No. 2 Georgia pulled away in the second half to beat Vanderbilt 38-14 on Saturday at Sanford Stadium, with quarterback Gunner Stockton throwing for 295 yards and three touchdowns. Georgia answered every early Vanderbilt punch and then buried the Commodores with 17 unanswered points spanning the second and third quarters. Vanderbilt, playing without injured starting quarterback Jared Curtis, got a big night from backup Blaze Berlowitz and receiver Junior Sherrill but could not keep pace once Georgia’s offensive line took over. Georgia improved to 5-0, while Vanderbilt fell to 3-2.
Key moments: how Georgia pulled away
Georgia struck first when Stockton found Landon Roldan for a 2-yard touchdown with 6:57 left in the first quarter. Vanderbilt answered immediately, as Berlowitz hit Sherrill for a 60-yard touchdown with 12 seconds left in the opening frame to tie it 7-7. That was as close as Vanderbilt would get.
Georgia scored twice more before halftime, a 1-yard run from Chauncey Bowens and a 1-yard run from J. Reddell, to lead 21-7. Sedrick Alexander answered with a 2-yard touchdown run just before the break, cutting it to 21-14 at halftime.
The SEC powerhouse seized control in the third quarter. Stockton connected with Elyiss Williams on a 1-yard touchdown pass to make it 28-14, and Vanderbilt never threatened again. Peyton Woodring added a 39-yard field goal in the fourth quarter before Stockton closed the scoring with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Dwight Phillips Jr.
Top performers
Stockton completed 25 of 32 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, spreading the ball to six different receivers. Phillips Jr. led Georgia with five catches for 75 yards and a touchdown, while Bo Walker paced the rushing attack with 71 yards on just five carries, including a long run of 59 yards. Bowens added 31 yards and a rushing score on 10 carries.
On defense, Raylen Wilson and KJ Bolden each finished with seven total tackles for the Bulldogs, and Ellis Robinson IV hauled in an interception. For Vanderbilt, Berlowitz went 12 of 23 for 190 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Sherrill was his top target with seven catches for 107 yards and a score. Linebacker CJ Heard led all Vanderbilt defenders with nine tackles and a sack.
Vanderbilt Feels The Loss of Curtis
Vanderbilt went into the matchup short-handed. Curtis, who had thrown for 746 yards and four touchdowns through four games this season, was held out after an undisclosed injury suffered in a 21-15 loss at Auburn, according to Sporting News. Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea confirmed Curtis’ status during pregame warmups, and the quarterback was on the sideline in a jersey and sweatpants without a helmet.
Berlowitz delivered the deep ball to Sherrill but could not sustain enough drives against Georgia’s defense. Georgia finished with 471 total yards to Vanderbilt’s 293, and Georgia converted 7 of 10 third downs compared to Vanderbilt’s 5 of 12. Georgia also controlled the clock for nearly 33 minutes and did not turn the ball over, while Vanderbilt threw one interception.
What it means
Georgia extended its record to 5-0 heading into the heart of its SEC schedule. The offensive balance, 176 rushing yards paired with Stockton’s 295 passing, gives the Bulldogs multiple ways to win as conference play intensifies.
Vanderbilt falls to 3-2. The health of Curtis will determine the Commodores’ ability to regroup as SEC play continues.
Reporting from Sporting News contributed to this story. Official statistics: ESPN (official league data).
