ATHENS, Ga. — Carson Beck passed for a career-high 459 yards and three touchdowns and No. 5 Georgia withstood a second-half comeback from Mississippi State to win 41-31 on Saturday.
Georgia (5-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) played as if it was looking ahead to next week’s visit with No. 1 Texas, but had enough for its 28th straight home win. He had offensive power.
Georgia led 34-10 early in the second half as freshman quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr., making his second start, led the Bulldogs (1-5, 0-3) to two straight touchdowns. led. Van Buren’s strong performance wasn’t enough to prevent Mississippi State from losing its fifth straight game.
With Georgia leading 34-24, Beck led a 16-play touchdown drive to end the game. On fourth down from the MSU 1, Trevor Etienne was pushed across the goal line by Georgia’s offense.
Van Buren completed 20 of 37 passes for 306 yards and three touchdowns, including passes of 24 and 35 yards to Kelly Acarai and one interception. His 35-yard run with 1:47 left cut Georgia’s lead to 10 points again.
Beck completed a Georgia record-tying 36 passes on 48 attempts, but had two interceptions.
Mississippi State didn’t get a first down until the first quarter, but broke through in the second with a 72-yard pass from Van Buren to Mario Craver, setting up the Bulldogs’ first touchdown.
A penalty set State back, but Van Buren threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Akalai, who got behind cornerback Daylen Everett. It was Van Buren’s first career scoring pass and cut Georgia’s lead to 13-10.
Georgia quickly responded with a 31-yard touchdown pass from Beck to Dillon Bell, with a left toe tap in the back of the end zone making the catch count. Beck added a 1-yard scoring pass to tight end Lawson Lackey a few minutes later for a 27-10 halftime lead.
Beck had 27 goals in the first half, two games away from tying his one-game career high. In 2023, he completed 29 passes at Vanderbilt.
Beck started the second half with a 42-yard scoring pass to Arian Smith. Beck’s streak of 16 consecutive complete games came to an end when a pass to Lackey in the end zone was picked off by cornerback Deago Brumfield for a touchback.
Take-out
Mississippi State: The SEC’s lowest scoring defense was overwhelmed by Beck and the Georgia passing game. State entered the game allowing an average of 31.6 points per game, but Georgia surpassed that number on a three-play drive to start the second half. State gave up 605 yards.
Georgia: RB Branson Robinson ran for 12 yards and a touchdown, but left early in the second quarter with a right knee injury. RB Roderick Robinson hasn’t played this season after undergoing toe surgery, and the loss of Branson Robinson raises concerns about depth at the position behind Etienne.
to the next
Mississippi State: Returns home to play No. 15 Texas A&M on Saturday.
Georgia: Plays No. 1 Texas on Saturday in what could be a top-five showdown.
