Ware shows off his skills as receiver

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Georgia coach Mark Richt isn't planning on making a receiver out of running back Danny Ware, but the sophomore continues to show he can at least play the position in a pinch.

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For the second time this season, Ware caught a touchdown pass from quarterback D.J. Shockley after lining up as a wideout in the Bulldogs' three-receiver set.

Trailing 3-0, Georgia drove 53 yards to the Mississippi State 27-yard line for a first down. On the next play, Ware split right, lined up on the far side alongside Bryan McClendon and found himself wide open in the front of the end zone as Georgia took a 7-3 lead.

It was the second time during the game that Ware lined up at receiver, and third this season. The first came against Boise State, when he caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Shockley in Georgia's 48-13 win over the Broncos.

ANDERSON LEAVES WITH CONCUSSION: Starting nose tackle Gerald Anderson left Saturday's game as the result of a second-quarter concussion.

He did not return.

Anderson suffered the injury during a tackle of quarterback Omarr Conner and had to be helped from the field.

UGA VI STAYS AT HOME: The effects of Hurricane Rita and concerns over travel kept Georgia mascot Uga VI from making Saturday's trip to Starkville, Miss.

It was the first time the English Bulldog has missed a Georgia game since the 2000 Oahu Bowl against Virginia.

According to Georgia associate athletic director Claude Felton, Uga VI owner Sonny Seiler could not recall exactly the last time one of his mascots did not attend a regular season game, except that Fran Tarkenton was still the Bulldogs' quarterback.

An NFL Hall of Famer with the Minnesota Vikings, Tarkenton lettered at Georgia from 1958-60.

Saturday's game was played under a series of tornado watches and warnings, as heavy rains doused the area as a result of Hurricane Rita, which passed approximately 300 miles to the west.

BROWN BACK AT TAILBACK: One week after sitting out with a partially dislocated shoulder, Thomas Brown returned to the starting lineup for the Bulldogs.

Sean Bailey (shoulder) also returned to the starting lineup for Georgia, as did linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (ankle), who entered the game during the Bulldogs' first defensive series after sitting out last week against Louisiana-Monroe.

Linebacker Jarvis Jackson also returned after undergoing surgery two weeks ago on his wrist. Jackson played with a plaster club over the wrist to protect the injury.

BROADCASTER LONGEVITY: Records aren't kept for broadcaster longevity, but one might well have been established Saturday by Georgia's Larry Munson and Mississippi State's Jack Cristil.

The two have combined to call 108 years worth of college football games, including 53 by Cristil, all at Mississippi State. Munson has a total of 55 years in the booth, including the past 39 at Georgia.