QB Carson Beck had a rough game, but threw a go-ahead TD with 4:01 to go as No. 2 Georgia defeated Florida 34-20.

Beck threw three interceptions on Saturday when the Bulldogs trailed for much of the first half and even tied the score midway through the fourth quarter. But after Florida tied the game at 20 with 7:29 to go, Georgia responded with a 75-yard drive that played just seven plays and ended when Beck found Dominic Lovett for a 10-yard TD pass.

Florida still had plenty of time to make one more play, but a short offense eventually ran out of gas. Aidan Warner was picked off by CJ Allen on the first play of the drive and Georgia put the game away with just over three minutes left on a Dwight Phillips Jr. touchdown.

Warner played for the injured DJ Laway. The five-star freshman suffered a “pretty serious” hamstring injury, according to coach Billy Napier. Lagoway went down in the first half and immediately grabbed the back of his left thigh. He was even carried to a waiting cart after trainers tended to him on the ground.

Florida also played without starting RB Montrell Johnson and WR Eugene Wilson III. But the Gators stayed with the Bulldogs thanks to a strong performance by the defense.

However, in the third quarter the chances of a setback were high. The Gators lined up for a 51-yard field goal with the game tied at 13, but a low snap went past the kicker and holder. Georgia eventually recovered at the Florida 36-yard line, needing just three plays to go up 20-13 on a pass from Beck to Cash Jones.

Carson Beck’s Recent Struggles

This wasn’t Beck’s first three-interception game of the season. It was his third. And all three have happened in Georgia’s past five games.

Beck has thrown 11 interceptions since not picking in any of Georgia’s first three games this season. He threw three interceptions in the Bulldogs’ loss to Alabama, although he recovered in the second half before throwing an interception in the end zone that effectively ended the game.

He threw two interceptions against Mississippi State three weeks ago and was picked off three times in Georgia’s 30-15 win over Texas on Oct. 19. That victory was made possible by Georgia’s defensive front getting behind Texas’ offense. Beck was just 23 of 41 passing for 175 yards and three interceptions.

Beck, a possible first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, opted to come back to school after the Bulldogs missed the College Football Playoff a season ago. He has carried a bigger burden for the offense in 2024 and thus far hasn’t been as good as he was a season ago.

Beck completed more than 72% of his passes last season and threw for 3,941 yards and 24 TDs to just six interceptions. After a 25-of-40 passing performance for 309 yards on Saturday, Beck is now completing just under 66% of his passes this season and averaging fewer yards per attempt while throwing five more interceptions than he did all of last season .

The recent tendency toward turnover means that Beck’s Heisman chances are essentially zero at this point. And he’ll have to play better if Georgia wants to get past Ole Miss and Tennessee in the next two games. The Bulldogs can’t count on the defense to make it against ranked teams.