The #6 Georgia Bulldogs pulled out an overtime victory 34-31 in Neyland Stadium on Saturday evening against the Tennessee Volunteers. If the Dawgs dropped this contest their national title hopes were all but lost. With 1:54 remaining in the 4th quarter, Aaron Murray drove the Dawgs 75 yards resulting in a 2 yard touchdown throw to fellow Senior Rantavious Wooten with just 5 seconds left.
“The play really called for a fade to the outside and he didn’t like what he saw out there. He just jammed it in there, just stuck it in there man. I didn’t know where he was throwing it when he threw it. I’m just glad he saw what he saw and put it on him,” said Coach Richt.
Richt in the press conference said that he didn’t know the severity of the injuries to Running Back Keith Marshall and Wide Receivers Justin Scott Wesley or Michael Bennett.
“I just knew that the coverage that it was I could see up inside that guy and I had a chance to make a play on the ball. I guess Murray knew that, and he threw it my way and all I had to do was catch it. That’s what I did,” explained Wide Receiver Rantavious Wooten.
Wooten was unsure of Murray’s initial play call, but it worked out just fine for the tandem.
“I’m stressed out. I’m getting grey hairs right now, but these are the games you remember. We’ll talk about these games for a long time,” states Murray.
In Tennessee’s first possession of overtime, Alton Howard dove for the corner of the endzone only to lose control of the ball before breaking the plane. The touchback essentially sealed the deal for the Bulldogs. Georgia’s sophomore kicker Marshall Morgan knocked home the game winning 42 yard field goal thus silencing the rowdy Knoxville crowd.
The Dawgs will be back between the hedges next week for a noon kickoff against the 5-0 Missouri Tigers.
Reporters: David Sanders and Holly Sweat