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Coutu's field goal helps Georgia hold off Vanderbilt

Oct 14, 2007 - 4:18 AM NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Brandon Coutu helped Georgia avoid being upset by Vanderbilt for the second straight year.

Coutu drilled a 37-yard field goal as time expired Saturday to lift the 24th-ranked Bulldogs to a 20-17 Southeastern Conference triumph over the Commodores.

Matthew Stafford completed 15-of-30 attempts for 190 yards and one touchdown for Georgia (5-2, 3-2 SEC East), which dropped a 24-22 home decision to Vanderbilt last year on Bryant Hahnfeldt's 33-yard game-winning field goal.

Knowshon Moreno rushed for 152 yards - including 120 in the second half - for the Bulldogs, who suffered a 35-14 road beating to Tennessee last week and nearly dropped its seventh straight game to an SEC East foe in this contest.

"The offensive line played well in the second half, and Knowshon was making them play that way," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "Knowshon was willing his way a couple of times, and was a catalyst in the second half."

Stafford rallied Georgia down the stretch, orchestrating an eight-play, 70-yard drive to put Coutu in position to kick a game-tying 31-yard field goal with 6:12 remaining.

A sophomore, Stafford drove Georgia 74 yards in 10 plays to give Coutu a chance to drill the game-winner.

"I have complete confidence in Brandon," Richt said. "I thought he could have made the field goal when we were on the 40-yard line. I told him that he might have to kick it three times. I didn't know if they were going to ice him or not."

Stafford had given Georgia the first lead of the game when he threw a 33-yard TD pass to Sean Bailey at the 8:13 mark of the first quarter to put the Bulldogs up, 7-0.

However, backup quarterback Mackenzi Adams led Vanderbilt to 17 unanswered points and a 17-7 halftime lead.

"It was a very disappointing loss for us tonight," Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson said. "We felt like we played a pretty good game, but when you play teams like Georgia, you have to make plays and do what you need to do to win."

In the third quarter, Stafford led the Bulldogs on an eight-play, 70-yard drive that was capped by Brannan Southerland's one-yard TD run, cutting the deficit to 17-14.

"We were down 10 to a good football team," Richt said. "I'm proud of our players for coming back and I'm thankful for the victory. We're looking forward to the bye coming up and hope we can get healthy."

Adams, in relief of an ineffective Chris Nickson, completed 7-of-10 attempts for 125 yards and a touchdown and also rushed for 46 yards for Vanderbilt (3-3, 1-3 East), which has lost two straight contests.

"I was prepared to come in and out," Adams said. "That was the game plan and that's what we are going to do. You got to make plays when you're on the field."

"We had a package that would suit Nickson well and a package that would suit Adams well," Johnson said. "Georgia played well defensively. Adams played a good game and is a tough player. Nickson is a good QB, but he hasn't played a game while completely healthy since the first week."