CHARLOTTE, N.C.
Freshman Nick Chubb ran for a career-high 266 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 13 Georgia overcame an injury to starting quarterback Hutson Mason to beat 20th-ranked Louisville 37-14 in the BelkBowl on Tuesday night.
Chubb averaged 8 yards per carry and the Bulldogs (10-3) piled up 301 yards rushing against the nation's second-best run defense.
Mason threw for 149 yards and a touchdown before leaving with blurred vision in the second quarter with the Bulldogs ahead 20-7. He was replaced by Brice Ramsey, whose primary duty was to hand the ball off to Chubb.
Georgia's defense came up with four turnovers, with Dominick Sanders recording two interceptions.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Kyle Bolin made his first career start for Louisville and finished 20 of 40 for 301 yards with two interceptions and one touchdown. Brandon Radcliff ran for 91 yards and a touchdown.
The Georgia running game appears to be in good hands, even with Todd Gurley headed to the NFL.
Freshman Nick Chubb ran for a career-high 266 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 13 Georgia overcame an injury to starting quarterback Hutson Mason to beat 20th-ranked Louisville 37-14 in the BelkBowl on Tuesday night.
Chubb averaged 8 yards per carry and the Bulldogs (10-3) piled up 301 yards rushing against the nation's second-best run defense.
Chubb's rushing total was second highest in school history, behind only Herschel Walker's 283 yards rushing against Vanderbilt in 1980.
Chubb finished his first season at Georgia by running for 1,323 yards and 12 touchdowns in last eight games after taking over as the primary ball carrier after the NCCA suspended Gurley for four games for taking $3,000 for autographed memorabilia and other items over two years. Gurley later injured his knee in his first game back from the injury.
Mason threw for 149 yards and a touchdown before leaving with blurred vision in the second quarter with the Bulldogs ahead 20-7. He was replaced by Brice Ramsey, whose primary duty was to hand the ball off to Chubb.
Georgia's defense came up with four turnovers, with Dominick Sanders recording two interceptions.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Kyle Bolin made his first career start for Louisville and finished 20 of 40 for 301 yards with two interceptions and one touchdown. Brandon Radcliff ran for 91 yards and a touchdown.
Chubb set a new BelkBowl rushing record, eclipsing the 174-yard effort set by Boston College's Andrew Callender in 2004.
The Bulldogs leaned heavily on the 5-foot-10, 228-pound Chubb after Mason left the game and Ramsey was intercepted on his first play from scrimmage.
Louisville's defense came into the game allowing just 93.7 yards per game on the ground. Chubb nearly had that in the first half, rushing for 78 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown. He added an 82-yard run in the second half that led to another Georgia score.
Louisville never led.
The Bulldogs roared to a 20-7 lead in the first half as Mason found wide open flanker Chris Conley down the middle of the field for a 44-yard touchdown strike for a 7-0 lead before Chubb broke off a 31-yard scoring run.
Leading 17-7, the Bulldogs had two chances to blow the game open late in the half when Sanders intercepted Louisville backup quarterback Reggie Bonnafon and returned it 40 yards to the 8-yard line. But Georgia would have to settle for a 22-yard field goal by Marshall Morgan after Malcolm Mitchell couldn't come down with a high pass from Mason in the end zone.
With his team down 13, Louisville coach Bobby Petrino called for a fake punt from his own 31 on fourth and 5, but punter Ryan Johnson couldn't hook up with a wide open Gerald Christian. Ramsey, however, replaced Mason on Georgia's next possession and gave the ball right back to Louisville when he was intercepted on his first play from scrimmage.
The Bulldogs (10-3) made it a three-possession game late in the third quarter when Chubb broke free from his own 3 and raced 82 yards, setting up a 2-yard touchdown run by Sony Michel.
Louisville's only scores came on an 11-yard scoring strike from Bolin to Christian and a 6-yard run by Radcliff.
Source: http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/local/large-crowds-expected-belk-bowl-fan-fest-uptown/njcnr/
