ATHENS, Ga., Nov. 2 (UPI) -- Rex Grossman tossed a 10-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ben Troupe with 11:32 left in the fourth quarter Saturday night as the 22nd-ranked Florida Gators ended No. 5 Georgia's hopes for an unbeaten season with a 20-13 Southeastern Conference victory.
Needing a win to clinch the SEC East title, the Bulldogs (7-0, 4-1) instead were one of four major Division I-A teams to suffer their first loss Saturday. Virginia Tech, Notre Dame and North Carolina State also tasted defeat for the first time in 2002.
Georgia has lost 12 of its last 13 meetings with Florida. The Bulldogs were 1-11 against Steve Spurrier, now the coach of the Washington Redskins.
Beleaguered Florida Coach Ron Zook should get some Gators' fans off his back, as he did with a victory at Tennessee in September. The win enabled Florida (6-3, 4-2) to stay in the SEC race.
Grossman, who has had an inconsistent season, performed like the player that was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy last year, going eight for eight on the winning drive.
On third and two from the 10, Grossman lofted a high pass over the middle. Troupe had to turn around, but easily reached over the 6-1 Thomas Davis to make the grab, putting the Gators ahead, 18-13.
Grossman scored on the conversion run to give Florida a seven-point lead.
Grossman completed a career-high 36 of 46 passes for 339 yards and two touchdowns. It was his 15th career 300-yard game, tying Shane Matthews' school record.
Billy Bennett kicked a pair of 25-yard field goals in the final 71 seconds of the second quarter to give Georgia a 13-12 lead at the intermission.
But the Bulldogs were held scoreless in the second half and failed to convert a third down the entire game, going none for 13. Georgia failed to take advantage of the opportunities it did have as Bennett also missed a pair of field goals.
The Bulldogs came in leading the SEC in third-down conversions at 46 percent.
Georgia reached Florida's 47 with just over five minutes left, but was forced to punt after David Greene could not complete a pass on third and six.
On Georgia's next possession, a wide-open Terrance Edwards dropped a pass inside the Gators' 25. Georgia turned the ball over on downs when Tony Milton could not hang on to a fourth and one pass at the Bulldogs 41 with 1:41 remaining.
Georgia got a final possession at its 24 with 36 seconds left, but time ran out on the Bulldogs after they picked up one first down. Greene was just 11 of 29 for 141 yards.
