Georgia football's 4th-quarter rally continues Bulldogs' hex over Florida Gators, 24-20

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JACKSONVILLE ― University of Georgia freshman running back Chauncey Bowens broke up the middle for a 33-yard touchdown run with 4:36 left to lift the Bulldogs over the Florida Gators 24-20 on Nov. 1 in front of 76,131 at EverBank Stadium.

Fifth-ranked Georgia (7-1) beat Florida (3-5) for the fifth time in a row and for the eighth time in the last nine meetings under coach Kirby Smart.

But it may have been his biggest struggle during that span as the Gators’ defense turned stingy after yielding a long opening drive for a touchdown. After the game was tied three times, Florida took a 20-17 lead on Trey Smack’s 54-yard field goal on the second play of the fourth quarter. It was Smack’s school-record ninth field goal of 50 or more yards in his career.

The tide turned for the Bulldogs after Raylen Wilson and Elijah Griffin stopped UF running back Jaden Baugh for no gain on a fourth-and-one from the Georgia 18. Quarterback Gunner Stockton (20 of 29, 223 yards) then took Georgia 82 yards in seven plays for the winning score, completing three passes for 38 yards before Bowens’ touchdown.

Florida’s final chance ends with controversial call

Florida quarterback DJ Lagway (15 of 24, 166 yards) seemed to have made a huge play after the Bulldogs’ touchdown on a third-and-four from the Gators’ 31 when he scrambled left and threw a pass to a wide-open J. Michael Sturdivant, who got behind the Georgia secondary.

The ball was underthrown and the pass was ruled incomplete when it hit the ground as Sturdivant caught it.

The play was reviewed and upheld. Had Sturidvant been able to control the ball through the catch, it would have been a 46-yard gain to the Georgia 23.

Florida went for it on fourth down on the next play and Ellis Robinson IV broke it up. Georgia ran out the clock, thanks to Bowen’s 14-yard gain on third-and-seven to give him a team-high 70 yards on nine carries.

Six of Smart’s eight victories have the Gators have been by 14 points or more. Georgia won 24-17 in 2019.

First Florida-Georgia halftime tie in 22 years

The two teams battled through an unsteady first half tied 10-10, the deadlock at intermission since a 3-3 score in the 2003 game.

The Bulldogs went smartly down the field on the first possession, going 75 yards in eight plays, ending in Stockton’s 9-yard TD pass to wide receiver Dillon Bell. Stockton was 4-of-4 on the drive for 55 yards.

Florida took advantage of a 24-yard punt by Brett Thorsen later in the period and, which gave the Gators the ball on the Georgia 40. Lagway connected with Eugene Wilson III (nine receptions, 121 yards) on the next play for the tying touchdown.

Devin Moore intercepted Stockton three plays later, which set up Smack’s chip-shot 22-yard field goal. However, it was a minor victory for the Bulldogs’ defense since Lagway’s 28-yard pass to Wilson gave Florida a first down at the Dawgs’ 10. A run by Jaden Baugh gained 4 yards but two runs by Lagway inched the marker only 1 yard each time and UF settled for the field goal.

Both teams stalled on offense for much of the remainder of the first half. Stockton took Georgia from its own 37 to the Florida 21 in the final minute, paving the way for a 39-yard field goal by Peyton Woodring with 12 seconds left.

Bulldogs start third quarter fast, then fade

The Bulldogs went 74 yards in five plays on their first turn with the ball in the third period and took a 17-10 lead when Stockton hit Noah Thomas with a 22-yard TD pass. He also hooked up with Zachariah Branch (10 receptions for 112 yards) for a 42-yard gain on third-and-five.

The Gators tied the score again with a long drive of 12 plays, helped by two Georgia pass interference penalties. Baugh capped the drive with a 2-yard score and Lagway highlighted it with a 26-yard scramble on second-and-20, following a Gators’ holding penalty.

Georgia lost 22 yards on two three-and-out possessions after that, with Florida. Defensive backs Sharif Denson, a Bartram Trail graduate, and Bryce Thornton buried Stockton for an 11-yard loss after a bad snap, Denson threw Bowens for a 1-yard loss and George Gumbs Jr., had a sack to lead the charge.

What’s next for Florida?

The Gators play their next two games on the road, at Kentucky on Nov. 8 (7:30 p.m., SEC Network) and at Ole Miss on Nov. 15 (time to be determined).

UF will play its final two games at home, Nov. 22 against Tennessee and Nov. 20 against Florida State.

What’s next for Georgia?

The Bulldogs are at Mississippi State on Nov. 8 (3:30 p.m.) and close the season with three consecutive home games, vs. Texas on Nov. 15, Charlotte on Nov. 22 and Georgia Tech on Nov. 29.

What’s next for the Florida-Georgia game?

Due to construction related to the renovation of EverBank Stadium, the 2026 Florida-Georgia game will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Orlando, and the 2027 game will be at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

The game will return to Jacksonville and the “Stadium of the Future” in 2028.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Chauncey Bowen rambles for 33-yard TD to lift Georgia over Florida 24-20

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