Georgia finally provided an answer to the elusive question of who’s number two at quarterback.
Brice Ramsey, a redshirt freshman from Kingsland, entered to game to relieve starter Hutson Mason with 2:51 remaining in the second quarter and the Bulldogs leading 38-0. And it didn’t take long for the 6-foot-3, 216-pounder to excite the UGA crowd.
On third-and-10 from the Troy 42, Ramsey hit Chris Conley on the money with a 39-yard pass on a deep flag route. Conley was run out of bounds at the Troy 3.
“That felt good,” said Ramsey, who starred at Camden County High School. “It really calmed me down and gave me some confidence. It really just slowed everything down for me, completing a ball.”
Three plays later, Ramsey converted on another third down when he hit Michael Bennett with a six-yard TD pass on a fade right. That gave the Bulldogs a 45-0 lead with 15 seconds in the half.
“It was the first time in two years I was in a live-action game, so it was really exciting.” Ramsey said. “It kind of gives you a different demeanor. It gave me confidence to know I can do it.”
The Bulldogs and quarterbacks coach Mike Bobo have kept to themselves who they believed was the No. 2 guy behind Mason. It wasn’t apparent until Ramsey finally ran out onto the field to join the offensive huddle. Before that, he and fellow reserve Faton Bauta were throwing the ball to each other on the sideline.
“I have no idea what it means,” Ramsey said. “I guess I went onto the field second. What it means beyond that, I have no idea.”
Both quarterbacks had good days in their own way.
Ramsey finished the day 4-of-8 passing for 66 yards and one TD. He played the last series of the first half, two series in the third quarter and the last series of the game.
Bauta played the first two series of the fourth quarter and ended both with touchdown runs. The 6-3, 216-pound sophomore did not attempt a pass but finished with 14 yards on four carries.
Mark Richt was asked directly if Ramsey is now his number-two quarterback.
“He was today,” the Bulldogs’ coach quipped. “I know Brice some pretty throws today. But he also made some that were not so pretty.”
Mason played the first six series of the game, then the first of the second half. He was 8-of-11 passing for 97 yards and two touchdowns and still has not committed a turnover in three games. In other words, he’s still the top dog at quarterback.
