Following their 28-10 loss to Ole Miss, there were a lot of questions about the No. 12-ranked Georgia Bulldogs. Would they make the College Football Playoffs? Could Carson Beck and the offense find the explosive plays and consistency to beat Tennessee?

Beck and the Bulldogs answered those questions with a 31-17 statement win over Tennessee.

At the start of the contest, Georgia’s offense struggled as it had earlier this season: three drives and three punts.

But when it looked like another slow start could cost Georgia its playoff hopes, Beck and the Bulldogs offense found their form. With a seven-play, 75-yard drive, Beck put the struggles of the past six games behind him.

First, he hit Dominic Lovett for a big 38-yard gain on third down. Then, he moved the chains with his legs, scrambling for 14 yards on a run where he even lowered his shoulder into a defender. Finally, he capped it off with a 19-yard surgical touchdown strike to Oscar Delp.

“Yeah, it was huge. I think he got going,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said of the long pass to Lovett. “I mean, Carson threw some good balls before that. We just didn't always catch him. And he's done a good job of that.”

Georgia would score on four of its next five drives. Following the early 10-point deficit, Georgia outscored Tennessee 31-7 in the final three quarters. Beck completed 25 of his 40 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns. But he also proved effective with his legs, rushing for 32 yards and a touchdown on three attempts. More importantly, after six straight games with a turnover, Beck protected the football.

“We had some plays for him. And sometimes you've got to man up,” Smart said about Beck’s scrambling. “I texted him earlier in the week and said, ‘If we do this, are you down with it?’ And he said, ‘I'm going to get it, Coach. Just give me the ball.’ Some of them were not by design. The scramble was a great play that he scores on.”