No. 6 Georgia stops Ohio State on fourth-and-inches to win in Columbus, 31-28
Todd Hartley's Bulldogs threw for 388 yards and got the stop they needed when Jim Tressel's Buckeyes went for it in field goal range in the final minute.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- With about a minute left and the game on the line, Ohio State decided not to settle. Trailing 31-28 and already in field goal range, the No. 2 Buckeyes went for it on fourth-and-inches. Georgia stuffed the quarterback at the line, and the No. 6 Bulldogs held on for a 31-28 win at Ohio Stadium.
It was Ohio State's only fourth-down try of the night. A field goal would have tied it. Instead, Jim Tressel's Buckeyes open the season 0-1, and Todd Hartley's Bulldogs leave Columbus with one of the biggest road wins of the week.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6Georgia (1-0, 0-0) | 14 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 31 |
| 2Ohio State (0-1, 0-0) | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| Team stats | UGA | OSU |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 23 | 20 |
| Total yards | 476 | 400 |
| Rushing (att-yds-TD) | 30-88-1 | 28-163-3 |
| Passing (cmp-att-TD) | 27-41-3 | 16-25-1 |
| Passing yards | 388 | 237 |
| Third down | 12-17 | 4-9 |
| Fourth down | 0-0 | 0-1 |
How it was won
Georgia won this one through the air and on third down. The Bulldogs completed 27 of 41 passes for 388 yards and three touchdowns, and they converted 12 of 17 third downs to keep Ohio State's offense on the sideline. Georgia ran 71 plays to Ohio State's 53.
Ohio State had the better ground game by a wide margin. The Buckeyes ran for 163 yards and three touchdowns at 5.8 yards per carry, while Georgia managed 88 yards on 30 carries. The Buckeyes scored a touchdown in every quarter.
The swings
Georgia jumped out 14-7 in the first quarter. Ohio State answered with touchdowns in the second and third, and took a 21-17 lead into the fourth. The Bulldogs scored twice in the final period to go back in front before the fourth-down stop sealed it.