ATHENS, Ga. -
A close call against a top 10 team did nothing for Buffalo coach Jeff Quinn.
Buffalo trailed No. 6 Georgia by
only eight points at halftime and posted strong offensive numbers
before falling to the Bulldogs 45-23 on Saturday.
"There are no moral victories," Quinn said. "We line up, we play and we want to win."
Georgia, favored by 37½ points, led only 24-16 at halftime before pulling away.
"We saw some tremendous play at
big times," Quinn said. "We play these games for national exposure, to
be able to play against a great team. I'm proud that these players
fought hard and made some plays. We did a lot of good things."
Branden Oliver, coming off his
school-record 1,395 yards rushing in 2011, had 30 carries for 111 yards
and a 2-yard touchdown run for the Bulls.
"Their defense was really hyped
up, but we had a lot of confidence coming into this game," Oliver said.
"We came to play. We thought we had a chance to win."
Buffalo's Alex Zordich completed
14 of 24 passes for 148 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown pass to
Alex Neutz in the first quarter. Zordich added 14 carries for 83 yards,
including a 2-yard touchdown run late in the game.
Zordich led first-half scoring drives that covered 75 and 84 yards.
"To be able to come up with a
94-yard drive against one of the best defenses Georgia has had in a
while gives us some great confidence that we can move the ball when we
put our minds, heart and soul into it," Quinn said.
Buffalo couldn't stop Georgia freshman tailback Todd Gurley, who ran for three touchdowns.
Gurley had eight carries for 100
yards, including scoring runs of 10 and 55 yards, and added a 100-yard
kickoff return for a touchdown in the first quarter.
Aaron Murray overcame a subpar first half to throw three touchdown passes.
Georgia coach Mark Richt said Gurley had been similarly impressive in preseason scrimmages that had been closed to the public.
"He averaged about what he
averaged every scrimmage, about 12.5 yards per carry," Richt said. "I
hope that's a trend in his career."
It was not an impressive showing
by Georgia's defense. The visiting Bulls of the Mid-American Conference
are coming off a 3-9 season that included a 41-10 loss at Tennessee,
but they ran 70 plays and had 199 yards rushing against Georgia.
The Bulldogs play at Southeastern Conference newcomer Missouri next week.
"It wasn't pretty," Richt said. "We better play better than that next week, or we'll be coming back sad."
Gurley's play was the highlight for Georgia fans.
"He showed why he's special,"
said Georgia senior receiver Tavarres King, who had six catches for 117
yards and a touchdown. "He'll make the most of his opportunities."
Gurley (6-1, 218) showed both
power and speed as he became Georgia's first freshman to run for 100
yards in his first game since Danny Ware ran for 135 yards against
Georgia Southern in 2004.
"I didn't have time for
butterflies; everything just came so fast," Gurley said. "I was just
trying to get the plays right. I really didn't have time to get
nervous."
Asked to rate his debut, Gurley said "I can't complain. ... It felt pretty good."
Another freshman tailback, Keith
Marshall, had 10 carries for 46 yards and starter Ken Malcome had six
carries for 32 yards before hurting his left hand in the third quarter.
Murray completed 15 of 26 passes
258 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. After his
sluggish opening half, Murray threw scoring passes of 38 yards to
Rantavious Wooten in the third quarter and 12 yards to Michael Bennett
in the fourth.
Murray's 63-yard touchdown pass to King gave Georgia a 24-6 lead in the second quarter.
Georgia ranked fifth in the nation in total defense in 2011 but was missing several starters due to suspensions and injuries.
Three starters - safety Bacarri
Rambo, linebacker Alec Ogletree and cornerback Sanders Commings - were
held out with suspensions. Richt confirmed the Rambo and Ogletree
suspensions after the game.
Georgia previously announced
Commings and outside linebacker Chase Vasser would serve two-game
suspensions after offseason arrests. The other suspensions were for
violations of team rules.
Richt said "we'll find out next week" about the status of Rambo and Ogletree for the game at Missouri.
Georgia also was without
cornerback Malcolm Mitchell, who was on crutches after spraining his
left ankle in Thursday's practice, and wide receiver Marlon Brown, who
has a strained left hamstring.
Freshman left tackle John Theus left with a sprained left ankle in the fourth quarter.
Buffalo also was missing a top defensive player. Linebacker Khalil Mack served a one-game suspension for violating team rules.
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