Moving onto Round 2 of the "Greatest Plays in UGA Football History" Tournament, UGASports.com wants its subscribers to decide the program's greatest play. Three times a week you can vote in a bracket-style tournament—and the play that gets the most votes moves onto the next round.
As subscribers, your vote is important. VOTE HERE.
#1 seed—Belue to Scott (1980 vs. Florida)
With only 1:20 remaining against Florida in 1980 and trailing the Gators 21-20, Georgia faced third down and 11 on its own seven-yard line. Quarterback Buck Belue dropped straight back into the end zone, avoided pressure, and ran to his right. On the run, Belue threw a strike to a leaping Lindsay Scott, who came down with the reception around the 25-yard line. The junior receiver stumbled a bit upon his catch, regained his balance, turned around, and began heading upfield. As Scott ran toward and then down his left sideline, it appeared several Gator defenders had angles on him to make a tackle; however, Scott simply out-raced every one of them—and 93 yards later was in the end zone for a touchdown.
The Belue-to-Scott miraculous play—“Left 76” or “L-76”—was intended only to gain a first down, and should have done just that. Safety Tim Groves covered Georgia flanker Chuck Jones, who ran a long post route. Once Belue threw short and Groves drew his attention from Jones to Scott, the Florida safety slipped to the Gator Bowl turf. After making the reception, Scott should have been immediately tackled by Groves, but instead, he ran by the fallen Gator, and eventually into the end zone. Moments after the miracle, Georgia intercepted a Florida pass to secure a 26-21 victory.
Later, it was revealed top-ranked Notre Dame had been tied by none other than Georgia Tech. Georgia would be the new number one team in college football the following Monday, where it remained through the end of the season, capturing what remains the program’s lone undisputed national championship.
#5 seed—Woerner’s 98-yard INT return (1980 vs. Clemson)
In Georgia’s 12-0 national championship season of 1980, half the Bulldogs’ victories were decided by seven points or less, including against the hated Clemson Tigers, led by quarterback Homer Jordan, who hailed from Athens. In September of that magical season, the Bulldogs made Jordan pay for leaving the Classic City, particularly future College Football Hall of Famer, Scott Woerner, who did most of the damage.
Woerner executed two great plays against Clemson, the first when he returned a Tiger punt 67 yards for a touchdown. Later in the game, as Clemson was threatening to score, it was Woerner once again who came to the rescue. Jordan rolled to his left and threw a dart from about the 17-yard line. Woerner leaped in front of the pass, picked it off one foot behind the goal line, and took off running down the sideline right in front of the Clemson bench, before he finally got tackled at the 2-yard line.
Woerner’s interception return set up a short touchdown run by quarterback Buck Belue, and Georgia wound up winning the game, 20-16. Woerner’s 98-yard return remains the third longest interception return in team history, and will always be remembered as one of the greatest plays by the Red and Black.
Your vote is important in deciding the Bulldogs’ greatest play of all time by the end of the summer. VOTE HERE.
