Georgia quarterback Hutson Mason (14) looks for a receiver as Georgia running back Nick Chubb (27) runs a pass route in their game against Vanderbilt Saturday, Oct. 4, 2014, in Athens, Ga. Georgia won 44-17.ATHENS, Ga. - Hutson Mason made his seventh career start as Georgia's quarterback in Saturday's 44-17 win over Vanderbilt, but this one came with a different plan.
Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo inserted redshirt freshman Brice Ramsey on the third offensive possession, and Ramsey responded by leading the Bulldogs on a seven-play, 74-yard drive that culminated with Todd Gurley's 14-yard touchdown run that put Georgia up 14-0. Ramsey didn't return until the fourth quarter, when the game had long been decided, and wound up 2-of-4 passing for 31 yards.
"The coaches told me early this morning at the hotel," Ramsey said. "Coach Bobo told me I was going in the third series of the game regardless of the score and to be ready to go. I felt like we had a solid drive, so I was pretty happy about it."
Mason was satisfied with his 11-of-17 performance that yielded 121 yards and a couple of touchdowns. He opened the second half with an ugly interception that Vanderbilt capitalized on with a field goal to pull within 27-10, but the fifth-year senior also had a 44-yard scoring strike down the middle to Chris Conley.
The 44-yard touchdown was Georgia's longest pass play of the season at the time, and it occurred on Mason's first play back after Ramsey's touchdown march.
"Sweet Sugar Brown, that felt good," Mason said. "That 's something that has been few and far between this year, and it felt great. It really did. Vanderbilt was sitting on a lot of our routes, and that's why we tried some shots.
"Hopefully teams will watch this film and see that when we do execute right, we can stretch the field."
Mason admitted it did affect him when he learned an early series had been scripted for Ramsey.
"All you can worry about is yourself, and that's something I've had to teach myself," he said. "It doesn't come naturally, because it's human nature to worry about what else is going on instead of how Hutson Mason should perform.
"It's not easy, because you want to be the guy 100 percent of the time. I knew he was going in, but I didn't let it affect me."
Mason's 44-yarder would be topped by Todd Gurley's 50-yard throw in the final two minutes of the half to tight end Jeb Blazevich. Gurley's 50-yarder helped enable Georgia to wind up with 202 passing yards, its highest total this season.
"Overall, Hutson played well, but I didn't like that pick," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt said. "He didn't either, but other than that, I thought he played a very good game. Brice getting in there was good just to get a taste of it."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.