Opening the season with a Southeastern Conference game against Tennessee in Knoxville's Neyland Stadium, Georgia rallied from a third quarter 15-0 deficit to edge the Volunteers, 16-15, before the largest crowd in southern football history.
After a scoreless first quarter, QB Buck Belue fumbled at the G1 with 12:20 remaining in the half. FB Jimmy Womack recovered in the endzone, giving Tennessee a safety and a 2-0 lead. The Bulldogs then kicked off and the Vols drove 56 yards in eight plays with QB Jeff Olszewski going in for the touchdown from four yards out to make it 9-0.
Tennessee increased its lead to 15-0 with 4:02 to go in the third quarter as Olszewski hit a streaking Mike Miller for a 36-yard score. Georgia got a safety of its own less than a minute later after Bill Bates fumbled a Jim Broadway punt. A mad scramble for the loose ball resulted in two points for the Bulldogs as the Vols finally got a handle on the ball — but in their own endzone.
After the ensuing Tennessee kickoff, Georgia got the ball at the 50. Three running plays and 24-yard pass from Belue to Lindsay Scott gave the Bulldogs a first down at the T16. Freshman TB Herschel Walker then took a handoff and burst up the middle, bulling a Tennessee safety (Bates) into the endzone for the TD. Rex Robinson's PAT cut the margin to 15-9.
After Willie Gault brought the Bulldog kickoff back to the T25, QB Olszewski fumbled two plays later with FS Jeff Hipp recovering at the T37. Moving into the fourth period of play, Georgia took it 28 yards to the T9 where Walker tallied his second TD of the night by following some good blocking around left end into the endzone at the 11:16 mark. Robinson booted the goahead point-after and the Bulldogs had their first lead of the game.
GEORGIA | 0 | 0 | 9 | 7 | — | 16 |
Tennessee | 0 | 9 | 6 | 0 | — | 15 |
Georgia jumped out to a 28-0 halftime lead with three touchdown passes and a scoring run by tailback Herschel Walker and coasted to a surprising 42-0 win in Athens over the Texas A&M Aggies, improving its record to 2-0. The win marked the first win over the Aggies for the Bulldogs.
After recovering an Aggie fumble, the Bulldogs drove 33 yards for a first quarter TD as QB Buck Belue hit flanker Amp Arnold for a six-yarder with a little over four-minutes elapsed in the game.
Georgia gave the 60,000-plus crowd more to cheer about as Belue connected with TE Norris Brown for a 53-yard play with 13:53 to go in the second quarter. A face masking call on A&M set up the Bulldogs' second score as Walker went in from a yard out. PK Robinson's PAT made it 14-0.
Appearing unstoppable, Georgia drove 79 yards in seven plays for a third TD with 5:26 to go in the half with Belue throwing 19 yards to Arnold for the score. The Bulldogs got the ball back one more time before intermission and QB Jeff Paulk, subbing for Belue, took the team 68 yards in only 1:36, hitting flanker Chuck Jones with a 24-yard TD pass.
The Aggies failed to move the ball the next time they had it as well and had to punt. Scott Woerner gathered the punt at the G38 and maneuvered his way through Aggies all the way down to the A&M 4-yard line. Two plays later, Walker ran in from the one to put the Bulldogs up comfortably, 35-0.
The Aggies drove 32 yards to the Georgia 44 before stalling on their next possession and Stuard once again was forced to punt. After a fair catch taking the ball at the Georgia 12-yard line, Walker ran three times for 12 yards to the Georgia 24. Belue then handed to Walker again who found a hole on the left side, bursting into the Aggie secondary and down the sideline for a 76-yard TD, Walker's third of the day. Robinson kicked the PAT to make it 42-0 with 3:52 to play in the third quarter.
GEORGIA | 7 | 21 | 14 | 0 | — | 42 |
Texas A&M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
Despite being outgained in virtually every offensive cate-gory, Georgia somehow managed to outdo the Clemson Tigers in the most important statistic, that being the score as the Bulldogs hung on to beat the Tigers, 20-16 before 61,000 at Sanford Stadium.
Clemson failed to move the ball on the first possession of the game and P David Sims kicked to Woerner on the G34. Woerner took the punt and flew by the Tigers for a 67-yard TD. Robinson's PAT gave the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead at the 13:28 mark.
Later in the period, Clemson drove to the G11 where QB Homer Jordan passed into the arms of Woerner who raced from his own goal line to the C2 for a 98-yard interception return. QB Belue went over two plays later to give the Bulldogs a two TD advantage.
The Tigers got on the board at the 6:44 mark of the second quarter when QB Mike Gasque snatched up a wide fumble by TB Cliff Austin and went into the en dzone for the TD. PK Obed Ariri's PAT cut the margin to 14-7. Gasque directed the Tigers 59 more yards after a Georgia punt all the way to the G5. The Bulldog defense stiffened and Ariri booted a 21-yard FG to make it 14-10 at the half.
Georgia finally moved the ball on the Tigers on the first drive of the second half, going from its own 23 to the C25 where Robinson kicked a 42-yard field goal to up the margin to 17-10 with 10:58 to go in the third quarter.
DE Robert Miles picked off a Gasque pass on the next pos-session and returned it to the C31. Four plays netted 20 yards to the C11 and Robinson once again was called in to attempt a field goal. The kick was good and Georgia went up 20-10.
Clemson took the ensuing kickoff and drove to the G28 where Ariri kicked a three-pointer with 2:17 to go in the third. After an exchange of punts, Clemson went from its own 19 to the G8 and Ariri came in for yet another field goal which he converted to cut the gap to 20-16.
GEORGIA | 14 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 20 |
Clemson | 0 | 10 | 3 | 3 | — | 16 |
Georgia rolled up 334 yards rushing as the Bulldogs improved their record to 4-0 with a 34-3 victory over TCU in Athens.
The game was tight until late in the first quarter when TB Walker broke off tackle for a 41-yard run, setting up a four-yard TD pass from Belue to FB Ronnie Stewart at the :15 mark.
After forcing the Frogs into a punt, Georgia marched from the G46 to the T12, where Robinson came in and booted a 31-yard FG to give the 'Dogs a 10-0 lead. Robinson kicked another three-pointer through the uprights moments later from 37 yards out to make it 13-0.
TCU QB Kevin Haney then took his team from the T20 all the way down to the G32, but the drive stalled and PK Greg Porter came in and kicked a 47-yard FG to cut the lead of Georgia to 10.
Taking over at the G47 with only 35 seconds to go in the half, QB Belue ran twice for 25 yards to give the Bulldogs a first down at the T28. Then with only 18 seconds remaining, Belue dropped back and found FL Chuck Jones deep down the middle for a 28-yard scoring pass. Robinson's PAT made it 20-3.
Neither team could do much offensively in the early stages of the third period but Georgia CB Scott Woerner set the 'Dogs up at the T41 after intercepting a Haney pass at the G35 and then flipping the ball to Jeff Hipp, who returned it to the T41. Nine straight rushing plays and 41 yards later, Stewart was in the endzone for his second TD of the day. Robinson kicked the PAT, becoming the all-time Bulldog scoring leader with 210 points, and Georgia led 27-3 just 13 seconds into the fourth quarter.
The Bulldogs got the ball right back when DE Freddie Gilbert snatched a Haney pass out of the air and returned it 15 yards to the T11. TB Barry Young, subbing for Walker who had slightly sprained his ankle on his long run in the first quarter, ran it seven yards to the T4. Young took another handoff from QB Jeff Paulk on the next play and went into the endzone for the TD. Robinson then made it 34-3.
Wholesale substitutions by both teams dominated the rest of the game and neither squad was able to get back on the board.
GEORGIA | 7 | 13 | 0 | 14 | — | 34 |
TCU | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 |
TB Carnie Norris, subbing for an injured Herschel Walker, came off the bench in the second quarter and went on to turn in his best performance as a Georgia player, rushing for 150 yards on only 15 carries as the Bulldogs defeated SEC rival Ole Miss, 28-21 in Athens.
Late in the first quarter, PK Rex Robinson booted a 27-yard field goal to give Georgia a 3-0 lead with no time remaining in the first quarter.
Eddie Weaver recovered a Rebel fumble five minutes into the second quarter at the M34. It took the Bulldogs one play to strike again as QB Buck Belue connected' with FLK Amp Arnold for a 34-yard TD pass. Robinson booted his PAT to make it 10-0.
With 2:41 left in the half and on their own 20, the Bulldogs, aided by a 22-yard end around run by Arnold and a 41-yard scamper by Norris, drove 80 yards for the TD in six plays with Norris going in for the score from one yard out. Robinson made it 17-0 with :37 to go.
Georgia got the ball back seconds later when S Jeff Hipp intercepted Rebel QB John Fourcade on the M21 but a costly last second mistake hurt the Bulldogs when Belue threw right into the arms of Ole Miss defensive lineman James Otis who went untouched for the TD. A PAT trimmed the Georgia lead to 17-7 as the halftime horn sounded.
The Rebels cut the gap even more in the third period with a 66-yard drive. After a 27-yard pass to Breck Tyler, Ole Miss got another TD when Fourcade sneaked over from the one. Todd Gatlin kicked the PAT and the score read 17-14.
Driving with runs by Norris as the third quarter ended, Georgia reached the M16. QB Belue was then sacked and Robinson had to be called on again for a 43 FG which he was successful on.
The Bulldogs added another score when Belue went in from a yard. A two-point conversion on a pass from Belue to Charles Junior made it 28-14. With 6:02 remaining, Ole Miss took over on their 20 and in 14 plays had another TD when Fourcade hit SE Ken Toler for a 13-yard score. The PAT was made and Ole Miss trailed by a touchdown.
GEORGIA | 3 | 14 | 0 | 11 | — | 28 |
Ole Miss | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | — | 21 |
Freshman tailback Herschel Walker ran for 283 yards to break Charley Trippi's 35-year-old single game rushing record of 239 as Georgia won its sixth straight game of the season, thrashing Vanderbilt, 41-0 in Athens.
Walker scored his first of three touchdowns in the contest on his very first carry from scrimmage on a 60-yard run. PK Robinson kicked the PAT to give the Bulldogs an early 7-0 lead.
After Robinson booted a field goal from 30 yards out later in the period, an offensive pass intereference call, set the Commodores back and forced a punt.
Walker took a handoff from QB Buck Belue with a little over five minutes gone in the second period and raced 48 yards for his second TD of the day. Robinson converted to make it 17-0.
Vanderbilt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
GEORGIA | 10 | 14 | 3 | 14 | — | 41 |
Georgia ran up 228 yards passing and 171 more rushing as the Bulldogs shut out Kentucky in Lexington, 27-0, for their seventh straight win of the season.
Late in the first quarter, senior CB Scott Woerner intercepted a Randy Jenkins pass to give the Bulldogs the ball at the K32. Nine plays later, TB Herschel Walker burst over for a two-yard TD. Rex Robinson's PAT made it 7-0.
Robinson booted a pair of field goals in the second period, 50 and 47-yarders, to boost Georgia to a 13-0 halftime advantage.
Kentucky took the second half kickoff and drove from the K20 to the G25, but on a fourth down play, 'Dog LB Nate Taylor knocked down a Larry McCrimmon pass attempt and the Bulldogs gained control. Georgia could not move the ball and was forced to punt. Kentucky bobbled the punt, fumbling it and Georgia's Donnie McMickens recovered on the Wildcat 33. A quick pass to FLK Amp Arnold netted 12 yards to put the ball on the 21. Six running plays later, Georgia was in the endzone once again as QB Buck Belue ran in from the three-yard line. Robinson was successful on the PAT and the Bulldogs had a comfortable 20-0 lead with 6:06 to go in the third period.
The 'Cats punted to the Bulldogs as the fourth quarter began with the ball rolling dead at the G7. Belue fumbled the first snap, recovering for a loss of two. Walker then ran up the middle for four yards to the G9.
Then came the big play. Belue dropped back, rolled and con-nected with FLK Arnold for a 91-yard TD play. It was one of the three longest pass completions in Georgia history. Robinson converted the PAT to put the Bulldogs out front, 27-0.
GEORGIA | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | — | 27 |
Kentucky | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
GEORGIA | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | — | 27 |
Kentucky | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
Georgia jumped out to a 13-0 lead early in the third quarter and then survived a late go-ahead scoring threat by South Carolina to defeat the Gamecocks for the first time in three years, 13-10, in Athens.
Rex Robinson kicked off the scoring with a long 57-yard field goal to end the first quarter.
Herschel Walker added to his amazing freshman season with a 76-yard touchdown run down the right sidelines out running several Gamecocks on his way to the end zone. Walker ended the game 219 yards rushing. Robinson capped off Georgia's scoring with his second field goal of over 50 yards on the day, this one for 51 yards.
Trailing 13-0 South Carolina got on the board with a 45-yard field goal by Eddie Leopard. All-American George Rogers led the way for the Gamecocks with 168 yars on 35 carries but it was Carl West that put it in the end zone with a 39-yard score to cut Georgia lead to 3 points.
South Carolina made a late drive in the 4th quarter getting to the Georgia 17-yard line when Rogers took the handoff, was jolted by Bulldog Dale Carver, and fumbled the ball. Tim Parks recovered for Georgia sealing the victory for the Bulldogs.
South Carolina | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | — | 10 |
GEORGIA | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | — | 13 |
South Carolina | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | — | 10 |
GEORGIA | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | — | 13 |
Things appeared almost hopeless for the Bulldogs at Jacksonville in the Georgia-Florida game. With just 1:35 left in the game, the 'Dogs took over on their own eight yard line trailing the Gators 21-20. To top it off, Georgia only had one timeout remaining.
Two pass plays were unsuccessful setting up a third down situation. QB Buck Belue rolled to his right under pressure, saw SE Lindsay Scott open and connected. Scott then outraced the Florida pursuers down the sidleine for a miraculous 93-yard TD. A two-point try was no good but Georgia led 26-21.
CB Mike Fisher intercepted a Wayne Peace pass on the Gators' next possession and the game was Georgia's.
The Bulldogs scored on their very first drive when TB Herschel Walker broke loose for a 72-yard TD jaunt. PK Rex Robinson added the PAT and Georgia led 7-0.
The Gators scored on a 40-yard field goal moments later to cut the gap.
The 'Dogs drove 77 yards and climaxed it four plays into the second quarter when Belue hit FB Ronnie Stewart for a 13-yard TD pass play. The PAT made it 13-3. Florida recovered a Georgia fumble with 8:25 left in the half at the G46. The Gators took it down to the G9 where Peace connected with SE Cris Collinsworth for the TD. Brian Clark added the PAT and the teams went off at the half with only a four-point difference.
Robinson padded the Bulldog advantage with a pair of third quarter field goals and with 3:58 to go in the period, Georgia was up 20-10.
But Florida came back. Late in the quarter after taking over on the F19, Peace passed 54 yards to SE Tyrone Young who ran all the way to the G11. On the next play TB James Jones scored on an 11-yard run up the middle. Jones came back and ran in for a two-pointer and suddenly the Bulldogs only led 20-18.
Then in the fourth period, Florida went from the F24 to the G24 and with 6:52 left in the game, Clark booted a go-ahead field goal. The next Georgia possession netted nothing but the 'Dogs got the ball back one last time and made the most of it on the Belue to Scott big play.
GEORGIA | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | — | 26 |
Florida | 3 | 7 | 0 | 11 | — | 21 |
GEORGIA | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | — | 26 |
Florida | 3 | 7 | 0 | 11 | — | 21 |
Three Georgia offensive backs rushed for 77 yards apiece as the Bulldogs snapped a three-year jinx by beating Auburn, 31-21, in Jordan-Hare Stadium and clinching the Southeastern Conference Championship.
QB Buck Belue, TB Herschel Walker and his sub Carnie Norris all tallied 77 in the game.
After a scoreless first quarter, Auburn gained control as the second period began. The Tigers promptly drove 91 yards in nine plays for the TD with QB Charlie Thomas hitting SE Byron Franklin for the score. Al Del Greco added the PAT and Auburn led 7-0. The 'Dogs got on the board on the next possession with a Rex Robinson field goal. And then came the play that turned the momentum in Georgia's favor.
The Tigers' Alan Bollinger dropped back to punt but Bulldog senior Greg Bell stormed in untouched and blocked the ball which was picked up by Freddie Gilbert, who ran 27 yards for a Bulldog TD. Georgia got another TD on the last play of the first half when with no timeouts left, Belue lofted a pass to TE Norris Brown who snagged the ball for another TD. Robinson added the PAT and the Bulldogs went off at intermission with a 17-7 lead.
Georgia was successful on an onside kick attempt to open the second half with the benefit of a 15-yard penalty which stemmed from the last play of the opening half. Starting at the Auburn 33, Georgia took it the distance for the TD with Belue taking it in for a one-yard TD. The PAT made it 24-7.
Georgia extended its lead to 31-7 two drives later with Walker going in from the 18, aided by a key block by QB Belue.
Auburn came back gamely, though, and took the ball on a 66-yard drive in 16 plays, scoring on a TD by TB James Brooks just 1:55 into the fourth quarter. QB Joe Sullivan passed to West for two points. Georgia failed to move the ball and Auburn got it back with 11:21 left on the Auburn 36.
It took the Tigers eight plays and once again they struck; this time on a 22-yard pass play from Thomas to Franklin. This time the two-point conversion was no good and the Bulldogs maintained a 10-point lead at 31-21.
GEORGIA | 0 | 17 | 14 | 0 | — | 31 |
Auburn | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | — | 21 |
GEORGIA | 0 | 17 | 14 | 0 | — | 31 |
Auburn | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | — | 21 |
A record-breaking performance by Herschel Walker and completion of an undefeated regular season highlighted the Bulldogs' 38-20 victory over Georgia Tech before a capacity crowd at Sanford Stadium.
Georgia scored on its first possession when after driving from the G 11 to the T 40 PK Rex Robinson kicked a 50-yard FG. The 'Dogs upped the lead to 10-0 later on a one-yard plunge by Walker. A PAT by Robinson was good.
In the second period, Georgia took over at midfield after a Jacket punt. Seven plays later, Belue passed to FB Ronnie Stewart for a five-yard TD play. Robinson added the PAT and the Bulldogs led 17-0 at intermission.
A David Allen run of 44 yards set up a Tech TD early in the third quarter. After Allen's run, QB Mike Kelley was sacked back to the 15. On the next play, Kelley hit SE Leon Chadwick in the corner and PK Johnny Smith booted the PAT to cut the margin to 17-7.
Scott Woerner returned the ensuing kickoff 71 yards to the T 23 and then on the next play, Walker got loose and ran in from the 23 for the score. Robinson added the PAT and the 'Dogs had a 17-point lead again.
Tech then came back with a 75-yard drive with Allen running in from the four for the score. Smith made it 24-14.
Georgia came back very early in the final period with Belue sneaking in for a one-yard TD. A PAT extended the lead to 31-14. The Yellow Jackets stormed back with an 86-yard drive for a TD. Kelley found RB Steve Henderson for a five-yard scoring pass. Smith missed the PAT.
Georgia took over at the G35 after the kickoff and it only took one play and 21 seconds before the Bulldogs were in the end-zone. Walker raced in with a 65-yard TD run, giving him 1616 yards on the year, a new single-season NCAA freshman record. Robinson then kicked the PAT and the score was 38-20.
GEORGIA | 10 | 7 | 14 | 7 | — | 38 |
Georgia Tech | 0 | 0 | 14 | 6 | — | 20 |
GEORGIA | 10 | 7 | 14 | 7 | — | 38 |
Georgia Tech | 0 | 0 | 14 | 6 | — | 20 |
Determined to silence the critics who had claimed Georgia had been lucky in streaking to a perfect 11-0 regular season slate, the Bulldogs journeyed to New Orleans, number one ranking in hand, and defeated Notre Dame, 17-10, in the 1981 Sugar Bowl to claim their first-ever national championship.
Played before a record Crescent City Sugar Bowl crowd of 77,895 in the Louisiana Superdome, the game was one where Georgia capitalized on early Irish mistakes to take a 17-3 lead into the dressing room at halftime.
Notre Dame took the ball on the first possession of the contest from its own 20 all the way to the G32 where kicker Harry Oliver booted a 50-yard field goal to give the Irish a 3-0 lead with 10:41 to go in the opening quarter.
Oliver tried another field goal moments later from the 48, but this time Bulldog freshman rover Terry Hoage slipped through the line to step in front and block the attempt, giving Georgia the ball at the ND49. Nine plays netted 20 yards and All-America placekicker Rex Robinson was called on for a 46-yard field goal and was successful to tie the game at three apiece with less than two minutes remaining in the first period.
On the ensuing kickoff, there was a mixup between the Notre Dame deep men and Bulldog senior Bob Kelly came up with a loose football at the Irish one-yard line, Freshman marvel Herschel Walker, who would go on to gain 150 yards (the first 100-yard performance against the Notre Dame defense all sea-son) and win the Miller-Digby MVP Trophy, dove over on the second play for the touchdown. Robinson converted the PAT and the Bulldogs were up, 10-3, still in the first quarter.
Erk Russell's defense, one which led the country in take-overs during the season, recovered another Notre Dame fumble early in the second period as Irish fullback John Sweeney was separated from the ball at the ND22 where Bulldog senior roverback Chris Welton pounced on it.
Tailback Walker broke an off tackle play for 12 yards to the ND10. Quarterback Buck Belue swept left for seven more to the Irish three-yard line, setting up a second and goal situation. Belue gave it to Walker and the 6-2, 220-pounder stormed into the endzone for his second touchdown of the game. Robinson added the PAT and Georgia enjoyed a 17-3 lead.
Down 14 points, Notre Dame drove the second time it had the ball in the second half from its own 40-yard line to the G13. On a third down play there, Irish QB Blair Kiel dropped back, threw into the endzone to flanker Pete Holohan, only to watch Georgia's All-American cornerback Scott Woerner step in at the last minute to bat the pass away. Notre Dame's Oliver came in to kick a 30-yarder but the ball sailed wide right.
The Irish finally got a touchdown after Georgia punted on the next possession. The passing of Kiel and running of tail-back Phil Carter took Notre Dame 57 yards in 11 plays as the drive was climaxed by a one-yard plunge by Carter for the touchdown. Oliver booted the PAT and the Georgia lead was now 17-10 with :54 seconds of the third quarter showing on the Superdome scoreboard clock.
After Georgia was unable to move the ball, senior Mark Malkiewicz was called into punt. The boot carried to the Irish 46 and Notre Dame, with momentum mounting, took over. Seven plays later, the Fighting Irish were at the G21 and fourth down staring them in the face. Oliver's 38-yard field goal at-tempt went wide to the left this time and the Bulldogs clung to their seven-point lead.
After two unsuccessful possessions by each team, Notre Dame got the ball one last time with 5:10 to go in the ballgame at the ND43. Carter ran around end for seven years to midfield. On second down, 6-1, 265-pound defensive guard Eddie Weaver caught Kiel behind the line for a four-yard loss, setting up a third and seven play. A Kiel-to-Nick Vehr pass got six yards back, making it fourth down, one yard to go.
A running play looked to be forthcoming, but Kiel surprised everyone when he faded back, looking for Dean Masztak, the big tight end, on the side line. One Bulldog, apparently not surprised by the call, was cornerback Woerner, who stepped up in front of Masztak for the interception (his second of the game) at the G34. Only 2:56 remained.
Runs by Belue and Walker gave the Bulldogs a first down at the G47. Two plays after that, Georgia recorded the biggest first down of the game when Belue hit his very first completion of the day on a seven-yard pass to senior flanker Amp Arnold. Walker got the Bulldogs another first down at the ND38, where Georgia ran off three plays and watched the 47th annual Sugar Bowl clock run off, along with a sea of red which had engulfed the playing field for the national championship celebration.
GEORGIA | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | 17 |
Notre Dame | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 10 |
GEORGIA | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | 17 |
Notre Dame | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 10 |