Force lock in seed with heart-stopping win at Iowa

July 23, 2011 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Georgia Force News Release


Des Moines, IA - The Force needed all 60 minutes to get by the Iowa Barnstormers on Saturday night. Benji McDowell scored the game-winning touchdown with 25 seconds remaining in a 63-59 win at Wells Fargo Arena.

The winner came on McDowell's only touch of the night, a straight-ahead plunge through the line to put Georgia ahead in a game that had seen both sides seize momentum at a variety of points throughout the game. The Force led by as many as 15 in the first half before Iowa surged back and led on four separate occasions, including a one-point led as the teams went to the locker rooms at halftime.

Prior to McDowell's game-winner, the Barnstormers had scored a go-ahead touchdown with 2:40 left on Jesse Schmidt's fifth touchdown catch of the night.

Darnell Kennedy, in his first start at quarterback this season, provided offensive pyrotechnics all night. He connected on 21 of 32 passes for 373 yards and seven touchdowns. Maurice Purify, back after a two-week absence, and Larry Shipp each went over 120 yards receiving with a trio of touchdowns apiece.

For Iowa, Schmidt carved up the Georgia secondary to the tune of 170 yards receiving on 12 catches with five touchdowns. Iowa picked themselves up off the mat with 20 unanswered points at one point in the first half, culminating on an Iowa kickoff to Georgia that bounced off the goal post and stayed loose long enough to be recovered by the Barnstormers.

The win for Georgia clinched the #3 seed in the American Conference and means they will open the playoffs by taking on Cleveland at Quicken Loans Arena for a second time in 2011. The first such matchup, on June 11, saw the Force fall 62-48. The sequel will kick off on Sunday afternoon at 3:00.

The Force finish the 2011 regular season at 11-7, while Iowa drops to 5-13 despite a valiant effort.

About The GEORGIA FORCE...

The Force, in their first season back in Georgia, have an opportunity to host the American Conference Championship Game with a win next week and a Jacksonville loss. Keep an eye on GeorgiaForce.com to become among the first to reserve tickets to this momentous matchup.



Arena Football League Stories from July 23, 2011


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