgia: The Bulldogs played like a team that paid far too much attention to all the accolades after their first three games. That’s just what Smart was worried about, but it gives him plenty of things to work on when his team returns to the practice field.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
If the Associated Press voters follow the same pattern they did with Alabama, Georgia is likely to get bumped from the top spot. The Crimson Tide started the season No. 1 but swapped places with Georgia after a surprisingly tough 20-19 victory at Texas two weeks ago. Alabama was hosting Vanderbilt later Saturday.
UP NEXT
Kent State: Having completed the brutal part of the schedule, the Golden Flashes open Mid-American Conference play by hosting Ohio next Saturday.
Georgia: Travels to Missouri for its second Southeastern conference game in a Saturday night clash.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2022/9/1133763/lackluster-dogs-hold-off-kent-st