ATHENS – Gunner Stockton completed 14 of 24 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 73 yards and two scores on Saturday, helping lead No. 5 Georgia to a 45-7 victory over visiting Marshall in the season opener for both teams.
Dwight Phillips Jr. added 60 rushing yards and a score for the Bulldogs, who outgained the Thundering Herd 488-207 and recorded 26 first downs to Marshall’s seven.
Zion Turner entered for Marshall in the second half, completing 6-of-7 passes for 100 yards, while Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw hauled in three receptions for 58 yards.
After Marshall punted on its opening drive, Georgia’s offense began its season with an eight-play, 70-yard drive, stamped with Phillips’ 17-yard rushing touchdown, giving the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead with 9:22 left in the opening quarter.
Georgia answered Marshall’s second punt with a 72-yard scoring drive — highlighted by Stockton’s 23-yard pass to Zachariah Branch — scoring on Stockton’s 13-yard rush with 2:21 left in the first quarter.
After forcing a third Marshall three-and-out, K.J. Bolden blocked Nathan Totten’s punt, leading to Stockton’s 13-yard rushing touchdown, extending the lead to 21-0 with 9:07 remaining in the first half.
Peyton Woodring’s 43-yard field goal with 24 seconds left in the first half sent the Bulldogs into the locker room with a 24-0 edge.
Branch, a USC transfer, posted his first touchdown of the season on the first drive of the second half on a 47-yard pass from Stockton, giving Georgia a 31-0 lead with 13:13 left in the third.
Georgia tacked with 3:51 remaining in the third, as Stockton found London Humphreys on a 2-yard score, extending the lead to 38-0.
Backup quarterback Ryan Puglisi threw his first career touchdown with 14:18 left in the fourth, connecting with Elyiss Williams from 23 yards out to push the margin to 45 points.
The Thundering Herd cracked the scoreboard on the ensuing drive on Jo’Shon Barbie’s 1-yard rushing score.
–Jack Batten, Field Level Media
