ATHENS — Middle Tennessee coach Rick Stockstill could be excused if he sounded like he got run over by a truck.

His Blue Raiders team was “swallowed up” by the Big Red Monster that is the No. 3-ranked Georgia Bulldogs, 49-7.

“It was tough sledding out there. They swallowed us up,” Stockstill said wearily. “They were bigger than us, faster than us. We couldn’t create any separation at receiver. There were no openings. They swallowed us up. That’s why they are ranked where they are ranked.”

Georgia (3-0) out-gained Middle Tennessee (1-2) by an advantage of 484 yards to 288 yards.

But it could have been much worse: The Bulldogs had 382 yards at halftime, leading 42-7, and they had pulled most of their starters in the third quarter.

Neither team through a pass the final 20 plays of the game, essentially running out the clock.

“These games, their overall depth eventually takes its toll on you,” said Stockstill, now 4-29 against Power 5 teams the past 13 seasons. “They are big and fast, and we couldn’t get pressure on the quarterback, and that guy can run by you.

“I don’t know what you get out of it, other than you competed against one of the best teams in the country, and hopefully moving forward this will be the best team we play. I don’t know if it will be or not.”

Middle Tennessee’s only remaining Power 5 opponent this season is Kentucky.

“Losing stinks, it doesn’t matter if you play Georgia or the 130th team in the country,” Stockstill said. “We hurt.  I hurt, but I’m proud of the team in there because it was tough sledding in there today.

“You play SEC teams, it’s just tough. It’s hard and physical. Our team matched up a hair better against Vanderbilt than it did Georgia today. Number nine (Jeremiah Holloman), he comes in there, he’s 6-4 and he doesn’t even hardly play until the end of the game.”

Holloman had three catches for 90 yards and a touchdown.

Middle Tennessee coach Rick Stockstill vs. Power 5

2006

L at Maryland 24-10

L at Oklahoma 59-0

L Louisville 44-17

L at South Carolina 52-7

2007

L at Louisville 58-42

L at LSU 44-0

L Virginia 23-21

2008

W Maryland 24-14

L at Kentucky 20-14

L at Louisville 42-23

L at Mississippi State 31-22

2009

L at Clemson 37-14

L at Maryland 32-31

L Mississippi State 27-6

2010

L Minnesota 24-17

L at Georgia Tech 42-14

2011

L at Purdue, 27-24

L Georgia Tech 49-21

L at Tennessee 24-0

2012

W at Georgia Tech 49-28

L at Mississippi State 45-3

2013

L at North Carolina, 40-20

2014

L at Minnesota 35-24

2015

L at No. 2 Alabama, 37-10

L at Illinois, 27-25

L to Vandy, 17-13

2016

L at Vanderbilt, 47-24

W at Missouri, 51-45

2017

L Vanderbilt 28-6

W at Syracuse 30-23

L at Minnesota 34-3

2018

L Vanderbilt 35-7

L Georgia 49-7

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