University of Georgia Athletics
Georgia Beats MSU, 24-10
October 01, 2011 | Football
Oct. 1, 2011
ATHENS, Ga. --- Georgia improved to 3-2 on the year and 2-1 in Southeastern Conference play after defeating Mississippi State 24-10 in front of a boisterous crowd of 92,746 at Sanford Stadium and a Fox Sports South regionally televised audience. Mississippi State drops to 2-3 overall and 0-3 in the SEC.
The Georgia offense put up 315 total yards, with quarterback Aaron Murray leading the way with 160 yards on 13-of-25 passing. Orson Charles and Malcolm Mitchell each recorded a receiving touchdown, while Blair Walsh added a field goal late in the third quarter. Tailback Isaiah Crowell led the rushing attack with 104 yards on 22 carries, with Carlton Thomas earning 35 yards on the ground and rushing for one touchdown.
Mississippi State was held to 213 yards of offense. Quarterback Chris Relf was 19-of-31 for 157 yards. Relf also led the team with 31 yards on the ground. He was sacked four times and intercepted twice.
"The defense was the story of the day," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "(State) really couldn't get anything going. They hit some quick screens early, but we knew they could not make a living doing that. Stopping the quarterback and their backs was so important. And the balls that were thrown across the line, we defended those well. If we caught every ball we had our hands on, it would have been crazy. ... We played great defense. Our boys up front are getting the job done. Coach (Todd) Grantham is doing a great job of making the right calls and we're executing well."
Georgia took a 14-3 first-quarter lead as the Bulldogs held Mississippi State to just three rushing yards. Georgia jumped out to a 7-0 lead on its first possession of the game as Murray completed a 21-yard touchdown pass to Charles. The scoring drive was set up by a 30-yard punt return by Brandon Boykin.
Mississippi State answered on the following drive, driving 56 yards on 11 plays. The drive culminated in a 42-yard Derek Depasquale field goal that made it 7-3.
With 3:44 left in the first quarter, Georgia got the ball back at the Mississippi State 22-yard line after an 11-yard punt by Baker Swedenberg. The Bulldogs extended their lead to 14-3 as Murray found Mitchell over the middle for a 6-yard touchdown pass on third-and-four.
Thomas walked into the end zone with just over a minute left in the first half that extended Georgia's lead to 21-3. The drive started with an interception by Sanders Commings at the Georgia 3-yard line. During the drive, Crowell ran 36 yards on three carries, including a 16-yard rush that put the Bulldogs in Mississippi State territory.
Georgia added a field goal with 2:29 to play in the third quarter to make it 24-3. Walsh booted the 28-yarder after Commings recovered a fumble that was forced by Boykin.
With less than nine minutes to play, Mississippi State's Darius Slay returned an interception for a touchdown. Depasquale added the extra point that cut Georgia's lead to 24-10.
The Bulldogs will carry a three-game win streak to Knoxville, Tenn., next Saturday when they take on the Tennessee Volunteers. Kickoff is slated for 8 p.m., and the game will be televised on one of the ESPN networks.
