ATHENS, Ga. - Georgia quarterback Greyson Lambert showed Saturday that he can't be a 96-percent passer every time out.
But he can stick around in the 90s.
After setting an NCAA accuracy record with a 24-for-25 performance in last week's rout of South Carolina, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Virginia transfer came back with a calm and cool 9-for-10 showing in a 48-6 drubbing of Southern University. Lambert threw for 146 yards and two touchdowns, and his lone incompletion occurred in the opening series for a second consecutive contest.
"The receivers made great catches for me again, and the O-line did its job," Lambert said. "It was just kind of a good day again. I haven't done anything differently since the start of the season. I've just kept playing."
The No. 7 Bulldogs improved to 4-0 after their first game ever against a Historically Black College and University opponent. Jaguars fans stayed to the finish inside Sanford Stadium despite the lopsided score and the occasional rain, and Southern's "Human Jukebox" marching band provided 10 entertaining minutes at halftime.
Georgia was expected to dominate the FCS school and did, racking up 532 yards while allowing 184.
"I thought our guys played very good in the first and third quarters and really the entire second half," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "The second quarter wasn't a great quarter for us, but you've got to give them credit, too. It was good to allow a lot of guys to get the chance to play."
Lambert also set a school standard last week for consecutive completions by connecting on his last 20 attempts against the Gamecocks. He opened Saturdaywith short gains to Reggie Davis and Terry Godwin - extending his record to 22 - before misfiring for Davis on third down to force a season-long, 47-yard Marshall Morgan field goal and a 3-0 lead.
The Bulldogs did not have to settle for a field goal on their second possession, taking a 10-0 lead on a 24-yard screen pass from Lambert to Nick Chubb. That capped a two-play, 14-second drive that was set up when Malkom Parrish blocked a Jaguars punt that went out of bounds at Southern's 27-yard line.
Georgia led 20-6 at halftime but was far from dominant, averaging just 2.5 yards per carry compared to a 5.1-yard clip by Southern, and getting outscored 6-3 in the second quarter.
"I think we just had to go out there and challenge ourselves to be more physical," left tackle John Theus said. "That's what we did in the second half. We came out and ran the ball and scored, so I think the guys kind of needed a wake-up call to be more physical."
Lambert was 6-of-7 in the first half for 91 yards and the touchdown, while backup Brice Ramsey was 5-of-6 for 73 yards. Ramsey entered the game with 4:55 left before halftime and engineered a nine-play, 82-yard drive that ended with a 25-yard Morgan field goal that made it 20-6.
Ramsey finished 11-of-14 for 125 yards.
The Bulldogs quickly put things away in the third quarter, with Chubb opening the second half with gains of 11, 13 and 11 yards and scoring on a 9-yard run that made it 27-6. Following a three-and-out by the Jaguars, Lambert connected with Isaiah McKenzie for 17 yards and threw to Malcolm Mitchell for a 23-yard score, extending Georgia's advantage to 34-6.
Georgia will get back into Southeastern Conference play this week with a visit from Alabama, which topped the Bulldogs in 2012 and in the last meeting at Sanford in 2008.
"We've got a three-game stretch here that's very important," Richt said, referring to games with Tennessee and Missouri after facing the Crimson Tide. "The media and fans are going to want to talk about this game, which is great. We've created that momentum to where people will be excited about the game, but we have to be very focused on what's going on with us."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.
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