Ex-Georgia star QB Andy Johnson dies at 65

Andy Johnson, who led Georgia to a victory in the 1971 Gator Bowl and later played nine seasons for the New England Patriots, died after a long illness in Athens, Ga., at the age of 65, the school announced.

Johnson took over as the Bulldogs' starting quarterback as a sophomore in 1971 and led the team to an 11-1 record, including a 7-3 victory over North Carolina in the Gator Bowl victory.

During that season, he set a Southeastern Conference sophomore rushing record and finished second in the league with 870 yards on the ground and scored 13 touchdowns.

Johnson started two more seasons for the Bulldogs and finished his career with 1,799 rushing yards.

A fifth-round pick by New England, Johnson played 94 games -- including 43 starts -- before finishing his career with the Boston Breakers of the USFL. He rushed for a career-high 699 yards with six touchdowns for the Patriots in 1976.