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6 Monday, October i, 2007 | The Red & Black Instant Replay IN THE POLLS AP Top 25 1. (33)5-0 1.593 2. USC (32) 4-0 1,591 3. California 5-0 1,475 4. Ohio State 5-0 1,420 5. Wisconsin 5-0 1,271 6. South Florida 4-0 1,203 7. Boston College 5-01,172 8. Kentucky 5-0 1,143 9. Florida 4-1 1,031 10. Oklahoma 4-1 992 11. South Carolina 4-1 900 12. Georgia 4-1 885 13. West Virginia 4-1 861 14. Oregon 4-1 837 15. Virginia Tech 4-1 639 16. Hawaii 5-0 586 17. Missouri 4-0 561 18. Arizona State 5-0 497 19. Texas 4-1 449 20. Cincinnati 5-0 377 21. Rutgers 3-1 299 22. Clemson 4-1 265 23. Purdue 5-0 218 24. Kansas State 3-1 214 25. Nebraska 4-1 198 SEC STANDINGS EAST WEST Kentucky LSU 5-0,1-0 5-0,2-0 Florida Alabama 4-1,2-1 3-2,2-1 Georgia Auburn 4-1,2-1 3-2,1-1 South Carolina Mississippi St. 4-1,2-1 3-2,1-2 Vanderbilt 3-1, Arkansas 2-2, 1-1 0-2 Tennessee Mississippi 1-4, 2-2,0-1 0-3 OVERHEARD ON GAMEDAY “The fans and alumni of the University of Georgia have a special situation here with Thomas (Brown) and Knowshon (Moreno) being in the pro gram at the same time. They should really relish this moment because it’s special when you have two players like that in your program.” Georgia running backs coach Tony Ball “I started going upfield, and somebody got a cut block for me downfield. I was heading for the end zone, and 1 saw on the Jumbotron that someone was coming up behind me. (Players) look at the Jumbotron a lot (on the field). That’s sometimes the only way you can see who’s coming up behind you.” Georgia running back Thomas Brown on his 50-yard touchdown run in the second quarter “I feel for him because I’ve been under that type of pressure. The kid’s tough as nails and he came back. I don’t have to say anything to him. He knows I trust in him and he’s our tight end. We’ve got to get him the ball.” Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford on tight end Tripp Chandler “I’m not afraid to throw the football to anybody. Everybody on our team can play, and everybody can make plays. That’s one of the strengths of the offense. You don’t know who’s going to get the ball.” Stafford “We practice a lot of things ali the time. That’s kind of part of the reason why we don’t want every body watching all the time. Not that we don’t like (the media); any time coaches are doing some thing that has to do with strategy, you don’t want anybody watching. It’s just human nature. People see an onside kick in practice and they say ‘Man, I saw something cool,’ and all of a sudden, it’s on the Internet.” Georgia head coach Mark Richt on the onside kick the Bulldogs attempt ed in the third quarter. “It is obvious now we do not have SEC-caliber players. In the first half we battled with them, but we just broke down as the game worg on. Our kickoff return team didn’t see the ball well. There was no doubt in my mind before the game we have some weaknesses. We have to recruit to fill those posi tions.” Ole Miss head coach Ed Orgeron Ygjj| :sk >■'"— --*■ *•*** RICHARD HAMM | Thf. Red & Black A Bulldog fans celebrate as tailback Thomas Brown runs into the end zone for a touchdown after a 41-yard run in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game against the Ole miss Rebels at Sanford Stadium. Slow, steady wins the game The fans wanted the flash and dash. They wanted the energy, the spark, the Hare. Georgia fans want ed Knowshon Moreno, and they wanted him to start for the Bulldogs. If that makes Thomas Brown the Tortoise of this fable, then he’s one hell of a tortoise. Saturday, Brown had the game of his life and showed those who bleed red and black that’s he still the top dog on this team. “He’s awesome. The numbers speak for them selves, but they can’t tell you what kind of guy he is. He’s here every day working hard, he’s the freakin’ strongest guy on our team, he’s a leader, he’s the whole package,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said. Excluding the six games he missed last year with a tom ACL, Brown has been the con stant, the rock of an ever-changing Bulldog offense. This season, coming back from injury and with Moreno spinning and juking his way into the hearts of the Bulldog Nation, Brown almost became an afterthought in the offense. “With (Brown’s) injury and everybody being enamored with Knowshon, somebody asked me Tuesday if Knowshon should start,” GAME: Dogs prepared to take on Vols >■ From Page 1 out there and having fun,” freshman tailback Knowshon Moreno, who had 93 yards and a touchdown himself, said. “I was still pushing him just saying ‘you can’t get another one.’” Brown suffered what he called a “slightly separated shoulder” after landing awkwardly at the end of his first touchdown run. During that drive, Brown accounted for 80 of the Bulldogs’ 96 yards. “Anytime a running back has a big game like that, unless they’re Barry Sanders, you’ve got to thank your offen sive line,” he said. The career-high for Brown came amidst many fans calling for Moreno to Phillip Kisubika A head coach Mark Richt said. “We have a great back in Thomas and he’s mature and he’s a leader and you want your lead ers as your starters.” “That’s the way it is in sports out with the old, in with the new, especially when a guy comes in like (Moreno) and provides such a great spark,” Brown said. Brown has been fight ing to stay on the field since he arrived on cam pus in 2004, but his 180 yards and three touch downs against Ole Miss make the case that maybe he shouldn’t have had to share as much as he has. “I knew when I came, here it would be a 'run ning back by commit tee,”’ Brown said. “When I came here, there were maybe seven miming backs. People talk about how we have a crowded backfield now, but it was even more crowded back then.” Even on Saturday, when he slightly separat ed his shoulder on his first touchdown, he came back and showed become the starter. Brown’s perfor mance Saturday looks to end that dis cussion at least for now. “(Moreno’s) not ready (to start) yet,” Richt said. “If a guy is up-and coming, you give him some totes, but you don’t change the chemistry of the football team by putting a true fresh man ahead of a guy like him.” With another lax run defense next on the schedule (ninth in the confer ence), the Bulldogs already are focus ing on the Volunteers. “It’s hard to say how this thing will go, but I think our guys will be pre pared and excited to play (Tennessee),” Richt said in his teleconference Sunday. “I don’t think whoever loses this game will feel out of it It would be a definite blow, though.” SPORTS the grit and tenacity that should make the Tucker native one of Athens’ favorite sons by the time he leaves to play on Sundays. In a conference where leadership is as impor tant as playmakers, Brown is as valuable now as he ever was before. Moreno is great for the change of pace, but Brown is the key for the Bulldogs if they want tough yards, tough play and tough leadership. “He’s a more patient runner now, and he seems more aggressive now. I know that seems contradictory, but he just has more energy and agility. I think he’s quick er than he was before the injury. He may have been in the weight room too much. Not many guys can play as relent less after an ACL injury as he’s been playing,” Richt said. Brown is now seventh on Georgia’s all-time rushing list with 2,260 yards in his unfinished career, and it’s not a stretch to think that he won’t be in the top five when it’s all said and done. So you can have flash and dash. You can have the Hare. I want the steady Tortoise. From what I hear, he wins the race. Phillip Kisubika is the First & Goal editor. QUARTER-CAPS RICHARD HAMM | The Red * Black ▲ Matthew Stafford drops back to pass during the first quarter as right tackle Chester Adams blocks Marcus Tillman of Ole Miss. FIRST QUARTER OLE MISS 7-UGA 0 The Bulldogs elected to receive to start the game and were forced into a three-and-out by Ole Miss, The Rebels followed up with an eight-play, 86-yard touchdown drive capped by a 45-yard touchdown pass from Seth Adams to Mike Wallace. Ole Miss held the ball for almost 10 of the 15 first quarter min utes. A fumbled snap at the Georgia 1-yard line recovered by Bulldog safety C.J. Byrd kept the Rebels from taking a two touchdown lead. LINDY DUGGER | The Rbd a Black ▲ Mohamed Massaquoi catches a touchdown pass from Matt Stafford during the second quarter. SECOND QUARTER UGA 17-OLE MISS 10 Georgia finished a drive started on their 4-yard line with a 50-yard touch down run by senior tailback Thomas Brown. After getting a stop on defense, the Bulldogs drove 80 yards to score again to take the lead on a 5-yard pass from Matthew Stafford to Mohamed Massaquoi. Ole Miss kicker Joshua Shene added a 30-yard field goal to cut the Georgia lead to 14-10. The Bulldogs would score at the end of the first half on a 20-yard Brandon Coutu field goal to push the lead back to seven. ffm \ JHk Sim - RICHARD HAMM | The Red a Black ▲ Tailback Thomas Brown runs for a touchdown in the third quarter. THIRD QUARTER UGA 24-OLE MISS 17 The Ole Miss offense made its presence felt in the third quarter, reeling off an 18-play, 84-yard drive that took more than nine minutes off the clock. The drive ended with a two-yard run by tailback Ben Jarvus Green-Ellis to tie the game at 17. Georgia answered by moving the ball 80 yards in a little over two minutes, with Brown getting his second touchdown of the game on a 4-yard toss to the outside. RICHARD HAMM | The Red * Black ▲ Linebacker Brandon Miller runs for 13 yards after intercepting a pass from Ole Miss quarter back Seth Adams in the fourth quarter. FOURTH QUARTER UGA 45-OLE MISS 17 The next Georgia possession started at the Ole Miss 47, and it took the Bulldogs two plays to get it in the end zone. Brown scored his third touchdown on a 41-yard run up the middle to give the Bulldogs a 14-point lead. After a Brandon Miller interception of Adams, Georgia scored again on an 8-yard run by Knowshon Moreno. The Bulldogs would score again on a 6-yard run by backup fullback Fred Munzenmaier. Compiled by Phillip Kisubika Glory, glory to oT Georgia A band member plays before Saturday’s home gsme against Ole Miss. - Photo by Lindy Dugger