Georgia survives potential upset against inferior Missouri

The Georgia Bulldogs beat the Missouri Tigers, 26-22. In a game that they were expected to win by a lot, Georgia needed a fourth-quarter comeback to win it. This is the second straight week Georgia has let an inferior opponent almost beat or keep it close with them.

After exchanging punts in the first quarter, no one really paid attention to the fact that Georgia still hadn’t scored against one of the worst teams in the SEC.

Midway through the first quarter, Missouri, playing the field position game, got into field goal range due to the Bulldogs having to punt deep in their own end zone among other things.

Georgia once again had to punt on their next drive, and this time Missouri scored a touchdown behind a steady diet of Brady Cook passes and Nathaniel Peat rushes.

On the next drive for the Bulldogs, something worse happened. Stetson Bennett fumbled and gave Missouri good field position. Although the Tigers couldn’t convert, they did get three. The game was 13-0 Missouri, and the college football world was starting to pay attention.

Georgia’s offense started to wake up but struggled in the red zone (this would be a common theme of the day) and they had to settle for three.

Missouri returned Georgia’s field goal with their own on the next drive and it was 16-3. Georgia would make the score look a little better at half by kicking a field goal. Still, the college football world was watching a potential upset, with the score 16-6 at the half.

After a Missouri punt to start the half, Georgia’s offense woke up but they still struggled once again in the red zone and had to settle for three. Harrison Mevis hit a 52-yarder for Missouri to extend it to a 19-9 game after a middling offense drive.

Once again the Bulldogs would drive down the field and into the red zone, but they would have to settle for three. Missouri would get another amazing kick from Mevis to get back to a 10-point game in the fourth.

Georgia would finally wake up on offense, and go down the field for a touchdown through Bennett and Co.. It just seemed like Georgia had more strength than Missouri but still, Missouri had the ball up 3 with 9 minutes to go.

Missouri was driving down the field behind Cook’s arm, until a personal foul cost them a first down in Georgia territory. The personal foul would cost them the drive as 3rd and 22 was too much to conquer.

Georgia got the ball back and went right down the field behind Bennett for a touchdown. Missouri would end up punting on their last and final drive of the game and Georgia would end up winning the game.

I am very concerned about the Bulldogs going forward. This is the second week in a row that they have let an inferior opponent hang around for way too long. The offense in the red zone needs to get fixed if they want to have a chance at an SEC Title, let alone go back to back.

The power and physicality was just too much for Missouri, but it wouldn’t be for Kentucky, Tennessee, or Alabama. The Bulldogs need to get it together otherwise or things will get ugly.

The good news for Georgia is that they have plenty of time to get it together as they have Auburn and Vanderbilt coming up in the next two weeks. The bad news is that Jalen Carter might be out for a while, after suffering an injury in this game.