Todd Kirkland/Getty Images
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck made sure the Bulldogs stayed in the running for the SEC Championship Game on Saturday night.
After last week’s upset by Ole Miss threatened Georgia’s playoff hopes, Beck’s third-quarter rushing touchdown helped the Bulldogs bounce back with a 31-17 win over visiting Tennessee.
Two possessions after the deciding touchdown, Beck led the Bulldogs on another scoring drive with fewer than three minutes left on the clock.
The fifth-year quarterback’s effort helped Nate Frazier run in another touchdown to seal the victory.
After throwing two touchdown passes in the first half, Beck finished the game with 346 yards and no interceptions on 25-of-40 passing. He recorded three total touchdowns in the win.
The Volunteers pulled out to a 10-0 lead but were unable to maintain the advantage as one of the best defenses in college football struggled to contain the Bulldogs.
The Georgia victory marked the first time this season Tennessee had allowed an opponent to score more than 20 points. The Volunteers also allowed a season-high 346 passing yards against in the loss.
Georgia dropped nine spots to No. 12 the AP Top 25 after the Week 9 upset by Ole Miss, which also caused Kirby Smart’s team to fall out of the College Football Playoff bracket.
The win over Tennessee keeps the Bulldogs’ CFP hopes alive, while threatening the Volunteers’ shot at the SEC title game.
Now that the Volunteers have recorded their second loss of the season, Texas and Texas A&M stand as the only one-loss teams in the conference. Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and Ole Miss all have two losses after Saturday’s slate of games.
Georgia has two non-conference games remaining against Massachusetts and Georgia Tech. Tennessee meanwhile faces UTEP next weekend before taking on a final SEC opponent at Vanderbilt.