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    • Carson Beck saves Georgia and damages the CFP’s hopes in Tennessee
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    Carson Beck saves Georgia and damages the CFP’s hopes in Tennessee

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    • During one pivotal night, with Georgia’s season on the line, Carson transformed Beck into a better quarterback than ever before.
    • Georgia should move to the safe side of the CFP bubble, but does this eliminate Tennessee? The Vols may need some help now.
    • Carson Beck repays Kirby Smart’s faith in him.

    ATHENS, Ga. – For one pivotal night, with Georgia’s season on the line and the Bulldogs’ final rites on the tip of the tongue, Carson transformed Beck into a better quarterback than he’s ever been.

    Where has this guy been all season?

    Better question: If this quarterback who tortured Tennessee’s defense on Saturday night is here to stay, can Georgia win a national championship contender?

    Only a fool would count out number 10 Georgia.

    By beating No. 4 Tennessee 31-17 at Sanford Stadium, the Bulldogs once again proved that they perform their best when faced with the most doubt.

    Just days ago, Kirby Smart was asked about the idea of ​​benching a struggling Beck in favor of a backup quarterback. Beck scored 14 goals in the six games leading up to Saturday, but Smart quickly dismissed the idea of ​​a quarterback change.

    He dances with whoever brought him, and Beck rewarded that trust with a heroic performance against one of the best defenses in the country. Georgia’s quarterback had a hand in three of his team’s touchdowns.

    What does Georgia’s win mean for the CFP, and is Tennessee in trouble?

    While Georgia (8-2) still has work to do to secure its playoff bid, this result should push the Bulldogs back to the right side of the playoff bubble after being the first team out of the bracket to rankings update from Tuesday.

    If they win their next two games at home against Massachusetts and Georgia Tech, Georgia should enter December on the right side of the bubble.

    Wins against three Top 25 teams – Texas, Tennessee and Clemson – make a compelling case for the Bulldogs.

    And what about Tennessee (8-2)?

    The Vols went toe-to-toe against a Georgia team that hasn’t lost on its home court since 2019. Georgia didn’t pull ahead by two scores until late in the fourth quarter.

    This performance won’t extinguish Tennessee’s playoff case, but it hasn’t strengthened it either. With this loss, Tennessee will likely need some help to feel comfortable about a playoff spot.

    The playoff committee punished the Bulldogs after last week’s flop against Ole Miss by dropping Georgia nine spots in the playoff rankings, to No. 12.

    Georgia failed the eye test last week – and every other test. The Bulldogs were much easier on the eyes against Tennessee.

    Your quarterback firing darts certainly helps.

    Cool hand Carson Beck emerges at the perfect time for Georgia

    Beck passed two scores. He ran for another on a critical third-down scoring break when he ran away from a pass rusher and into the end zone for the go-ahead goal in the third quarter.

    He finished 25 of 40 for 346 yards, his third-highest yardage total this season.

    Importantly, he didn’t commit a turnover, and he remained calm after Tennessee raced to a 10-point lead after one quarter.

    Help for Beck came in fits and starts. His receivers dropped several passes, but Georgia’s offensive line protected the quarterback, and Beck had an ally in tight end Oscar Delp. They worked together to repeatedly exploit Tennessee’s defense through the middle of the field.

    Beck threw enough accurate strikes to remind us why many saw him as a surefire first-round NFL draft pick entering this season, before a rocky stretch of games midway through this season called for a reassessment of his stock.

    Beck played so well that he reminded me of Stetson Bennett IV, his predecessor who led Georgia to back-to-back national championships at quarterback.

    Although Bennett didn’t have Beck’s NFL tools, he ran on moxie and enjoyed the big moments. Bennett defeated Tennessee star Hendon Hooker two years ago when the Vols were atop the College Football Playoff standings.

    On this night, Beck surpassed Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava, the Vols’ redshirt freshman.

    In a game-changing moment, Tennessee’s feared edge rusher James Pearce had Beck in his sights in the backfield with a chance for a drive-ending sack.

    Beck shot past Pearce, rushed to the end zone and saved Georgia from elimination in the playoffs.

    Blake Toppmeyer is the national college football columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer. Subscribe to read all his columns.

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