ACC: Bulldogs roll past Jackets, close in on SEC title berth
By Wire services
Published November 30, 2003
ATLANTA - Everything fell into place for Georgia.
The Bulldogs had to win. Tennessee had to win. And a Florida loss would complete the trifecta.
Check. Check. Check.
Freshman center Nick Jones fell on a fumble in the end zone and Bryan McClendon blocked a punt to set up another touchdown as Georgia defeated Georgia Tech for the third consecutive season, 34-17 on Saturday.
Tennessee defeated Kentucky 20-7, ensuring a three-way tie in the SEC East. Georgia appeared to have the inside track under the league's complicated tiebreaker system, but Florida still had an outside chance to deny the Bulldogs.
That ended when the Gators lost to Florida State 38-34 later in the day. All that's left is the official confirmation, which is scheduled to come today.
Georgia, the defending SEC champion, can expect to return to Atlanta on Saturday to meet LSU for the conference title.
The league's tiebreaker system is based on the BCS standings. The Bulldogs were seventh, Tennessee eighth and Florida 11th before Saturday.
Even if Tennessee jumps Georgia, the Bulldogs still would get the nod based on their 41-14 victory against the Vols.
"From what we've been hearing, we feel like we've got it," Georgia defensive lineman Ken Veal said.
"It's still in other people's hands, but we've put ourselves in position to get back (to the championship game). Whatever happens, we're excited about what we did. We've had a great year."
After beating Georgia Tech 51-7 the year before, the Bulldogs got off to another quick start, scoring two touchdowns less than two minutes apart in the first quarter.
David Greene set up the first score by completing a 46-yard pass to Fred Gibson, but the Bulldogs also needed a little luck.
On first and goal at the 4, Greene tried to run it in but fumbled short of the goal line. The ball rolled into the end zone, where Jones fell on it for his first touchdown.
"When we're in practice, we talk about things like that all the time," said Jones, who got the start only because Bartley Miller was injured. "It came true (Saturday)."
On Georgia Tech's ensuing possession, McClendon broke through the line untouched and smothered Hal Higgins' punt. Georgia recovered at the 13, and Kregg Lumpkin ran it in on the next play to make it 14-0.
Billy Bennett added field goals of 49 and 34 yards to give the Bulldogs a 20-3 halftime lead. Then fullback Jeremy Thomas, known primarily for his blocking, scored on a 1-yard dive in the third to make it 27-3.
Thomas also caught five passes for 51 yards.
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VIRGINIA 35, VIRGINIA TECH 21: Wali Lundy ran for three touchdowns and caught one for the host Cavaliers, who ended their four-year losing streak against the Hokies.
The Cavaliers scored 21 consecutive points in the second half, twice converting on fourth down from the 1. Lundy caught a 1-yard pass for the tying touchdown and ran for a score to make it 28-14.
The Cavaliers took a 21-14 lead in the third on Alvin Pearman's 49-yard catch, getting a lot of help from the Hokies after Tony Franklin's interception gave Virginia the ball at its 20.
First, Vegas Robinson dropped an easy interception. On the next play, Eric Green blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown. But an offside call negated it, giving the Cavaliers a first down. Five plays later, Pearman gave Virginia the lead.
The Hokies then went three-and-out, and Virginia drove again, this time to Lundy's 1-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Matt Schaub was 32-for-46 for 358 yards. He completed a 10-yard pass to tight end Heath Miller on a fake field goal with about three minutes left. On the next play, Lundy's 19-yard touchdown run made it 35-21.
MARYLAND 41, WAKE FOREST 28: Bruce Perry rushed for 237 yards and three touchdowns as the visiting Terps rallied to keep alive their hopes of a third consecutive 10-win season.
Wake Forest's Chris Barclay rushed for 243 yards on 28 carries, marking the first time in league history and only the fifth time in NCAA history opposing backs had more than 200 rushing yards in the same game.
Down 21-13 at halftime, Perry scored on runs of 49 and 80 yards within 1:40 in the third that put Maryland ahead to stay. The first came after one of two third-quarter interceptions thrown by Wake Forest's Cory Randolph. The second followed Barclay's third touchdown, a 74-yard run. Perry scored from from 2 yards early in the fourth.
The Terrapins amassed 537 yards on 67 plays, just more than 8 yards per play. They had 339 yards on 45 rushes.
Maryland quarterback Scott McBrien was 12-for-22 for 198 yards.
Wake Forest picked up 424 yards, but Randolph's two second-half interceptions and a blocked punt that led to the Terrapins' final touchdown hurt it.
