Georgia beats Florida 27-8 on 217 rushing yards

The Georgia Bulldogs defeated the Florida Gators 27-8 on Saturday afternoon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Bulldogs relied on a rushing attack that produced 217 yards on 42 carries, averaging 5.2 yards per attempt. Georgia controlled the tempo and outgained Florida 318 to 246 in total offense while completing 13 of 23 passes without turnovers.

Georgia established a decisive lead before halftime. In the late second quarter, linebacker Chris Cole recovered a fumble forced by Quintavius Johnson and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown. That score put Georgia ahead 24-0. Cole finished the game with a team-high nine tackles. Raylen Wilson recorded eight stops and safety KJ Bolden added six.

Florida head coach Jon Sumrall substituted the starting quarterback midway through the second quarter. Starter Aaron Philo was benched after throwing two interceptions, according to the Associated Press. Tramell Jones Jr. entered the game and was sacked by Johnson during the drive that led to the Cole touchdown.

Florida scored its only points in the fourth quarter. Running back Jadan Baugh threw a touchdown pass to Dallas Wilson. The Gators successfully converted a two-point play to cut the deficit to 24-8. Georgia responded by running down the clock with Bo Walker and the offensive line. Kicker Woodring kicked a 21-yard field goal with 3:35 left in the game to set the final score.

Florida’s defense was led by DJ Coleman, who recorded eight tackles. Myles Graham and Ty Jackson each had seven stops. The rivalry game was played in Atlanta because EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville is undergoing renovations. Thousands of fans gathered in downtown parking lots and sports bars for the event. Many attendees wore team jerseys and Halloween costumes during pregame celebrations.

The Southeastern Conference standings and national rankings reflecting this weekend’s games have not yet been published. The result marks a temporary shift in the location of this specific rivalry matchup due to the ongoing construction work in Jacksonville.