Saturday, September 6
Athens, Ga.
3:30 PM
Central Michigan University
1-1
17
at
56
Georgia
2-0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Central Michigan
0
7
10
0
17
Georgia
7
21
14
14
56
Chippewas Fall at No. 2 Georgia, 56-17
9/6/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
ATHENS, Ga. Knowshon Moreno ran for 168 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 2-ranked Georgia (2-0) to a 56-17 win over Central Michigan (1-1) at Sanford Stadium on Saturday.
The second-ranked Bulldogs, who actually dropped from No. 1 in the polls after defeating Georgia Southern in their season opener, were the highest-ranked team CMU had faced in more than a decade.
The Georgia defense controlled the game early, holding CMU to 36 net yards and forcing punts on the Chippewas’ first five possessions, before the offense took over in the second half and scored touchdowns on each of the Bulldogs’ first four possessions after halftime.
The Bulldogs led 7-0 after the first quarter. Matthew Stafford, who finished 18-of-28 passing for 213 yards and two touchdowns, capped the game’s opening drive with a 3-yard scoring throw to Mohamed Massaquoi; Stafford rolled to his right and threw back to Massaquoi who had run to the sideline then slipped back behind the CMU defense. Georgia was 3-for-3 on third-down conversions on the drive.
CMU punted on the first play of the second quarter, and Georgia covered 47 yards on seven plays on the ensuing drive. Caleb King plunged into the end zone on third-and-goal from inside the 1-yard line.
Georgia again scored on a third-and-goal from the 1-yard line later in the period. Knowshon Moreno took a toss sweep around the left side for Georgia’s third touchdown of the opening half.
The Chippewas’ most sustained drive of the first half saw them move from their own 17-yard line to the Georgia 20-yard line with less than two minutes left. On second-and-5, Dan LeFevour’s pass over the middle was deflected by Prince Miller and intercepted by Demarcus Dobbs, who returned the pick 78 yards for a touchdown. Blair Walsh’s fourth point-after of the first half gave the Bulldogs a 28-0 lead.
An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the interception return and a 28-yard kickoff return by Jean Pitts set up the CMU offense on the Georgia 40-yard line. LeFevour completed back-to-back passes to Sean Skergan and Joe Bockheim to move the ball to the 12-yard line, then found Bockheim in the end zone on third down for the Chippewas’ first score.
Georgia held a 222-134 advantage in total offense and nearly nine-minute edge in time of possession at halftime.
The teams combined to score points on the first four possessions of the second half.
LeFevour found a wide-open Pitts for a 32-yard touchdown to open the second half and draw the Chippewas within 28-14. Just two plays after Pitts’ score, however, Moreno burst off the right side for a 52-yard touchdown run that stretched Georgia’s lead back to three touchdowns, 35-14.
LeFevour completed passes to Pitts, Anderson and Justin Hoskins, and ran for 10 yards, to give the Chippewas a first-and-10 at the Georgia 11-yard line on the ensuing possession. The drive stalled, however, and Andrew Aguila converted a 30-yard field goal to make it 35-17 with 8:28 left in the third quarter.
Forty-seven seconds later, Stafford hooked up with a streaking Massaquoi down the sideline for a 54-yard touchdown. Walsh’s PAT extended the Georgia lead to 42-17.
Moreno scored his third touchdown in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, a 21-yard dash up the middle. The scored capped an 11-play, 99-yard drive after Brett Hartmann’s punt was downed at the 1-yard line late in the third quarter.
Richard Samuel tacked on a 1-yard touchdown run midway through the final quarter to close the scoring.
LeFevour finished 23-of-43 passing for 250 yards and two touchdowns. Antonio Brown caught a game-high seven passes for 67 yards, while Bockheim collected five receptions for 59 yards.
CMU opens Mid-American Conference play next week when it visits Ohio. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.
The second-ranked Bulldogs, who actually dropped from No. 1 in the polls after defeating Georgia Southern in their season opener, were the highest-ranked team CMU had faced in more than a decade.
The Georgia defense controlled the game early, holding CMU to 36 net yards and forcing punts on the Chippewas’ first five possessions, before the offense took over in the second half and scored touchdowns on each of the Bulldogs’ first four possessions after halftime.
The Bulldogs led 7-0 after the first quarter. Matthew Stafford, who finished 18-of-28 passing for 213 yards and two touchdowns, capped the game’s opening drive with a 3-yard scoring throw to Mohamed Massaquoi; Stafford rolled to his right and threw back to Massaquoi who had run to the sideline then slipped back behind the CMU defense. Georgia was 3-for-3 on third-down conversions on the drive.
CMU punted on the first play of the second quarter, and Georgia covered 47 yards on seven plays on the ensuing drive. Caleb King plunged into the end zone on third-and-goal from inside the 1-yard line.
Georgia again scored on a third-and-goal from the 1-yard line later in the period. Knowshon Moreno took a toss sweep around the left side for Georgia’s third touchdown of the opening half.
The Chippewas’ most sustained drive of the first half saw them move from their own 17-yard line to the Georgia 20-yard line with less than two minutes left. On second-and-5, Dan LeFevour’s pass over the middle was deflected by Prince Miller and intercepted by Demarcus Dobbs, who returned the pick 78 yards for a touchdown. Blair Walsh’s fourth point-after of the first half gave the Bulldogs a 28-0 lead.
An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the interception return and a 28-yard kickoff return by Jean Pitts set up the CMU offense on the Georgia 40-yard line. LeFevour completed back-to-back passes to Sean Skergan and Joe Bockheim to move the ball to the 12-yard line, then found Bockheim in the end zone on third down for the Chippewas’ first score.
Georgia held a 222-134 advantage in total offense and nearly nine-minute edge in time of possession at halftime.
The teams combined to score points on the first four possessions of the second half.
LeFevour found a wide-open Pitts for a 32-yard touchdown to open the second half and draw the Chippewas within 28-14. Just two plays after Pitts’ score, however, Moreno burst off the right side for a 52-yard touchdown run that stretched Georgia’s lead back to three touchdowns, 35-14.
LeFevour completed passes to Pitts, Anderson and Justin Hoskins, and ran for 10 yards, to give the Chippewas a first-and-10 at the Georgia 11-yard line on the ensuing possession. The drive stalled, however, and Andrew Aguila converted a 30-yard field goal to make it 35-17 with 8:28 left in the third quarter.
Forty-seven seconds later, Stafford hooked up with a streaking Massaquoi down the sideline for a 54-yard touchdown. Walsh’s PAT extended the Georgia lead to 42-17.
Moreno scored his third touchdown in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, a 21-yard dash up the middle. The scored capped an 11-play, 99-yard drive after Brett Hartmann’s punt was downed at the 1-yard line late in the third quarter.
Richard Samuel tacked on a 1-yard touchdown run midway through the final quarter to close the scoring.
LeFevour finished 23-of-43 passing for 250 yards and two touchdowns. Antonio Brown caught a game-high seven passes for 67 yards, while Bockheim collected five receptions for 59 yards.
CMU opens Mid-American Conference play next week when it visits Ohio. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.
Team Stats
CMU
GA
Total Yards
309
552
Pass Yards
250
289
Rushing Yards
59
263
Penalty Yards
31
70
1st Downs
17
25
3rd Downs
6
9
4th Downs
0
0
TOP
27:00
33:00
1st Quarter
CMU 0, GA 7
GA - M. Massaquoi 3 yd pass from M. Stafford (Blair Walsh kick) 11 plays, 63 yards, TOP 5:47
2nd Quarter
CMU 0, GA 14
GA - Caleb King 1 yd run (Blair Walsh kick), 7 plays, 47 yards, TOP 3:44
CMU 0, GA 21
GA - Knowshon Moreno 1 yd run (Blair Walsh kick), 6 plays, 45 yards, TOP 2:21
CMU 0, GA 28
GA - Demarcus Dobbs 78 yd interception (Blair Walsh kick)
CMU 7, GA 28
CMU - BOCKHEIM, Joe 12 yd pass from LeFEVOUR, Dan (AGUILA, Andrew kick) 5 plays, 40 yards, TOP 0:35
3rd Quarter
CMU 14, GA 28
CMU - PITTS, Jean 32 yd pass from LeFEVOUR, Dan (AGUILA, Andrew kick) 6 plays, 68 yards, TOP 2:08
CMU 14, GA 35
GA - Knowshon Moreno 52 yd run (Blair Walsh kick), 2 plays, 56 yards, TOP 0:57
CMU 17, GA 35
CMU - AGUILA, Andrew 30 yd field goal 10 plays, 48 yards, TOP 3:15
CMU 17, GA 42
GA - M. Massaquoi 54 yd pass from M. Stafford (Blair Walsh kick) 2 plays, 57 yards, TOP 0:43
4th Quarter
CMU 17, GA 49
GA - Knowshon Moreno 21 yd run (Blair Walsh kick), 11 plays, 99 yards, TOP 5:48
CMU 17, GA 56
GA - Richard Samuel 1 yd run (Blair Walsh kick), 8 plays, 72 yards, TOP 3:49
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