Carson Beck made it a happy homecoming in Jacksonville, leading Georgia to the 43-20 win over Florid on Saturday.
“It’s obviously a very emotional moment,” Beck said on CBS after the game.
“When I was running out on the field before the game, I was super excited and super happy, it was a rush of emotions.”
Beck, who played his high school football in Jacksonville, led the Bulldogs’ offensive onslaught from his quarterback position, completing 19 of 28 passes for 315 yards with 2 touchdowns.
“To come out here and do this with the guys turnt up feels really good,” Beck said. “I’ve been saying it every single week I know there’s a lot of questions with (Brock Bowers) out.
“But I continue to say we have players that can make plays, and it showed today.”
Beck told his teammates before the game that this contest was personal to him, and then he went out there and executed like a man on a mission.
“It meant the world to him, he’s been fired up,” receiver Ladd McConkey told ANF after the game. “He said all week he’s been waiting four years to play this game. There was so much emotion for him.
“For him to stay composed and play the way he did, I’m proud of him.”
Coach Kirby Smart explained just how much value Beck brings.
“He continues to grow and get better,” Smart said after the game.
“He gives you the ability to do so many things because he’s intelligent, and when you have a quarterback who can operate back there and put you in the right things, it’s hard calling defenses, because you can’t be right.”
To Beck’s point, there was plenty of offensive firepower on Saturday.
Daijun Edwards had 16 carries for 95 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Kendall Milton had 13 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown
Ladd McConkey picked up the playmaking slack with Bowers out, catching 6 passes for 135 yards with a touchdown.
Missouri transfer Dominic Lovett was also big in the pass game, catching 4 passes for 83 yards including a game-long 55-yard catch and run.
Florida, which jumped out to a 7-0 lead, saw quarterback Graham Mertz finish 25-of-34 passing for 230 yards with 2 touchdowns and no interceptions.
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