JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- While Florida goes into every game feeding off the talents of senior quarterback Tim Tebow, Georgia entered Saturday looking to build off freshman tailback Washaun Ealey.
Ealey had nine of Georgia's 14 first-half rushes and had seven carries for 40 yards in the third quarter when the Bulldogs marched 79 yards in 14 plays to pull within 31-17. The 5-foot-11, 205-pounder from Stillmore, Ga., finished with 70 yards on 17 carries and also had a 20-yard reception in the 41-17 loss.
"We think he's a very good back who needs to get playing experience," offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. "We feel like he's coming along and was coming along today, but we turned it over and got out of our game plan, and that's when they started to feast. They started blitzing and playing Cover-2."
Said Ealey: "I came to Georgia to play, and they're playing me, so I'm pretty happy about that."
Ealey earned his second consecutive start and wound up with six more carries than Richard Samuel and Caleb King combined. He believes he will not be the last tailback this year to have success against the Gators.
"I think Florida is a little soft, and I think teams can run the ball a lot more on them," he said. "They don't tackle very well."
Green, Boling hurt
Georgia receiver A.J. Green was injured with 11:54 remaining after trying to catch a Joe Cox pass that wound up being intercepted by Gators linebacker Ryan Stamper. Green, who had three catches for 50 yards, went into the locker room to receive treatment before the game ended.
"I think he's OK," Bobo said. "I think he just took a shot to the ribs."
Junior offensive lineman Clint Boling (knee), sophomore defensive end Justin Houston (elbow) and sophomore strongside linebacker Nick Williams (back) all left the game as well in the fourth quarter. Boling got the start at left tackle, the fourth left tackle to start for the Bulldogs this season.
"Right now we don't think it's severe," head coach Mark Richt said of Boling's setback.
Special-teams stars
Brandon Boykin set Georgia's single-season kickoff return record Saturday after amassing 114 yards on six opportunities, which gives him 714 on 28 returns through eight games. His 17-yard return to open the second half put him past the 690 yards Asher Allen amassed on 28 returns in 2007.
Kickers enjoyed a big day all around, as Georgia's Blair Walsh made a 49-yard field goal and Bulldogs punter Drew Butler averaged 52.5 yards on four attempts. Not to be outdone, Florida's Caleb Sturgis made field goals of 56 and 44 yards, and Chas Henry averaged 48.3 yards on three punts.
The 56-yarder by Sturgis with 4:47 left in the half was the second longest in Florida history, trailing only a 60-yarder by Chris Perkins against Tulane in 1984.
Odds and ends
Freshman cornerback Branden Smith got his first career start when he lined up in the offensive backfield. ... Walsh is now 12-of-13 this season on field-goal tries. ... Sophomore tight end Aron White earned his fourth career touchdown reception and second against Florida when he scored from 26 yards out in the second quarter. ... With a temperature of 84 degrees at kickoff, Saturday's was Georgia's hottest game all season.
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