ATHENS — Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm was poised, but the junior team captain simply couldn’t get dialed in against the South Carolina defense.
The Gamecocks (3-3, 2-2 SEC) pulled out a 20-17 double-overtime win over Fromm and the No. 3-ranked Bulldogs (5-1, 2-1) at Sanford Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
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It was the first home loss of Fromm’s career, the junior dropping to 29-6 as UGA’s quarterback.
Fromm was 28-of-51 passing for 295 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions in the defeat on Saturday. The completions, attempts and interceptions represented career-highs for Fromm.
“We just didn’t show up and didn’t play our best today,” Fromm said. “Any time you play anybody in the SEC, when you don’t play your best, odds are you’re going to get beat.”
Fromm entered the game ranked ninth in the nation in passing efficiency, having been sacked just once, with no interceptions through the first five games this season.
“That’s a big part of my game is protect the ball,” said Fromm, who was sacked three times on Saturday. “When the ball gets in the other team’s hands, that’s not characteristic of me, not characteristic of our team and our offense, and that’s on me.
“I’ve got to do a better job of taking care of the ball.”
Fromm’s receivers could have helped him on each interception, whether it was coming back to the ball on the Pick 6, running the right route on the second interception, or simply pulling in a well-thrown ball on the third interception.
Fromm was straight-forward when asked about each of his four turnovers:
On the Pick Six that put the Gamecocks up 17-10:
“I thought I put enough on it, (and) thought I was throwing in (George Pickens’) direction, and I thought it was gong to be an “only” ball, where only he could catch it, or it would go out of bounds. I never saw the play or knew what happened, just know I was on the ground and getting back up and trying to make a tackle.”
On the fumbled snap at the SC 30, down 17-10 with 14:56 left in regulation: “Just pulled out early, just eager to get the ball to the running back and couldn’t get a grip on it.”
On the interception at the SC 35 on a pass intended for Matt Landers down 17-10 with 9:25 left: “It’s a route where he’s supposed to go outside, we just had a little miscommunication. I threw it outside, he went inside. Their DB made a great play, just have to execute and get on the same page.”
Fromm’s third interception was clearly not his fault. His well-thrown pass simply went off the hands of Tyler Simmons in overtime and into the hands of Gamecocks cornerback Isreal Mukuamu.
Asked what’s next, Fromm was already working on turning the page and using the loss to Georgia’s advantage.
“Guys come back together and we go back to the drawing board and we get better,” Fromm said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for us as a football team to really get close, really get tight, and say, ‘what do we want to do as a football team,’ and get on the same page moving forward.”
Fromm said when he hits the film room, he’ll re-examine many facets of his game against South Carolina.
“Probably decisions, make sure I’m going to the right place with the ball,” Fromm said, “and make sure I was doing the best job I could with ball placement.”
Georgia returns to action next Saturday against Kentucky.
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