Georgia: 2014 Belk Bowl Champions


CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Freshman running back Nick Chubb ran for a Georgia bowl-record 266 yards and two touchdowns as the No. 13 Bulldogs defeated No. 20 Louisville 37-14 in the Belk Bowl on Tuesday night at Bank of America Stadium.
Chubb carried a season-high 33 times, including a 30-yard sprint before his 8-yard touchdown scamper with 2:02 left.
Chubb finished 17 yards shy of Herschel Walker’s single-game school record set against Vanderbilt in 1980.
Georgia starting quarterback Hutson Mason did his damage in the first half in his final appearance for the Bulldogs (10-3).
Chubb’s 82-yard run — a Belk Bowl record — on the first play after a punt pinned the Bulldogs at their 3-yard line set up running back Sony Michel’s 2-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Mason didn’t play after late in the second quarter because of what school officials referred to as vision issues.
Georgia’s Marshall Morgan kicked three field goals, including a 41-yarder with 5:20 remaining.
Georgia safety Dominick Sanders intercepted two passes. Bulldogs safety Damian Swann picked off a fourth-quarter pass one play after Louisville’s defense made a fourth-down stop.
Georgia also lost safety Quincy Mauger to a second-quarter concussion and receiver Michael Bennett to a third-quarter knee injury.
Louisville (9-4), completing its first season as an Atlantic Coast Conference member, couldn’t crank up enough offense after scoring at least 30 points in its last five regular-season games The Cardinals scored 30 or more points in their last five regular-season games.
Cardinals running back Brandon Radcliff scored on a 6-yard touchdown run in the third quarter on a 10-play drive. Senior receiver DeVante Parker notched eight catches for 120 receiving yards, eclipsing 100 yards for the 10th time in his career.
Georgia, which led 20-7 at halftime, put together a strong second quarter, taking the lead on Morgan’s 41-yard field goal. Chubb’s tackle-breaking, 31-yard touchdown run pushed the lead to 17-7 with 6:40 left in the first half.
Sanders made a 40-yard interception return to set up the Bulldogs at the Louisville 9. This time, Georgia settled for Morgan’s 22-yard field goal with 4:58 remaining.
Georgia got the ball back at the Louisville 31 when punter Ryan Johnson’s fourth-down pass on a fake punt was underthrown. On the next play, Cardinals cornerback Terell Floyd intercepted backup Ramsey’s pass at the Louisville 3.
Earlier, Georgia cashed in on its first possession with a touchdown as receiver Chris Conley caught a 44-yard touchdown strike from Mason. That capped an eight-play, 90-yard drive.
Louisville’s first scoring drive went 84 yards, with the highlight coming on tight end Gerald Christian’s one-handed grab in the back of the end zone of a Kyle Bolin pass. It came on a third-and-goal play from the Georgia 11.
NOTES: This was the first meeting between Georgia and Louisville. … For the first time, there’s a Top 25 matchup in the Belk Bowl’s 13-year history. … It’s a new era for the Belk Bowl by adding the Southeastern Conference providing one of the teams. … Louisville lost to North Carolina State in the 2011 Belk Bowl. … This is Georgia’s 50th bowl game, with its first postseason outing in Charlotte. … This was Georgia’s third ACC opponent of the season, opening by defeating Clemson and closing the regular season with a loss to Georgia Tech. … Both teams posted November victories against Kentucky. … Louisville RB Michael Dyer was removed from the team’s bowl roster because of academic issues. … In days leading to the game, Georgia announced that standout RB Todd Gurley is entering the NFL Draft. He has been out with a knee injury, preventing him from playing in his home state’s bowl.

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