Turnovers pile up for Georgia

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By DAVE LINK

For the AJC

KNOXVILLE -- The turnovers that have haunted Georgia’s football team all season won’t go away.

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Adam Brimer, Knoxville News Sentinel Tennessee cornerback Eric Berry (14) lays a lick on Georgia quarterback Joe Cox (14).

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The Bulldogs had three more against Tennessee -- two interceptions and a lost fumble -- during Saturday’s 45-19 loss to the Volunteers in Neyland Stadium.

Georgia (3-3, 2-2 SEC) entered the game with 13 turnovers and was ranked No. 101 in the nation in turnovers and No. 115 in turnover margin.

“That’s something we always work on, but we can’t seem to shake it off,” quarterback Joe Cox said.

Nobody knows that better than coach Mark Richt, whose team has scored 16 points off turnovers, while their opponents have scored 71.

“We can’t focus on it any more than we have,” Richt said. “We’ve just got to hang onto the ball.”

Cox’s two interceptions led to 10 points for the Vols, and a fourth-quarter fumble set up the last Tennessee touchdown.

Late in the first quarter, Cox dropped back to pass and was pressured by defensive tackle Dan Williams. The pass was deflected, and defensive end Chris Walker made the interception at the Vols’ 44.

Tennessee scored 10 plays later for a 7-0 lead.

“The first pick I had was tipped by a d-lineman and went straight up in the air,” Cox said. “Sometimes turnovers are going to happen, but when it’s a dumb mental mistake it’s something that has to be corrected.”

Cox’s second interception might fit the correctable category.

On the Bulldogs’ first drive of the second half, Cox fumbled a snap, picked up the ball and scrambled toward the right sideline. Cox tried to throw a pass out of bounds, but Tennessee cornerback Dennis Rogan intercepted it at Georgia’s 49.

That play led to a field goal and a 24-12 UT lead.

“I tried to throw it out of bounds, which was probably the dumbest decision of the game,” Cox said. “Coach Richt always says don’t turn a bad play into a catastrophe, and I did. I fumbled a snap and felt pressure. I was just trying to get it out of bounds and didn’t get it far enough. That was stupid.”

With Georgia trailing 38-19 in the fourth, Cox completed a pass to Michael Moore, who was hit by Tennessee cornerback Art Evans and fumbled. Vols safety Eric Berry caught the fumble in the air and raced 46 yards to Georgia’s 14.

Tennessee scored its final touchdown four plays later.

The Vols had one turnover, a Jonathan Crompton interception.

“[This was a] very big win for us to get our first win [in] an SEC game,” Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin said. “It was really powerful. This is a big-time matchup for us. [Georgia] is a state we do a lot of recruiting in, so it was very important for us.