ATHENS, Ga. — Gunner Stockton completed 13 of 16 passes for 234 yards and a program-record-tying five touchdowns to help No. 2 Georgia dispatch Western Kentucky for a 70-20 victory on Saturday.
Backup quarterback Ryan Puglisi rushed for a 70-yard touchdown for Georgia (2-0), which has outscored its first two opponents by a combined score of 133-23. Tyriq Green scored twice for the Bulldogs, recovering a fumble in the end zone and returning a 91-yard kickoff.
Rodney Tisdale Jr. threw for 31 yards for Western Kentucky (0-2), before Brock Glenn took over under center, tossing a touchdown and rushing for 70 yards and two scores on the ground.
Western Kentucky’s Adrion Boyd fumbled the opening kickoff, which was recovered by Demello Jones at the Hilltoppers’ 18-yard line. Two plays later, Stockton hit Ethan Barbour for a seven-yard score.
Following the Hilltoppers’ first of 10 punts, Stockton connected with Craig Dandridge Jr. for a 43-yard gain before Nate Frazier barreled for a 7-yard rushing touchdown — doubling the lead with 11:28 left in the first quarter.
Chauncey Bowens hurdled his way into the end zone for Georgia’s third touchdown of the quarter — a 21-yard pass from Stockton.
London Humphreys’ 3-yard touchdown grab made it 28-0 at the 13:28 mark of the second quarter.
Georgia then scored its fifth touchdown on as many drives, as Stockton fired a pass over the middle to SaCovie White-Helton, who went 70 yards to extend the lead to 35.
Jones helped Georgia post its second takeaway, intercepting Tisdale and returning it to the Western Kentucky 1-yard line. After an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Jones, Stockton found Talyn Taylor for a 5-yard score to give Georgia a 42-0 edge with 7:44 remaining in the first half.
Two plays into the ensuing drive, Tisdale’s fumble was recovered by Khamari Brooks. Puglisi entered and handed the ball off to Landon Roldan, who rushed for a 9-yard touchdown.
Puglisi fumbled away his first rushing attempt with 1:18 left in the first half, leading to Glenn’s 15-yard touchdown rush. The Hilltoppers missed the extra-point attempt to leave the halftime deficit at 43.
Puglisi redeemed himself with a 70-yard touchdown rush less than a minute into the second half.
Glenn was picked off by Blake Stewart, who fumbled the ball into the end zone where Green recovered it for the ninth Georgia touchdown.
Glenn scampered for a 10-yard touchdown with 5:10 left, before Green scored his second career touchdown on a 91-yard kickoff return.
