ATHENS, Ga. — Well, Georgia probably was due for a stinker.
And “stinker” might be too disrespectful a word for the Kent State Golden Flashes, who played the Bulldogs better than any team has this season after playing two of their first three games on the road against Power 5 powerhouses. Nevertheless, Georgia fans could be heard grousing as they left Sanford Stadium and on social media throughout the game as the No. 1-ranked Bulldogs struggled at times against an opponent over which they were favored by 45.5 points.
Georgia won, 39-22, but coach Kirby Smart won’t have to worry this week about everybody fawning all over his team as it prepares to return to SEC play Saturday at Missouri.
Coming in without a turnover all season, the Bulldogs (4-0) committed three in the first half alone. They gave up another first down on a fake punt. Leading only 32-22 in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs had to play their primary offensive and defensive units for the entire game.
Kent State (1-3) had Georgia’s defensive starters on their heels the entire second half with scoring drives of 10 and 11 plays, respectively. Quarterback Stetson Bennett and the Bulldogs’ first-string offense not only were throwing the ball in the fourth quarter but had to. It took a 13-play touchdown drive of its own for Georgia to fully secure victory, and Kendall Milton’s 1-yard run didn’t come until only 5:30 remained in the game.
And then there was still a bit of discomfort on the Bulldogs’ sideline when the Golden Flashes got the ball back. Nobody could fully relax until Christopher Smith hauled in an interception from a deep pass by Kent State quarterback Collin Schlee and returned it to the Georgia 32 with 5:11 to play that the Bulldogs could fully exhale.
The best news probably was something that Smart said the Bulldogs needed earlier in the week — the Bulldogs needed to work on their composure muscles because they hadn’t had to flex them yet. Saturday turned into a full 60-minute workout.
The Golden Flashes proved they were in it to win it when they scored on a 1-yard touchdown plunge with 12:13 to play. They went for the two-point conversion and probably should have converted it, as the Kent State receiver could not handle the ball hard-thrown slightly behind him. It was 32-22 at that point.
To their credit, the Bulldogs answered with a workmanlike 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. Georgia got out of the gate with a 13-yard completion on third-and-6 at its own 29. It didn’t end until Milton plunged in at left guard from a yard out on fourth-and-goal. That and an extra point ultimately set the final score at 39-22.
It was another big day for Georgia tight end Brock Bowers, who scored two touchdowns a week after scoring three against South Carolina. Both his scores came on runs, one for 75 yards on the second play of the game and the other from five yards out.
Bennett played an entire game for the first time this season. He did not throw a touchdown pass, but did throw his first interception of the season. But he finished with 272 yards on 27-of-36 passing and scored a rushing touchdown for the fourth game in a row.
Kent State rushed for 93 of its 281 yards, well over 100 yards of which came in the third quarter.
