100 Days of Georgia’s Greatest Plays—Day 95

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 95, we examine and relive one of Georgia’s greatest plays in its football history, relating to that specific number.

The Game: No. 20 Georgia (2-1 record, fresh off a tough, one-point loss on the road at Clemson) vs. South Carolina (2-0 record, fresh off an open week) at Sanford Stadium on September 26, 1987.

“Get the Picture”: Trailing Georgia, 10-6, midway through the fourth quarter, South Carolina sophomore quarterback Todd Ellis (finished with 306 passing yards on 29 of 51 passing) drove the Gamecocks to the Bulldogs’ 37-yard line. There they faced fourth-and-4 with just over six minutes remaining in the game.

The Play

Ellis dropped back to throw and was immediately pressured by defensive end Richard Tardits, with support from linebacker Mike Guthrie. Avoiding a sack, Ellis attempted to throw to running back Harold Green. Instead, the ball floated into the awaiting arms of a startled Bill Goldberg, Georgia’s standout sophomore nose guard.

Goldberg, who had been back at the line of scrimmage getting blocked, suddenly had an interception. The surprised 270-pound lineman then took off down the field, rumbling for 13 yards to the Gamecocks’ 49-yard line. It marked the sixth and final time in the game South Carolina had reached inside Georgia’s 40-yard line but came away with no points.

From there, Georgia put together an 8-play drive, culminating with a 36-yard field goal by Steve Crumley with 1:53 remaining in the game. The Bulldogs held on for the seven-point victory.

“I was very startled, believe me,” Goldberg said after the game about his interception. “I didn’t know if I had it at first, then I held it tight, and I just started to run.”

When asked if he had ever intercepted a pass before in a football game, Goldberg responded: “Not in this life.”

During a legendary Georgia career from 1986 to 1989, which included 348 total tackles (second-most in school history for a non-linebacker), his game-saving interception against South Carolina would be the first of two picks for Goldberg. As a senior, he had an interception at Vanderbilt, returning it for a 2-yard loss.