ATHENS, Ga. — The fourth-ranked Georgia football team cruised to a 35-3 win over Charlotte on Saturday at Sanford Stadium. On Senior Day, it was a freshman running back, Bo Walker, who had a breakout game, scoring the first three touchdowns of his career.
In the first meeting between the Bulldogs and 49ers, who launched their program 13 years ago, Georgia (10-1) took control early, scoring on a pair of Nate Frazier rushing touchdowns in the first quarter. By halftime, after a pair of Walker touchdown runs in the second, the lead was 28-3. Georgia out-gained the 49ers 449-169, with 30 first downs to Charlotte’s seven.
It was the Bulldogs’ 10th win of the season, marking the eighth time in head coach Kirby Smart’s 10 seasons at the helm that Georgia has reached double-digit victories. Georgia’s senior class improved to 49-5 overall and 25-1 on Dooley Field.
Saturday was the Bulldogs’ final home game of the regular season. However, Georgia is in the mix to host a College Football Playoff game next month. The Playoff field and bracket will be announced on Dec. 7.
Bulldog quarterback Gunner Stockton, a redshirt junior who was recognized with the seniors before the game, played a little more than a half, finishing 17 of 21 for 196 yards. Backup Ryan Puglisi took over midway through the third quarter and was 7 of 11 passing for 49 yards.
Georgia took a 7-0 lead on its second possession of the game, driving 60 yards in nine plays and scoring on a 2-yard Frazier run. The touchdown was set up by a 29-yard completion from Stockton to tight end Lawson Luckie down to the 2-yard line.
On Georgia’s next possession, a 17-yard completion to wideout Zachariah Branch got things going. On fourth-and-1 at the 49er 34, Stockton dove for the first down, and it was Frazier that again found the end zone, rushing the ball in from the 7 to make it 14-0 with 52 seconds left in the opening quarter.
The Bulldogs were already going to their bench early in the second quarter, and Walker, a reserve with 13 carries all season heading into the game, put Georgia up 21-0 with 11:29 left in the half. Walker ran the ball in from the 15 for his first career touchdown. His second came soon after.
Charlotte (1-10) got a first down on the ensuing drive, its first of the game, but the drive didn’t last long. That’s because three plays later, Georgia cornerback Ellis Robinson IV picked off a Grayson Loftis pass at the Bulldog 38. It was the redshirt freshman’s team-high third interception of the season.
Georgia once again moved the ball through and past the 49er defense, and once again it was Walker doing the scoring. Two plays after Stockton hit Branch for a 19-yard gain to the Charlotte 21, Walker ran the ball in from the 12 to push the Bulldog lead to 28-0 with 3:27 left in the half.
The 49ers made their first big play on defense late in the half, intercepting a Stockton pass with 38 seconds to go. Safety Ja’Quirious Conley returned the takeaway 18 yards to the Georgia 37. Liam Boyd kicked a 42-yard field goal as time expired to make it 28-3 at the half. After two quarters, Georgia had a 251-38 advantage in total offense and 17 first downs to just two for the 49ers.
After a quick defensive stop to open the second half, Georgia’s offense kept rolling. Stockton hit wide receiver Noah Thomas for a 38-yard gain down to the 49er 11, and Walker later made it 35-3 with a 3-yard touchdown run. Walker finished the game with nine carries for 47 yards, as well as the first two receptions of his career.
In the fourth, the 49ers were threatening inside the Bulldog 20, but freshman safety Daniel Okonkwo pulled in the first interception of his career in the end zone to give the ball back to the offense with 5:59 remaining. Georgia then ran out the clock to close out the win.
The Bulldogs close out their regular season next Saturday against No. 16 Georgia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Georgia has won seven in a row against the Yellow Jackets, including last season’s eight-overtime victory on Dooley Field.
POST-GAME NOTES
*Strong Finish Between The Hedges: With today’s 35-3 win, the fourth-ranked Bulldogs move to 10-1, and the Senior Class improves to 49-5. They went 25-1 at home if this was their last game Between the Hedges.
*Under Kirby Smart, the Bulldogs are 56-5 at home since 2016. Also of note, Georgia improves to 42-3 against non-conference teams in the Smart era including 25-1 at home.
*Now in his 10th season, Smart’s record is 115-20, which is the most FBS wins by a coach in his first 10 seasons in the modern era. Georgia now has five straight 10-win seasons for the first time in school history.
*Review Of the Offense: The Bulldogs tallied 449 yards of total offense (192-rushing, 257-passing) on 75 plays in the win. Georgia led 28-3 at the half with 251 yards of offense (104-rushing, 147-passing) on 42 plays.
*Redshirt junior QB Gunner Stockton (17-for-21, 196, 1 INT) was 15-for-19 for 147 yards with one INT plus 11 rushing yards in the first half. He completed passes to 10 different Bulldogs. He played the first series of the second half and then was done for the day with Georgia up 35-3.
*Georgia made it 35-3 on its opening drive of the 2nd half, going 60 yards in five plays. It featured a 59-yard reception by Noah Thomas and freshman Bo Walker’s third TD as he ran in from three yards. Walker is the first Bulldog since Trevor Etienne versus #1 Texas last year to have three rushing TDs in a game.
*Georgia came in averaging 33.6 points a game while Charlotte allowed 37.4. The Bulldogs scored TDs on four of their first five possessions of the first half.
*Georgia’s first TD drive covered 60 yards in nine plays in 4:31, capped by a two-yard run by Nate Frazier. It was his fourth TD of the year and made it 7-0.
*On Georgia’s third drive, it converted a 4th-and-1 at the Charlotte 34 and Stockton got the first down with a two-yard run, Ultimately, the Bulldogs took a 14-0 lead, going 60 yards on nine plays again as Frazier scored from seven yards out for his second TD of the day.
*Freshman RB Bo Walker (9 carries for 48 yards, 3 TDs) scampered in from 15 yards out for his first career score and a 21-0 lead with 11:29 left in the first half. It completed a six play, 40-yard drive in 3:14. He added a second TD on a 12-yarder to cap a 62-yard drive on eight plays that made it 28-0 and his third in the second half from three yards out.
*Sophomore RB Nate Frazier posted a team-high 54 yards on 12 carries with two TDs. Frazier has five rushing TDs on the year.
*Junior WR Zachariah Branch had four receptions for 55 yards. Branch now has 63 receptions on the season, which ties him with Brock Bowers (63 in 2022) for second most in a single season by a Bulldogs. The school record belongs to Brice Hunter who had 76 in 1993.
*Senior Noah Thomas posted a team-best 68 yards receiving on four catches including a 59-yarder.
*Redshirt freshman QB Ryan Puglisi played a majority of the second half and finished 7-for-11 for 49 yards. Freshman QB Ryan Montgomery saw his first action as a Bulldog and finished 1-for-1 for 12 yards.
*A Look At The Defense: In the first half, the Bulldogs limited Charlotte to a field goal following an INT as Georgia posted a 28-3 advantage. The 49ers had 38 yards on 21 plays (17-rushing, 21-passing). For the game, the 49ers finished with three points and 169 yards of offense (39-rushing, 130 passing).
*Georgia’s leading tacklers were junior Raylen Wilson and sophomore Justin Williams with five each.
*Redshirt freshman Ellis Robinson IV notched his team-leading third interception of the year. It led to a TD and 28-0 edge.
*Freshman Daniel Okonkwo picked up his first career INT, snagging it in the end zone. Georgia has seven INTs on the year. Georgia ran the clock out.
*After registering just eight sacks in the first eight games, the Bulldogs tallied three apiece in wins over MSU and No. 10 Texas and added two more today. Freshman Elijah Griffin collected his first career sack while sophomore Chris Cole picked up his team-leading fourth to go with four tackles.
*Special Teams Update: Junior PK Peyton Woodring tallied five points on PATs plus he handled the kickoffs.
*Junior Zachariah Branch had three punt returns for 44 yards including a season-long 29-yarder. Sacovie White-Helton had two punt returns for 11 yards.
*Senior Brett Thorson punted thrice for a 51.3 average with a long of 63 and no returns, placing two inside the 20 and one touchback.
*Captains, Coin Toss And For Starters: Georgia’s captains were Cash Jones, Micah Morris, KJ Bolden and Christen Miller.
*Charlotte won the toss and elected to defer the football until the second half.
*For the seventh game this season, Georgia started a different offensive line. The past four games it has featured the same five guys but today redshirt freshman Malachi Toliver made his first career start at center for Drew Bobo (had started all 10 games this year) while freshman Juan Gaston Jr.,. made his fourth career start including his third in place of Earnest Greene III at right tackle. Also on offense, senior RB Cash Jones made his first career start.
*Junior linebacker CJ Allen, Georgia’s leading tackler who was injured in last week’s win over No. 10 Texas, did not play today, ending the longest starting streak on the team at 13 games. Sophomore LB Chris Cole made his first career start. The longest streak now is junior Star Joenel Aguero at 12 games.
*Georgia recognized its Seniors today as well as honored members of the military as part of Military Appreciation Day.
*Up Next: Fourth-ranked Georgia (10-1) concludes the regular season versus No. 15 Ga. Tech in Atlanta, Kickoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be on Friday, Nov. 28 at 3:30 p.m. (ABC). Tech (9-1) plays host to Pittsburgh tonight.
POST-GAME QUOTES
Coming soon.