TSU football coach Reggie Barlow manages to find positives in blowout vs Georgia
Positives were hard to come by in one of Tennessee State football’s most lopsided losses in recent history, which came against No. 3 Georgia 63-3 on Sept. 5 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia.
But second-year Tigers coach Reggie Barlow, trying tocool down from the hottest game ever played at Georgia, did his best to look on the bright side after his team fell to 0-2 and lost its seventh straight game dating to 2025.
The negatives were obvious. Georgia (1-0) scored three touchdowns on its first 11 plays, was up 35-0 early in the second quarter and outgained TSU 660 yards to 109. At one point it was 320 yards to zero.
TSU CRUSHED BY GEORGIA 63-3:Tennessee State football crushed by No. 3 Georgia
TSU coach Reggie Barlow points to discipline
Barlow chose to focus on the fact that for the second week, the Tigers committed no turnovers. They also were guilty of only one penalty after being whistled for two in the 26-24 season-opening loss to Jackson State on Aug. 29.
Upsetting one of the nation’s best FBS teams was more than a long shot for TSU, an FCS team. But keeping composure and playing a clean game was something that made Barlow proud.
“We will most definitely take the positives that took place out there today,” he said. “This game was more about playing one play; snap and clear. Not getting emotional, not allowing the stage to put us in bad situations. I was really proud that we didn’t play a sloppy game in terms of penalties, turnovers and that type of stuff.”
TSU’s only penalty came with 2:42 left to play when wide receiver Jayden Guy was flagged for holding.
Georgia committed eight penalties for 91 yards.
Tennessee State took advantage of Georgia starters resting early
In the sweltering conditions, TSU could have thrown in the towel early, especially after Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton threw his third touchdown pass in the first half to put the Bulldogs up 35-0.
Instead, TSU continued to compete, and took advantage of facing some of the Bulldogs’ backups.
After Ryan Puglisi took over Stockton, TSU’s defense forced Georgia to try a 38-yard field goal. The snap was bad and the Bulldogs turned the ball over on downs.
TSU’s offense made its way into Georgia’s territory for the first time, ending up at the 20 before the drive stalled. Freshman kicker Preston Hurless connected on a 37-yard field goal to help TSU avoid the shutout.
Lopsided score did not ruin TSU dreams
Barlow said that being competitive, even if was only briefly, was good for his players
“All our guys think and believe that they belong on (the FBS) level so this was an opportunity for them to see it firsthand,” he said. “What it looks like, what it feels like, the crowd, the enormous players you have to line up against on this level. I think it was good for them. This was a dream for some of our guys.”
Like Georgia, the lopsided score gave Barlow the opportunity to send in a lot of his backups. Three quarterbacks were used: starter Daylin Lee, who completed 11-of-19 passes for 62 yards; Byron McNair, who was 3-for-5 for 29 yards; and freshman Marcelis Tate, who was 1-for-2 for 8 yards.
Georgia shut down any chance of a TSU comeback
After TSU scored, Georgia went back to playing some of its starters to avoid any threat of a comeback.
One of those players, running back Nate Frazier, who scored touchdowns on his first two carries from 48 and 14 yards, scored again early in the second half from 3 yards to put Georgia up 42-3.
Frazier finished with 72 yards on four carries and Georgia outrushed TSU as a team 272 yards to 10.
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean:TSU football coach Reggie Barlow manages to find positives in blowout vs Georgia
Source: sports.yahoo.com
