Massachusetts Minutemen quarterback AJ Hairston (8) drops back to pass. Matt Bush-Imagn Images

Watch: Incredible UMass TD keeps Minutemen within striking distance of Georgia

By Eric Smithling | Last updated Nov 23, 2024 3:08 PM ET

UMass wide receiver Jakobie Keeney-James made the catch of Week 13 as the Minutemen kept their road game against Georgia closer than anyone expected.

Keeney-James cut the Bulldogs' lead to 10, 31-21, on a 75-yard third-quarter touchdown.

The senior wideout caught quarterback AJ Hairston's pass between two Georgia defenders at the Bulldogs' 36-yard line and sprinted down the sideline and into the end zone for the score.

Big Play JKJ

SEC Network@JakobieKJames #Flagship pic.twitter.com/XK6L97PVOL
— UMass Football (@UMassFootball) November 23, 2024

College Football Playoff No. 10 Georgia (8-2, 6-2 in SEC) has had its hands full against UMass (2-8).

The Minutemen scored a touchdown on a 10-play, 75-yard opening drive for a 7-0 lead.

UMass gained 166 rushing yards on 29 carries through its first six possessions.

Georgia's offense has hummed, scoring five touchdowns on its first six possessions to keep UMass at arm's length.

But the Bulldogs' defensive performance has been concerning for a team with championship aspirations.

The Minutemen gained 75 yards on each of their three touchdown drives and also had a 10-play, 40-yard drive that ended in a punt from Georgia's 35-yard line.

Keeney-James' touchdown was his fifth this season. He entered Week 13 with 42 receptions, 670 yards and four touchdowns.

Georgia was a pre-game 42.5-point favorite, while UMass lost its first two games against power conference opponents (No. 23 Missouri and Mississippi State) this season by an average of 33.5 points per game.

Eric Smithling

Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans

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