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ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Verron Haynes defined the role of workhorse. The senior tailback, who has picked up the slack in the absence of injured Musa Smith, rushed for a career-high 207 yards on 39 carries as No. 23 Georgia defeated 19th-ranked Georgia Tech, 31-17, to snap a three-game losing streak in the series. Haynes has gained 399 yards in his last two games, running for 192 yards in last week's 35-15 victory over Mississippi. While the 225-pound Haynes was running through the Georgia Tech defense, 160-pound kicker Billy Bennett tied a Southeastern Conference record with six field goals. Haynes, who was moved from fullback to tailback last week, took over the team lead in rushing with 569 yards. Smith, batting a hip flexor, rushed for only 22 yards on five carries. Georgia (7-3) grabbed the lead for good, 21-17, on Haynes' three-yard touchdown run with 2:33 remaining in the third quarter and took control on Tim Wansley's 28-yard interception return for a touchdown with 8:49 left in the contest. Joe Burns fumbled at the 19 on Georgia Tech's next possession and Bennett capped the scoring with a 45-yard field goal with 6:56 left. Prior to Saturday, Bennett had struggled in his sophomore season, making just 11-of-19 field goals. But he became the fourth SEC kicker to make six field goals in a game, joining Alabama's Al Del Greco, Florida's Bobby Raymond and Alabama's Phillip Doyle. Georgia Tech's hopes ended when George Godsey was intercepted again on 4th-and-11 with 5:29 remaining. The Bulldogs ran out the clock by repeatedly giving the ball to Haynes. David Greene completed 11-of-24 passes for 210 yards for Georgia, which outgained Georgia Tech, 442-242. Godsey was 19-of-34 for 179 yards and a touchdown for the Yellow Jackets (7-4), who were seeking their first four-game winning streak against Georgia since they won eight in a row from 1949-1956. The Bulldogs increased their lead in the all-time series to 53-38-5. After Bennett kicked field goals of 40, 44 and 32 yards to give Georgia a 9-0 lead early in the second period, the Yellow Jackets got their offense untracked. Georgia Tech drove 80 yards in 16 plays close to 9-7 on Godsey's 13-yard TD pass to Kelly Campbell with 6:48 left in the half. The Yellow Jackets recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and took advantage to go up, 10-9, on Luke Manget's 28-yard field goal. But Bennett converted a 28-yard with 1:11 left to give Georgia a 12-10 halftime edge in the seasaw affair, then made it 15-10 with 37-yarder seven minutes into the third period. Georgia Tech took a 17-15 lead on a 37-yard TD run by Burns, who rushed for 88 yards on 17 carries.
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