UGA Football: Takeaways, Big Plays Power Bulldogs To Easy Win

Chaz Chambliss almost looked embarrassed by the fuss being made all around him.

 

The Georgia linebacker was being mobbed by his teammates after his first career interception, which came amid a flurry of big plays by the top-ranked Bulldogs in the second quarter of Saturday’s 45-3 win over Ball State. Chambliss’ interception was one of three by Georgia against the Cardinals.

 

Soon after Chambliss, a junior, got to the sideline, the team’s “SAVAGE” shoulder pads — brought out every time a defender gets a turnover — were draped on top of his own, and then he was standing up on the bench hearing it from the 92,746 inside Sanford Stadium.

 

And through it all, Chambliss, who speaks softly but is a tough, physical player who does mixed martial arts training in the offseason, looked like he’d rather someone else be getting all the attention.

 

“I’m not a big hype guy, so I didn’t know really what to do,” Chambliss said of celebrating his interception. “I’m not a big hype guy; I just like to play football.”

In the first quarter Saturday, the Bulldogs had some nice moments but ultimately scored zero points. In the second, the Bulldogs produced a multitude of big plays, precise performances and a quartet of touchdowns. By halftime, Georgia led 31-0.

 

It was Mekhi Mews on special teams that got the Bulldogs rolling. On the third play of the second quarter, Ball State punted to the speedy receiver/returner. He caught the ball at the Georgia 31, cut to the right side and was gone for a 69-yard touchdown.

 

“Every day he makes plays — that’s all he does,” wideout Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint said of Mews.

 

“You’re always looking for something,” coach Kirby Smart said. “Defense turns to offense. It’s like basketball, when you play good defense, you get transition offense. When you play good defense and special teams, you can transition that to offense.

 

“We started getting momentum there as the defense got stops, and then eventually we got them into a long-yardage situation and we were able to return the punt. That gave the crowd some juice and our players some juice.”

 

On the ensuing Ball State possession after Mews’ score, safety Malaki Starks had plenty of time to run up under a high floater of a pass to the left side from Cardinals quarterback Kadin Semonza. Starks came down with the interception and the Bulldogs were back in business.

 

Two big completions from Carson Beck to Arian Smith, combining for 50 yards plus 15 more on a facemark penalty, had Georgia with a first down at the 10-yard line. Three plays later, Beck threw off his back foot into the middle of the end zone, where Rosemy-Jacksaint was able to pull the ball in for a score and a 14-0 lead.

 

“Every time I have a chance to get into the end zone, it always feels special,” Rosemy-Jacksaint said.

 

Ball State’s next possession ended with Chambliss’ interception, off a deflected pass that bounced off a Cardinal player’s leg. A few plays later, wideout Dillon Bell, who was lined up at running back, took a handoff and scooted around the right side for a 21-yard touchdown.

 

“We’re just putting guys wherever we need them to make plays. That’s what we did with Dillon; he’s a great runner with the ball,” Rosemy-Jacksaint said.

 

Georgia’s next drive ended with a 35-yard Peyton Woodring field goal, making it 24-0 with 1:49 to play in the half. And you thought that might be it before the intermission, but the Bulldog defense wasn’t done.

 

This time, it was STAR Tykee Smith that pulled down an interception off a tipped pass — Georgia’s third INT of the game and fourth of the season — on Ball State’s first play of the ensuing drive.

 

“It’s kind of a game-changer when you can get three takeaways like we did,” Smith said.

 

Running back Kendall Milton dove over the top from the 1 to score the Bulldogs’ fourth touchdown of the period. In less than 15 minutes, all three phases had contributed to blowing the game wide open.

 

Offensive and defensively, it was a very balanced day for the Bulldogs, who got touchdowns from six different players. Linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. and reserve defensive back AJ Harris led the team with four tackles each, with 15 other players credited for at least two stops. On offense, 12 different receivers caught at least one pass, and nine players had at least two catches.

 

The Bulldogs now turn their full attention to next Saturday’s SEC opener against South Carolina.

 

“We prepare for every game the same way, no matter who we play,” Smith said. “This week, we’re just going to go out there and try to have another good week of practice.”

 

 

Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men’s Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He’s also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.