Georgia Force clinch southern division title with 50-47 win over Chicago

Sunday June 15, 2008

DULUTH, GA – In front of their largest home crowd of the season (11,073), the Georgia Force defeated the Chicago Rush 50-47 to secure their second consecutive Southern Division Championship. This is the third time in four seasons the Force has won the Southern Division and is the only team to win it in back-to-back seasons. Georgia never trailed in the contest and found themselves tied on three different occasions as they extended their franchise-best seven-game winning streak. The Force offense was led by Ironman of the Game WR Carl Morris who hauled in eight grabs for 103 yards with four touchdowns in the win. QB Chris Greisen continued his impressive season as he completed 25 of 39 passes for 263 yards with six touchdowns in addition to adding four carries for 17 yards with one touchdown and earning Offensive Player of the Game honors. The victory was sealed with a sack of Rush QB Russ Michna by DE R-Kal Truluck and LB Will Thompson that resulted in a safety and gave the Force a 50-41 lead with 3:07 left to play.
 
At the end of the first quarter, Georgia led Chicago 14-6 with the Rush facing third and 10 from their 14-yard line. The Force offense started the game on a seven-play drive that consumed 4:38 and resulted in a six-yard touchdown strike from Greisen to Morris. Chicago responded with a two-yard touchdown run by WR Donovan Morgan. Following a kick out of bounds by Rush emergency K Joe O’Donnell, Greisen and Morris teamed up once again from 30 yards out to end the scoring in the quarter.
 
Georgia’s defensive stop to begin the second quarter propelled the Force to a 27-20 halftime lead. After the stop, Greisen and Morris connected for the third time in the half on a 21-yard laser to give Georgia a 20-6 lead. Rush QB Russ Michna found WR Travis LaTendresse to pull Chicago to within seven points. Greisen led the offense back down the field and found WR Troy Bergeron for a seven-yard touchdown pass for Georgia’s final points of the half. Michna threw a fade pattern to Morgan in the corner of the endzone as time expired to cut the Force lead to seven.
 
Georgia and Chicago ended the third quarter tied at 34 with the Force facing second and goal from the four-yard line. The Rush outscored Georgia 14-7 in the quarter on two touchdown passes by Michna. Greisen threw a seven-yard screen pass to OL Shane Grice for Georgia’s only points of the quarter.
 
With the game tied at 34 to begin the quarter, Morris and Greisen combined for the fourth time on the night to give the Force a 41-34 lead. Michna and the Rush rebounded with a four-yard touchdown run by Michna to tie the game at 41 with 9:47 to play. On Georgia’s ensuing drive Greisen scampered 14 yards down the side line the Force’s lone rushing score of the night. With the Rush backed up on their own six-yard line, Michna was dragged down to the ground in the endzone by DE R-Kal Truluck and LB Will Thompson for a safety and a 50-41lead that the Force would never relinquish.