Georgia vs. Vanderbilt score, takeaways: No. 1 Dawgs hold off feisty Commodores, extend win streak to 24 games

The Dawgs shook a slow start to ultimately pull away from Vanderbilt in the fourth quarter

No. 1 Georgia held on to defeat Vanderbilt Saturday, pulling away late for a 37-20 victory. While the Bulldogs leave Nashville 7-0 and extend their win streak to 24 straight games, it wasn't always pretty for coach Kirby Smart's squad. 

Georgia led 27-7 entering the fourth quarter, but the Commodores scored on the first play of the final frame to cut the lead to 13. The Dawgs then embarked on a 12-play, 66-yard drive that took almost six minutes off the clock and got the ball to Vanderbilt's 12-yard line. Vanderbilt held on third-and-2, though, and forced a field goal to keep the game within two scores. 

The Commodores went three-and-out on their next drive, giving Georgia a chance to slam the door. Defensive back CJ Taylor undercut a pass from Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck and returned it to Georgia's 1-yard line, keeping Vanderbilt's hopes alive. The offense responded with a rushing touchdown on the ensuing play to make it 30-20, though the Commodores' 2-point conversion attempt fell short. 

Georgia finally slammed the door shut thanks to running back Daijun Edwards, who had 75 yards on five straight carries -- including a career-long 62-yard run -- and the decisive touchdown. Edwards finished the game with 20 carries for 146 yards and the final score.

Carson Beck regresses

Georgia let Beck loose against Kentucky, and he responded with one of the best individual performances of the year with 489 yards and four touchdowns with an 80% completion rate. By comparison, Saturday was an obvious step back. 

Beck ultimately did what he had to do to get the win, but his mistakes were still pretty costly. A strip-sack on the first drive was a result of holding on to the ball too long, and Vanderbilt recovered in plus territory. The Commodores were unable to capitalize, however, with a missed field goal. 

A few plays later, Beck nearly had another fumble on a dropped snap, which was scooped up by center Sedrick Van Pran and run for a 6-yard gain and first down. Beck threw his only pick of the day in the fourth quarter, which was returned to the 1-yard line by 'Dores defensive star CJ Taylor. (Beck was also nearly picked off by Taylor in the third quarter.) Vanderbilt scored a play later to make it 30-20. 

Beck's final stat line of 261 yards passing with one touchdown and one interception isn't awful, but he made some crucial mistakes that better teams down the line will exploit. 

Running game breaks out

The silver lining of Beck's subpar game is that Georgia's running attack found its footing. The Bulldogs ranked No. 7 in the SEC in rushing entering Saturday's game, averaging 152.7 yards per game. That's a far cry from their dominating rushing attacks of the past. Part of that can be attributed to injury issues. Kendall Milton finally looked his best with 53 yards rushing and one touchdown on five carries before he got banged up in the second quarter. 

Of course, Edwards had the best game of his career and almost single handedly put things away for the Bulldogs. Georgia finished with 281 yards rushing and three of its four touchdowns came on the ground. Maybe it turned a corner in that area. 

Bulldogs enter bye banged up

Though Georgia eventually put away the 'Dores for good, Saturday may prove costly down the road. Injuries piled up for the Bulldogs, none bigger than star tight end Brock Bowers, who left the game in the second quarter and did not return. Smart said at halftime that the injury seemed like a minor sprain, which would be ideal with a bye week coming up. One play after Bowers exited, starting offensive tackle Xavier Truss got rolled up on and left the game. He did not return. 

Milton also got hurt on the exact same drive, though he remained on the sideline in uniform without his helmet. He had a brace on his left knee. Provided that none of these are serious, Georgia's bye couldn't be coming at a better time. 

[Oct 14, 2023 at 3:13 pm ET · Will Backus]

Georgia slams the door

Late 4Q: Georgia 37, Vanderbilt 20

Vanderbilt put up plenty of fight, but it looks the Commodores are going to come up short against the nation's top-ranked team. The Bulldogs turned to the run game after quarterback Carson Beck's interception and Vanderbilt's subsequent touchdown, which cut the games to 10 points. Running back Daijun Edwards was the bell cow on Georgia's latest scoring drive. All five plays put the ball in his hands, and he responded with 75 yards rushing and a likely decisive touchdown. 

[Oct 14, 2023 at 3:06 pm ET · Will Backus]

Vanderbilt battling back

Mid 4Q: Georgia 30, Vanderbilt 20

Vanderbilt capitalized off of CJ Taylor's interception and scored one play later, plunging the ball in from a yard out to pull within 10 points of the Bulldogs. Vanderbilt went for two to cut it to one score, but quarterback Ken Seals' pass got batted at the line of scrimmage and fell well short of the intended receiver. Still, with 6:14 left and all three timeouts, Vanderbilt has more time to make this even more interesting. The 'Dores certainly aren't backing down. 

[Oct 14, 2023 at 3:03 pm ET · Will Backus]

Beck makes big mistake 

Vanderbilt defensive back CJ Taylor might be the best player on the field Saturday. He's been all over the place making plays for the Commodores' defense, and he may have just changed the complexion of the game. Georgia had the ball up 30-14 with just over six minutes left to play and a chance to salt things away. Instead, on second-and-13, Taylor jumped in front of a Carson Beck pass and intercepted the ball, returning it to Georgia's 1-yard line. Taylor took a big hit at the end of the play and had to be helped off the sideline. Vanderbilt has a chance to make this a one-score game regardless. 

[Oct 14, 2023 at 2:49 pm ET · Will Backus]

Vanderbilt keeps it within two scores

Early 4Q: Georgia 30, Vanderbilt 14

The fourth quarter brought another long Georgia drive that ended in a field goal after Vanderbilt decided to buckle down. This time, the Bulldogs had a 12-play, 66-yard drive stall at Vanderbilt's 12-yard line. Instead of going for it on fourth-and-2 near the goal line and potentially shut the door on the Commodores, Kirby Smart went with the points and brought kicker Peyton Woodring out for a 30-yard field goal. It was a smart move, as Vanderbilt needs two touchdowns and two 2-point conversions to tie this game, while keeping Georgia's offense away from scoring territory. 

[Oct 14, 2023 at 2:39 pm ET · Will Backus]

Vanderbilt building momentum

Early 4Q: Georgia 27, Vanderbilt 14

Vanderbilt's defense came up big in the third quarter, forcing Georgia to a 44-yard field goal after an 18-play, almost 9-minute drive that moved the ball all the way to Vanderbilt's 18-yard line. Then the offense responded in kind with its first scoring drive since the game's opening possession. Quarterback Ken Seals hit wide receiver Richie Hoskins for a 3-yard touchdown on the fourth quarter's opening play. The Commodores still have work to do to make this game, but they are hanging around. 

[Oct 14, 2023 at 2:18 pm ET · Will Backus]

Vanderbilt's defense holds

Mid 3Q: Georgia 27, Vanderbilt 7

Georgia opened the third quarter with an 18-play drive that took almost nine minutes off the clock and ended it with a 44-yard field goal to extend its lead to 20. Give credit to Vanderbilt's defense for holding on and preventing the touchdown, especially with the Bulldogs grinding the ball away. Georgia had third-and-10 from Vanderbilt's 18-yard line and quarterback Carson Beck scrambled around looking for options downfield. Vanderbilt defensive lineman Nate Clifton finally got to him for the 8-yard sack, forcing a long field goal.