Following an explosive first quarter, the Georgia Bulldogs beat themselves with sloppy play, allowing the Tennessee Volunteers to tie up the game at 30 through one half of play.
This score is surprising considering freshman running backs Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall have combined for 183 rushing yards and four touchdowns while QB Aaron Murray only has three incompletions on 15 attempts.
All three of the Bulldogs' first-quarter scores would come from their freshman running backs with Gurley getting scores from 2 yards and 1 yard out and Marshall busting off a 75-yard TD scamper down the sideline. In between all that fun, Aaron Murray tossed Byron Moore a pick-six but, other than that, the first 15 minutes was all about the Bulldogs.
And that domination would carry over early in the second, with Tennessee QB Tyler Bray serving up an interception to CB Damian Swann on a tipped ball to open up the quarter. Following a modest 5-yard rush, Gurley would then bust off 51-yard touchdown sprint with Tennessee defenders fruitlessly swiping at a red blur. But a miss on the point after from kicker Marshall Morgan would act as a sign of the bad luck coming Georgia's way.
After trading punts, the Volunteers proceeded to go on their first touchdown drive of the game as they went all in with their passing attack. The 50-yard drive would end with do-it-all linebacker A.J. Johnson scoring from 2 yards away out of the wildcat.
And the Bulldogs would feel Johnson's impact again just two plays later when he recovered a fumble on Georgia's 8-yard line off a sack from LB Herman Lathers. With the ideal starting field position, Bray delivered his first touchdown pass of the day to senior WR Zach Rogers from 4 yards out. But just like Morgan, Volunteers kicker Derrick Brodus was unable to convert the extra point.
Still, the fumble party continued on Georgia's next drive when Marshall coughed up the ball for the second consecutive possession. And once again, Bray took full advantage, finding RB Rajion Neal for a 10-yard score to give the Volunteers their first lead of the game.
Instead of waving the white flag though, Murray orchestrated a 43-yard drive with only 42 seconds left to play with three quick completions. Morgan then redeemed himself for the missed extra point by stroking a 50-yard field goal to even up the game at 30 with the teams heading into their locker rooms.
The Volunteers will be getting the ball back to begin the second half.