Jeremiah Holloman, Georgia wide receiver, carrying the ball at Sanford Stadium Saturday.
photo by Rebecca Wright
The No. 3 Bulldogs demolished Middle Tennessee Saturday 49-7 in Sanford Stadium behind several electrifying scores from the Bulldogs’ assortment of players.
Georgia ran out to a commanding 42-7 halftime lead, piling up 382 yards of offense on the strength of three Jake Fromm scoring passes, two Mecole Hardman touchdowns (one receiving and one on a punt return) and freshman quarterback Justin Fields’ first rushing touchdown.
Combine the bludgeoning of the Blue Raiders and week one opponent Austin Peay and the fans in Sanford Stadium have seen the Bulldogs outscore the visiting teams 94-7.
The Bulldogs (3-0) won each of their first three games by at least 24 points, the first time they’ve done that since 1969 against Tulane, Clemson and South Carolina.
Georgia’s game Saturday was moved up to a noon kickoff instead of playing at night due to Hurricane Florence, which by Friday afternoon became a tropical storm.
The game was played in windy conditions and temperatures in the upper 80s.
Middle Tennessee (1-2) picked up a payout for the game of $1.7 million.
There were some rough edges early for Georgia including Fromm (10 of 12 for 128 yards with three touchdowns) getting sacked twice, the Bulldogs called for six penalties for 49 yards in the first half.
By the second quarter, Elijah Holyfield (eight carries, 100 yards) became the first Georgia running back to hit 100-yards rushing this season.
A Deandre Baker 26-yard interception return gave Georgia the ball at the Middle Tennessee 49.
The Bulldogs took advantage when Fromm hit J.J. Holloman for his first career touchdown catch on an 11-yard pass.
Junior wide receiver Tyler Simmons scored his first career touchdown, taking a jet sweep and racing 56 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the second quarter.
The Bulldogs got a pair of big plays to make it 28-0 with 7:19 left in the second quarter.
Hardman, who scored on a 5-yard touchdown catch from Fromm for the game’s first points, added another touchdown on a 70-yard punt return.
Jayson Stanley hauled in his first career touchdown catch on a 9-yard strike from Fields (6 of 8 for 71 yards, one TD, 31 rushing yards on three carries) in the third quarter to make it 49-7.
Fields got his first rushing touchdown at Georgia with 23 seconds left in the first half when he weaved his way for a 15-yard touchdown run.
The day was done for Fromm with 2:12 left in the first quarter after he threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Riley Ridley.
Fromm has yet to play a second-half snap at home this season because the games were already decided.
In all likelihood the game at Missouri next Saturday at 12 p.m. will be much tighter. The Tigers are 3-0 after outlasting Purdue 40-37 Saturday night.
--- Edited article