Georgia vs. Arkansas: Score and Twitter Reaction
No Todd Gurley, no problem.
No. 10 University of Georgia rode a 31-point second-quarter outburst to a 45-32 win over SEC-rival Arkansas at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas. The win improves the Bulldogs' record to 6-1 overall (4-1 SEC), while Arkansas dips below .500 with a 3-4 record (0-4 SEC).
Running back Nick Chubb—the lead ballcarrier on the day with Gurley suspended indefinitely, per ESPN.com's Joe Schad—finished the game with 33 carries for 212 yards and two touchdowns. His performance bodes well for Georgia's ability to stay in control of a relatively weak SEC East division.
Here is a quarter-by-quarter look at the score from the contest:
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
| Georgia | 7 | 31 | 0 | 7 | 45 |
| Arkansas | 6 | 0 | 13 | 13 | 32 |
Arkansas came into the game boasting two straight standout performances against Texas A&M and Alabama that yes, resulted in losses, but had many considering them a dangerous opponent for a Georgia team forging ahead without it's best overall player in Gurley.
The Razorbacks did end up drawing first blood in this game, with running back Alex Collins plunging in from the 1-yard line midway through the first quarter to cap off a 13-play, 75-yard drive. Georgia blocked the ensuing PAT kick, although the missed opportunity would not matter much when all was said and done.
Bulldogs quarterback Hunter Mason answered right back with a rare rushing touchdown of his own to give Georgia a 7-6 lead they would hold until the end of the first quarter. A field goal extended the Bulldogs advantage to 10-7 early in the second, the first trickle before the floodgates opened.
Chubb went to work, making his first headline-grabbing play with a 43-yard touchdown run. SEC Network provided a look at the play:
He scored on the Bulldogs next possession from three yards out, making the score 24-6 for the away side.
247Sports.com's Jake Rowe felt the Arkansas secondary wanted to be as far away from the hard-running Chubb as possible:
The Razorbacks could get nothing going on offense, and a Collins fumble led to a quick seven-yard scoring toss from Mason to senior wideout Michael Bennett.
The Georgia secondary put in a fine performance, forcing Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen to settle for checkdown routes and quick hitters. Allen would finish the game averaging just __ yards per attempt. 94.1 FM's Brandon Allbright assessed Allen's performance and deemed him unfit for SEC football:
All hope seemed lost when Georgia cornerback Dominick Sanders returned an Allen fumble 51 yards for a touchdown, gifting the Bulldogs a 38-6 lead with just over two minutes remaining in the first half. Linebacker Jordan Jenkins, who put himself in great position to make plays all night, earned credited for the sack and forced fumble.
ESPN's Edward Aschoff considered the game a foregone conclusion at this point:
The Bulldogs defense deserved a ton of credit for their first half performance, limiting running back Jonathan Williams and company to their lowest first-half rushing total of the season, per ESPN Stats & Info:
Georgia indeed appeared to let up in the second half, but Arkansas head coach Brent Bielema deserves a ton of credit for getting his team to compete at a higher level despite the discouraging scoreline. Allen engineered a 12-play drive culminating in an eight-yard scoring toss to Keon Hatcher. Four minutes later, another Allen touchdown pass, this time to Hunter Henry, cut Georgia's lead to 38-19.
He would make a crucial mistake at the beginning of the fourth quarter, tossing an interception to sophomore safety Quincy Mauger that set up 36-yard touchdown pass from Mason to wideout Chris Conley.
Georgia's defense was relenting a bit in the second half, but ESPN's David Pollack took time to single out Jenkins for praise:
Allen, displaying an incredible amount of grit and toughness, tossed his third touchdown of the second half just three minutes later, this time to freshman wide receiver Kendrick Edwards. Bob Holt of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette noted it was the latest they had scored against an SEC team this season:
Allen then took his offense on a 90-yard drive that ended with another Collins score, cutting the Bulldogs once seemingly insurmountable lead to 13 with just five minutes remaining. The shocking touchdown drive put a jolt into this contest, but Chubb had other ideas.
The freshman tailback killed off the remaining time on the clock, carrying the ball eight times and picking up four first downs in the process.
Arkansas may very well be the best team in the FBS with a losing record. They have no chance of escaping the SEC West cellar at this point, but are well set up to win in the future with Bielema in charge.
The win proved Georgia will remain competitive without Gurley, and they should have the inside track on coming out on top in the SEC East, although the top team from the conference will likely emerge from a West division that features the likes of Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Alabama.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
