Georgia Force win fifth straight, 56-55, with comeback over Tampa Bay
Sunday June 1, 2008
DULUTH, GA – Georgia faced a 13-point deficit at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but battled back to outscore the Storm 28-14 and come away with a 56-55 win. As time expired, QB Chris Greisen rushed off right end for the touchdown and K Carlos Martinez came in to split the uprights on the game-winning PAT. Greisen completed 31 of 39 passes for 286 yards with four touchdowns and added two carries for two yards and one score in the victory. Greisen’s top target on the night was WR Carl Morris who hauled in 15 catches for 157 yards with three touchdowns and was named Offensive Player of the Game for his efforts. FB/LB Matt Huebner earned Ironman of the Game honors after rushing for 17 yards on seven carries with a career-high three touchdowns on offense and adding four tackles on defense. The win marked the 41st of Head Coach Doug Plank’s four-year career, which ties him with San Jose Head Coach Darren Arbet for the most wins in a coach's first four years on the job. Georgia’s five game winning streak matches the club’s franchise-best, which they accomplished on two occasions last year.
Following a slow start that included an interception on the first play of the game, the Force rebounded to take a 14-13 lead at the end of the first quarter. Greisen’s first pass of the game was intended for Morris, but Storm DB Jeroid Johnson jumped in front of the long pass for the interception. FB/LB Torrance Marshall plowed into the endzone for his first of two rushing scores in the quarter. Greisen went back to Morris on the ensuing drive and struck pay-dirt with a 31-yard touchdown strike. Following Marshall’s second score, Morris found himself in the midst of the action once again. Greisen’s pass bounced off the net and Morris ripped the ball out of a Tampa Bay defender for the Force touchdown.
Georgia and Tampa Bay traded scores it the second quarter with the Force holding a 28-27 advantage heading into half time. The Force defense forced their first turnover of the contest with a sack and forced fumble by DE R-Kal Truluck. Huebner bowled his way in from two yards out to extend the Force lead to 21-13. Marshall added his third score of the game on the Storm’s next possession, but Morris added his third of the game for the Force on their ensuing drive. Tampa Bay scored with one second remaining with a two-yard touchdown pass from QB Brett Dietz to WR Tyrone Timmons to end the half.
Tampa Bay’s defense produced a stop on Georgia’s only offensive possession of the third quarter as they outscored the Force 14-0 and held a 41-28 lead going into the final quarter of action. Dietz threw two touchdown passes in the quarter with one going to WR Terrill Shaw (37 yards) and the other going to Timmons (22 yards).
Georgia’s first score of the fourth quarter came on a three-yard run by Huebner and he added a one-yard touchdown later in the quarter. Force rookie WR Tiger Jones also scored in the quarter on a nine-yard pass from Greisen. Georgia trailed Tampa by six points, 55-49, with one minute remaining when Force rookie DB Tony Tiller leaped in front of Timmons in the back corner of the endzone for an interception. Tiller raced 42 yards down to the Storm 14-yard line with 46 seconds remaining in the contest. With two seconds left in the game and facing fourth down, Greisen rushed around right end for the game-tying score. Martinez came on to attempt the PAT for the win and split the uprights for Georgia’s eighth victory of the season.
