ORLANDO-The Georgia Force overcame a fourth-quarter comeback from the Orlando Predators and came up with a safety in overtime to win 25-23 in Week 2 of the AFL season.
Georgia began the game with a 4-play, 34-yard drive, ending with a 48-yard field goal by Wilbur Ahmad to give the Force a 3-0 lead with 12:14 to go in the first quarter. The Predators answered back, however, driving 75 yards on 3 plays. Woodrow Richardson fired a 53-yard touchdown pass to Leonard Irving to give Orlando a 7-3 lead with 10:36 remaining in the first. Georgia would punt on their next drive, then Richardson was picked off by Lin Byers at the Force 23-yard line. Then the teams would trade punts again, and Georgia would drive 45 yards on 7 plays. Yannel Gansz finished it off with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Quirt Skinner on the final play of the first quarter to take a 10-7 lead.
Orlando's next possession was thwarted by another Byers interception. Then, after a 5-play, 9-yard drive, Ahmad connected on a 50-yard field goal to make it 13-7 with 10:20 remaining in the second quarter. Following a Predators punt, Gansz was intercepted by Darius Talie at the Orlando 23-yard line. The teams would again trade punts, then Orlando went on a 6-play, 42-yard drive in the final minute of the half, and Abel White kicked a 33-yard field goal with 3 seconds left to make it 13-10 at the half.
On the Predators' first possession of the second half, Billy Formon's punt was blocked by Tyrone Pickney who returned it 6 yards to the Orlando 6-yard line. Three plays later, Clem Foulks swept right on a 1-yard touchdown run to give Georgia a 20-10 lead with 12:19 remaining in the third quarter. Orlando would answer with an 8-play, 40-yard drive, ending with White kicking a 40-yard field goal to make it 20-13 with 8:28 to go in the third. The Predators tried to drive for another score after a Force punt, but White would miss a 49-yard field goal attempt.
After another Georgia punt, the Predators faced a fourth-and-1 at the Force 41-yard line. They went for it, but Richardson's pass to Caleb Doering fell incomplete. The Force went on an 8-play, 24-yard drive, ending with a 52-yard field goal by Ahmad to give Georgia a 23-13 lead with 8:24 remaining in the fourth quarter. Orlando would punt, but Ervin Wheeler's fumble on the return was recovered by the Predators' Nate Devron at the Georgia 45-yard line. Seven plays later, Richardson hit Isaiah O'Connell for a 14-yard touchdown pass to make it 23-20 with 4:18 remaining in the fourth. The Force went three-and-out, and Orlando drove 58 yards on 10 plays. White successfully connected on a 26-yard field goal with 26 seconds to go to tie the game at 23, and send it to overtime.
Georgia won the toss to start overtime, but couldn't get into scoring range. Nelson Wynn angled the punt, and it landed out of bounds at the Orlando 4-yard line. Three plays later, on a third-and-5 from the Predators' 9-yard line, Richardson would be sacked in the end zone by Pete Love with 11:01 remaining in overtime for the rare walk-off safety.
Georgia (2-0) gained 277 yards of total offense. The Force ran for 127 yards on 34 carries. Foulks led the team with 56 yards on 12 carries and a TD. Gansz was 15-of-25 passing for 173 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He was sacked three times, losing 23 yards. Tinker Trice was the leading receiver with 5 catches for 77 yards. The Force host the Nashville Kats next week.
Orlando (0-2) gained 381 yards of total offense. The Predators ran for 102 yards on 24 carries. Stewart Lamons led the team with 35 yards on 6 carries. Richardson was 23-of-47 passing for 312 yards, 2 TD and 2 INT. He was sacked four times, losing 33 yards. Farren Smithson (63 yards) and RW Courier (53 yards) each caught 4 passes in the game. The Predators visit the Tampa Bay Storm next week in another "War on I-4".
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