Turn Back the Clock

On Saturday Georgia will be facing UAB. This will be the 2nd time the teams have faced each other. The previous game was in 2003 with the Bulldogs having to come back to win 16-13. The Dawgs trailed 13-10 midway through the 3rd quarter before Billy Bennett kicked 2 field goals, the 2nd coming early in the 4th quarter. The Blazers threatened late, but the Bulldogs held on. Here is a little more...

The game was played on October 25, 2003. It was also homecoming. It was Georgia's first non-conference homecoming opponent since 1989.

The UAB star quarterback Darrell Hackney did not play due to a thumb injury. Chris Williams made his first career start. Williams is one of two Blazer quarterbacks that should play on Saturday for UAB.

David Greene and the Bulldogs marched down the field on the opening drive. The southpaw connected with Damien Gary for a 16-yard TD pass. It would be Georgia only touchdown of the game.

After a Billy Bennett field goal, the Blazers put up 10 unanswered points, highlighted by a Theron Dudley 1-yd TD run.

Another field goal gave UAB the lead. Bennett connected on 2 more field goals including one with 12:57 left gave Georgia the lead. With under 3 minutes left, UAB advanced to Georgia's 32-yard line. That is where the offense stopped. After a delay of game penalty, Derrick White made a big sack. The next two plays were incomplete passes and Georgia re-gained the ball for good.

Stat leaders included David Greene who went 20-for-33 in the game for 221 yards and a score. Michael Cooper led the running game with 79 yards on 14 attempts. Ben Watson had 4 receptions as did Mario Raley. On defense, Thomas Davis had 12 tackles and Sean Jones had an interception. Also in the game Billy Bennett had 10 points to give him 355 for his career which was enough to pass Kevin Butler on Georgia's all-time list.

Here is what some of the current Bulldogs involved with this game had to say about the previous meeting...

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Danny Verdun-Wheeler -- "We underestimated them. They had their backup QB in there and they moved the ball all day. At halftime we realized we were in for a war. We just squeaked by."

Ray Gant -- "They were beating us with their backup. They were very good, they still are. UAB is a very physical team. Their OL is probably the most physical OL since we played Arkansas last year. I am expecting a barn-burner."

Martrez Milner -- "They were very athletic like a Tennessee or Florida. We are more focussed now to prepare for a team like that. We can't underestimate our opponents."

Daniel Inman -- "They have great athletes. They fight hard and are well coached. When they came in in 2003, they were not intimidated. They work really hard. I have been telling my teammates that we have to be ready to play them."