ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Coach Kirby Smart hopes some ugly breakdowns by his defense in No. 8 Georgia’s otherwise dominant 59-21 win over Massachusetts on Saturday will provide lessons his team can use in its final regular-season game.
Smart says the most important lesson is about more than missed tackles. He says his players lacked the energy he saw from visiting UMass and that Georgia can’t make the same mistake when it plays in-state rival Georgia Tech on Friday night.
“I hate to say it, but I don’t know if our guys were as energized as their guys were,” Smart said, adding the “want-to and desire” was “the biggest thing” that kept the visiting Minutemen competitive in the first half.
Georgia’s win plus losses by Alabama, Texas A&M and Ole Miss earned the Bulldogs a spot in the SEC championship game on Dec. 7, the league confirmed.
Ultimately, Georgia’s advantage in talent was the difference against UMass.
Carson Beck threw four touchdown passes and Nate Frazier set career highs by rushing for 136 yards and three scores as the Bulldogs tried to protect their College Football Playoff hopes.
Georgia (9-2, No. 10 CFP) needed the big offense from Beck and Frazier to rescue a defense that gave up 226 rushing yards. UMass (2-9) played its first game under interim coach Shane Montgomery, the offensive coordinator who retained his play-calling duties after replacing fired coach Don Brown on Monday.
Jalen John led the Minutemen with 107 rushing yards and a touchdown.
“I think we just stuck to the plan that the coaches had for us,” John said. “Obviously this week was kind of rough for us, given Coach Brown not being here anymore. We just did our best to stay focused on what the coaches planned and did our best to execute it.”
Georgia extended its streak of consecutive home wins to 30, the longest active streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Bulldogs linebacker Chris Cole returned a fumble recovery 31 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Quintavius Johnson’s sack of AJ Hairston and forced fumble set up the play.
Beck avoided turnovers for the second consecutive game. He threw two touchdowns without an interception and also ran for a score in the Bulldogs’ 31-17 win over No. 6 Tennessee on Nov. 16. Beck had 12 interceptions in his previous six games.
“I think the first thing is, obviously, the offensive line played so well,” Beck said. “When I’m not getting pressured as much and I can sit back there comfortably and make my reads, it makes life a lot easier for me.”
UMass opened the game with a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that included nine runs and was capped by CJ Hester’s scoring run from the 4.
UMass veered from its run-first plan to open the second half. Hairston threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to Jakobie Keaney-James, who made the catch between defensive backs Dan Jackson and Daniel Harris.
Georgia had only four possessions in the first half and each ended with a touchdown pass from Beck. The senior quarterback connected with Oscar Delp, Cash Jones, Dominic Lovett and Arian Smith for the scoring passes.
Poll implications
Favored by 42 1/2 points, Georgia faced a difficult task of meeting expectations. The offensive showing by Beck and Frazier could be enough for the Bulldogs to protect their Top 25 and CFP rankings.
The takeaway
UMass: The Minutemen ran for 166 yards in the first half against a Georgia defense that had allowed an average of 114 for a full game. … LB Jalen Harrell was surrounded by teammates after he was placed on a cart with a leg injury midway through the third quarter.
Georgia: Running backs Trevor Etienne and Branson Robinson, recovering from injuries, were held out. Dwight Phillips Jr. and Chauncey Bowens were given carries, but Frazier seized the opportunity to solidify his status as the next back on the depth chart. Frazier had scoring runs of 9 and 15 yards in the third quarter and added a 2-yard touchdown scamper in the fourth. … Beck completed 20 of 31 passes for 297 yards. Gunner Stockton took over for Beck and led the Bulldogs’ final offensive touchdown drive. … DL Christen Miller was ruled out after leaving the game in the first quarter with what Smart said was a dislocated shoulder.
Up next
UMass: Closes its season at home next Saturday against UConn.
Georgia: Remains home to play Georgia Tech (7-4) on Friday night. The Yellow Jackets beat N.C. State 30-29 on Thursday night.
