100 Days of Georgia’s Greatest Plays—Day 91

UGASports continues its 100-day countdown to the Bulldogs’ 2026 season opener with the “100 Days of Georgia’s Greatest Plays” series. Today, on Day 91, we examine and relive one of Georgia’s greatest plays in its football history, relating to that specific number.

The Game: No. 8 Georgia vs. Clemson at Sanford Stadium for the season opener on August 31, 2002. After winning three in a row over the Bulldogs in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s, the Tigers were trying to avoid losing their fourth consecutive game in the series. Georgia was established as an 8½-point favorite.

“Get the Picture”: Having tied the game 7-7 early in the second quarter, Clemson kicked off to Georgia’s Fred Gibson. The sophomore receiver/returner returned the ball from his own 9-yard line for only 15 yards to the 24.

However, the Tigers were penalized on the kickoff—a very late flag—for encroachment by the kicking team. With 11:13 remaining in the first half, Clemson was forced to re-kick to Georgia.

Notably, after the initial kickoff, redshirt freshman and No. 2 quarterback D.J. Shockley ran out onto the field to make his highly anticipated debut as a Bulldog. However, because of the Clemson penalty, he would have to wait at least one more play before seeing the field for the first time.

The Play

Like the kickoff just before, Gibson fielded the Clemson re-kick at his own 9-yard line. He started to break arm tackles around the 25 before cutting towards the middle of the field, flying by would-be tacklers. Around his own 40, Gibson got into the clear, outdistancing himself from chasing Tiger players and into the end zone for the score.

Gibson’s 91-yard touchdown on the re-kick marked the first time in 12 seasons a Georgia player returned a kickoff for a touchdown (Andre Hastings vs. Kentucky in 1990). It was also the first time in a dozen seasons that Clemson had allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown (Duke’s Leroy Gallman in 1990).

Shockley eventually got into the game midway through the second quarter with a 14-7 lead. He promptly rushed for a touchdown on his first drive before the Tigers then scored three consecutive touchdowns and led 28-21 by the end of the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Shockley passed for his first touchdown at Georgia to tie the game. With just over five minutes remaining, Billy Bennett gave the Bulldogs a 31-28 lead. Clemson missed a 46-yard field goal with just under two minutes left, and Georgia prevailed by three points.

As for Gibson, he scored 21 touchdowns during his Georgia career (2001-2004): 20 receiving and the one via a kickoff return.