Coach called in a professional tackler to talk to the team 🤣#GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/J5JfBFVmm9
— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) November 19, 2024
In a season that felt like it was one more loss from slipping away, and in a game that started poorly and looked like it was about to get much worse, the Georgia football team needed somebody to make a big play. Enter punter Brett Thorson, naturally.
With the No. 12-ranked Bulldogs trailing No. 7 Tennessee 7-0 late in the first quarter at Sanford Stadium on Saturday night — Georgia’s offense having gained 22 yards on 13 plays so far — Thorson booted a 51-yard punt from near the UGA goal line. The Volunteers’ Boo Carter fielded the punt and headed upfield and to the right, with a lot of unoccupied Dooley Field grass between him and the end zone.
Carter had one man to beat to get there and put the Vols up 14-0. Enter Thorson, the 6-foot-2 and 235-pound Melbourne native who grew up playing Australian rules football. Displaying the form and aggression of a linebacker, Thorson brought down the 5-11, 195-pound Carter after a 26-yard return. Tennessee still had the ball at the Georgia 37-yard line, but the Vols weren’t celebrating a touchdown.
“It was an electric environment to say the least,” Linton told On3. “The fans were crazy and so loud. We could hear the fans before we went out. It was dope. I was there for the Mississippi State game, and it was nice, but this was different. The atmosphere was more energetic, the fans were more into it and you could tell there was a lot on the line this game.”
“Georgia is a great place,” Linton said. “Before all of this started with them, I assumed it was all business and just football, football and football. The more I got to know them, the more I learned it is about family at Georgia and they are about developing their players into good men. That is the goal and I love that. It is refreshing.”
It was good to be home.#GoDawgs | @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/Z1Aq8d9OyW
— Georgia Bulldogs (@UGAAthletics) November 17, 2024
Sights & Sounds from Georgia’s win over Tennessee in Athens . The atmosphere was unreal, more than 93,000 fans were in it from start to finish. Love to see it. #godawgs #georgiabulldogs #georgiabulldogsfootball #cfb #collegefootball pic.twitter.com/OwGj1yggb2
— Alison Mastrangelo (@AlisonWSB) November 17, 2024
