Georgia started quickly, scoring 24 unanswered points to begin the game. Purdue scored 10 quick points before halftime to make it 24–10. After a scoreless third quarter, the stage was set for a very exciting ending.
After Purdue opened the quarter with a touchdown to make it 24–17, Georgia added a field goal with 7 minutes remaining to make it 27–17. Purdue would manage a touchdown drive, scoring with 1:34 left, but when the Boilermakers couldn't recover the ensuing onside kick it appeared the game was over. Purdue was out of timeouts when Mark Richt called a run on second down instead of ordering quarterback David Greene to take a knee. The coach was trying to avoid a punt with a few seconds left, but he quickly regretted his decision. Running back Kregg Lumpkin got hemmed up deep in the backfield and tried to run the other way, but Shaun Phillips stripped the ball. After a wild scramble, Niko Koutouvides recovered for Purdue at the Georgia 34. Purdue's Ben Jones then kicked a 44-yard field goal with 49 seconds remaining to keep the game going, tied at 27.
Taking the ball first, the Bulldogs got to the 3 with the help of a pass interference penalty on Bobby Iwuchukwu, then went for it on fourth down from inside the 1. Lumpkin managed to slide through a crease for the touchdown. Purdue then received the ball with a chance to keep the game going. Georgia appeared to get the clinching stop when Kyle Orton threw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-goal from the 8, but the Bulldogs were offsides. Orton's final pass was intercepted by Taylor in the end zone, setting off a wild celebration by the Georgia players.
